Valley Oaks is WMU's newest residence hall and it was built from scratch specifically for first-year students. It sits in the heart of Goldsworth Valley, and when they say brand new, they mean it. Mass timber construction, biophilic design elements, two outdoor courtyards, kitchenettes on every floor, hybrid-learning booths, and a well-being studio. This is the most modern housing option on campus by a significant margin.

The room setup is a pod-style layout with single-occupant bathrooms assigned to each student — shared with only 3 to 6 people on the same hall wing. That's meaningfully more private than traditional community bathrooms, and a lot more hygienic than sharing a shower block with 50 people. Rooms come in three sizes: standard double, single, and expanded single (a double room used for one person). Air conditioning is included, and laundry is on each floor.

Valley Oaks is 30 seconds from the Valley Dining Center, which makes it the most convenient option for meals on campus. The tradeoff is distance from main academic buildings — the Student Center is a 10-minute walk and the Student Recreation Center is 16 minutes. For a first-year student focused on building friendships and settling into campus life, Valley Oaks is hard to beat.

Ackley and Shilling are paired halls in the Valley 1 complex, and they run on the suite model: two rooms connected by a shared bathroom, four students total. That means instead of sharing a floor bathroom with 50 people, you're sharing with just your suite neighbors. It's a middle ground between total privacy and community-bathroom chaos, and most students end up happy with it.

Ackley houses the Engineering House living-learning community, which is a real draw for STEM students — it even has a computer lab with engineering-specific software. Shilling houses the Bronco Connect community, which is specifically designed to help new students find their footing on campus. If you're coming in without knowing many people, Bronco Connect is a smart place to land. Both halls have ample parking nearby, a bonus for students with cars. The Valley Dining Center is a 7-minute walk.

Britton and Hadley sit next to each other in Valley 1 and share the same suite-style room layout as Ackley/Shilling — two rooms connected by a private bathroom, four people per suite. What sets them apart is the community feel. Britton/Hadley is consistently described as quieter, more diverse, and more welcoming than other halls. Students here are known for actually spending time in the common areas — the Global Kitchen sees a lot of traffic, and the lobbies and lounges are genuinely used for hanging out.

Britton houses the Spectrum House community (LGBTQ+ inclusive, with the first floor of Britton designated as fully gender-inclusive housing). Hadley houses the Global House community and, starting fall 2026, the Health Professionals Community as well. One practical standout: Britton/Hadley is the only residence hall where the meal plan is optional — residents can opt for room-only if they prefer to cook or eat off campus. That's meaningful flexibility that no other hall offers. It's also located near the Sindecuse Health Center and Goldsworth Valley Pond, which makes for a nicer daily setting than most residence halls can claim.

Western Heights is unlike any other hall at WMU. The $48 million complex — two four-story buildings housing around 750 students total — uses a "house" model where 30 to 35 students live together on a floor with their own kitchen and living room. It's closer to a large apartment community than a traditional dorm, and for students who want that neighborhood-within-a-building feel, it genuinely delivers.

The bathrooms are centrally located and semi-private — WMU staff cleans them, which is a real perk. Rooms are spacious at 11' x 17', air-conditioned, and feel more like a modern apartment than a dorm cell. Each house has its own kitchen (oven, no stovetop) and living space, so you'll actually be cooking with your housemates and forming a tighter micro-community.

Western Heights East is open to any student; Western Heights West is reserved for first-year students. The Business Community (West) and Fine Arts House (East) are both housed here starting fall of 2026. The Student Center is just a 3-minute walk, the Rec Center is 4 minutes, and the library is 7 minutes — this is the best main-campus location of any hall. Valley Dining is 8 minutes away, and the nearest dining is Student Center Dining.

Henry Hall is the traditional residence hall option on main campus — recently refreshed with updated bathrooms, a renovated game room (ping pong, pool, the works), and a renovated kitchen with a cut-through into the game room. It's the no-frills choice in the best sense of the phrase: central location, solid community, straightforward setup. Most things on campus — the Rec Center, Student Center, dining — are within a 6-minute walk. For students who want to stay connected to the academic core of campus without any of the bells and whistles of newer builds, Henry delivers.

The Aviation House living-learning community is housed here, which makes it an obvious fit for aspiring pilots and aviation students. The room dimensions are standard (11'10" x 14'10") and community bathrooms are shared with 50 to 60 people per floor — WMU staff cleans those. No elevator, no Ethernet — bring a Wi-Fi device and be comfortable with stairs. But you're getting a freshly updated, centrally located hall at the lowest price tier available.