Founded in 1892, University of Rhode Island. is a Public college. Located in Rhode Island, which is a city setting in Rhode Island, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 14,812 full time undergraduate students, and 3,010 full time graduate students.
The University of Rhode Island Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 17:1. There are 724 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at University of Rhode Island include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
72%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
65
SAT Range
970-1170
ACT Range
22-27
Admissions at URI are considered Selective, with ,109% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 16 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
87% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 49% were in the top quarter, and 18% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at University of Rhode Island.
8%
“We”re apathetic”
41%
“We know about current events and vote”
49%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
3%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
7%
“We save it for the classroom”
26%
“Sometimes, but not often”
54%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
14%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
8%
“I only go out in groups”
35%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
57%
“I feel extremely safe”
14%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
42%
“We bought the gear”
44%
“We live for the big game”
11%
“It”s not really our thing”
26%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
54%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
12%
“Available in class”
61%
“They keep regular office hours”
26%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
14%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
65%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
18%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
12%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
38%
“We only party on weekends”
47%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
5%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
33%
“There might be people who do”
49%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
13%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
8%
“We”re apathetic”
41%
“We know about current events and vote”
49%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
3%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
7%
“We save it for the classroom”
26%
“Sometimes, but not often”
54%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
14%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
8%
“I only go out in groups”
35%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
57%
“I feel extremely safe”
14%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
42%
“We bought the gear”
44%
“We live for the big game”
11%
“It”s not really our thing”
26%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
54%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
12%
“Available in class”
61%
“They keep regular office hours”
26%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
14%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
65%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
18%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
261 Students rated on-campus housing 3.4 stars. 8 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
179 Students rated off-campus housing 3.9 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
275 Students rated campus food 3.5 stars. 16 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
280 Students rated campus facilities 4 stars. 26 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
279 Students rated class size 3.9 stars. 22 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
279 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 39 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
280 Students rated local services 3.9 stars. 32 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
280 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 36 % gave the school a 5.0.
University of Rhode Island REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of University of Rhode Island?
129 Students rated University of Rhode Island
Gwyneth
Prospective04/01/2025
The University of Rhode Island stood out to me over other universities. The bright campus, the diversity among students, the various extracurricular activities, and most certainly the commitment to the academic excellence within' their students. URI's environment has to be one of the most attractive features about the university itself. The location, and the students have made it a safe and happy place to achieve the education they deserve. It does not matter what major you are specializing in, The University of Rhode Island will make sure you are given the correct schooling to reach your end goals. From the student government and the educational organizations to cultural clubs and athletic teams, URI has it all and there is absolutely something for everyone to become apart of. Being that the student ; teacher ratio is 24 ;1, this allows the professors to get to know their students on a personal aspect and build strong bonds with them. This is a personalized approach that allows students to gain the academic knowledge they strive for. All in all, The University of Rhode Island is one of a kind. Students can find themselves growing in the social, emotional, and cognitive areas seeking a well-rounded college experience that they will most certainly never forget. Go Rams!
Sarah
Overall, I believe URI is great school. I have enjoyed the classes I have taken, the professors, and the students. With my being a graduate student, I don't engage in a lot of the activities, but I know there are many that exist. There is a lot of opportunity on campus for events such as sporting events, concerts, and other activities. I do find there are a lot more activities geared towards undergraduate students, or students who live on campus. I also find there is a political culture on campus that seems to be more one sided. I prefer for college institutions to be neutral in their political views considering I am paying for an education, not political views. I am overall happy with the experience I have had with the university, and with the degree I chose to study.
Tene
I thought the campus was very nice! I appreciated how open and friendly the tour guides were. There are a lot of spaces for students to study that provide a variety of moods. Some of them are more quiet than others. It was also nice to hear about how you can create relationships with your professors.
Calvin
I am honestly so excited to be attending URI mostly because of the fact that it's a new environment for me but I cant wait to attend all of the community events and show pride in myself and my school. They have groups and and celebrations just for people like me.
Jenna
The University of Rhode Island is a great place to attend. It is my first semester here and I love meeting all of the nice people in my classes. The academics are great and very in-depth. I am excited to continue my college career in Human Development and Family Sciences.
Amelia
Overall, I think URI is a pretty good school. There's a lot of people and clubs, so there is something for everyone! There are also so many opportunities to get involved and always stuff going on on campus. The classes can vary in difficulty, but most that I've completed are very passable. The dining hall food is eh. Sometimes it's decent, other times it's not. The restaurants on campus you can use the dining money for are much better. The location is decent. I love being near the beach however I almost never go there except in the summer.
Noelle
I think that the University of Rhode Island is a great school that is close to the beach. The professors and staff are very polite and will help you whenever you need them. The campus is walkable and a good size, not too big or too small. The food could use some upgrades, just some more variety. The sports atmosphere is great and football games are always fun in the fall. Looking forward to coming back in the fall!
Cassidy
The University of Rhode Island is a fantastic school if you are looking for beach and surf culture mixed with the classic American University setting. The on campus food is amazing, and there are multiple places to eat around campus. The quad is where it is at for hanging out in-between classes. I loved most of my professors.
Isabella
As a college freshman who entered URI off campus for their first year, URI is an okay school. As I don't have much experience to a true on-campus lifestyle at URI, all my experience is with virtual classes. The virtual classes are alright as it really depends on what teacher you get and how they conduct the class.
phoebe
For me, URI was hard to get used to at first. Life at URI is very cliquey and reminds me of high school. Greek life totally takes over and makes it hard to find friends at first if you don't want to join, like myself. Also, people love to stare at you here for some reason. Maybe it's a Rhode Island thing? But Im from MA and this is not normal to me, and my roommates from NY and NJ completely agree. Walking to class is very annoying because the campus is spread out on a huge and very steep hill. When you get to move off-campus you will love it! URI is right by the beach so all the students rent beach houses that families don't use 3 out of the 4 seasons.
Rachel
The University of Rhode Island is a great school! There is a lot to do on campus, and the food is great. Before class, you have to get a bagel and a coffee from "Bagels", best ever. The school is right near downtown Wakefield as well, which is full of amazing places to hangout and spend some time off campus.
Eleanore
I just finished freshman year and the food is hit or miss. The rooms are dingey college dorms but what did we expect. I lived in Browning Hall during my first semester and sometimes there was food on the walls and floors for weeks. Most of the dorms don't have elevators except for the newer buildings. They built Hillside on a sinkhole so there's also that. Frats and sororities like to think they're hot shit but we only tolerate them for their "gatherings". I've had two poor biology professors but an awesome writing TA (TA's tend to be better than the professor).
Kathia
My overall opinion of the University of Rhode Island is good so far. It's only my first year, going to be second next semester, but it's been great. I made plenty of friends, found some clubs that interested me and found great hangout spots with my friends and taken many adventures with them. The professors I've had were great and really cares about their students and making sure they were doing well inside as well as outside the classroom. I've been able to get out of my comfort zone and have been presented many opportunities to grow. The support system has been amazing and will definitely have long lasting friendships/relationships with my friends, professors and advisors.
Rebecca
I attended the University of Rhode Island for my bachelor's degree, and have recently returned for my master's degree. Living on campus (South Kingstown campus), the dorms are adequate but nothing special. You need to have a really early pick time to get one of the nicer dorms as an upperclassmen. The food is pretty good in the dining halls, and there is options for grab-n-go meals for those in a rush. The SK campus is beautiful, and there are lots of paths to follow between dorms, academic halls, etc. There are two gyms, one was redone just a few years ago and they are both excellent. Professors are usually very responsive to emails and willing to work with students 1:1 during office hours, but this varies by major and of course the individual professor. Class sizes can range from large lecture halls for gen-ed classes to 12 students for specialized upper classes. There are lots of opportunities for activities and social groups, just a matter of finding the right one for you.
Stephanie
URI is a school that tries to diversify and accommodate to the needs of the students. As like everything else, there are ups and downs. Personally, I have had a lot more ups than downs, but this will vary on the student. The school has been remodeling and trying to create more studies and buildings for each major.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for University of Rhode Island is 72%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself that college is going to be an amazing experience, and a whole new beginning. I'd tell myself to take every opportunity, like sticking with the fencing club that you will join instead of quitting a few weeks later. I would tell myself to not get a boyfriend freshman year and hang out with my other new friends instead of that loser who will break your heart 5 months later. I would tell myself to go abroad sophomore year when I had the chance, beacuse you can't go abroad later since your major (pharmacy) is not internationally universal. I'd tell myself to be brave enough to join a sorority freshman year instead of sophomore year because it's a great networking opportunity, avenue to make new friends and learn about what to expect as you get farther alolng in school. I'd tell my senior self to just be brave, get yourself out there, not be shy, and that you will learn who you are in college, and who you'll be for the rest of your life.
URI is an amazing school, especially for animal sciences and marine biology which is what i am going for. Telling people i attend URI for these majors, i feel pride and i receive an overwhelming great response. I love the location of the campus. I am not much of a city girl so i enjoy being in the woods with easy access to the beach. And if i need my city fix, Providence is just a short drive away. I love living off campus in a beautiful beach house with great ocean views, yet i am only a 5-10 minute drive to campus. I have a great relationship with my professors and truly enjoy all my classes, especially in my core subjects. I spend a lot of my time at the University's farm, where i help out with all of the animals. My best experience was when i got to deliver two lambs, and watch them grow up over the next few months.
As an animal science major i couldn't be happier. All of my professors know my name and they truly care about me. One of my professors had a bunch of the AVS majors to his house for a Bar-B-Q! I love how hands on my department is. As a freshman i was at the farm once a week for a class learning how to trim sheep hooves and taking care of the pigs. As a sophomore i was already giving vaccinations to the animals, drawing blood, and delivering baby animals! URI's AVS department believes hands on is the best way to learn, and i couldn't agree more. Outside of my department i have taken some pretty unique classes, like a class entirely on Volcanoes. I was also able to take a seminar class on Marine animals at Mystic Aquarium which was amazing. The only thing academically i would change is our Chemistry department. It is not good, but we all find ways to get through it, including getting help from most of our AVS professors.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
The activities at URI are great and there is something for everyone. My favorite thing i have done is Oozeball, which is a URI tradition. It happens every year in the spring, and it is a volleyball tournament played in a foot of mud. There are over a hundred teams that compete to be the biggest Oozer! I am also vice-president of the URI ghost hunting team which is a newer organization that does what the famous ghost hunters do on TV. Basketball and Ice hockey are probably the biggest sporting events, and we are known for having some crazy fans. In the dorms, everyone leaves their doors open and you know most everyone on your floor because of it. On weekends if there isn't a party going on off campus (which there normally is) it is not uncommon to have some of your closest friends sitting around in your dorm room having your own little party. Some of my favorite times have been in a dorm room rather than a big party.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
I wish I had known how much money it would cost me for books and other assortment of things. Everything is so expensive when you are on your own. I wis I had a ball-park of how much money I would have to spend, I probably would have saved more over the summer, or got a second job.
The best thing I would consider at my school would be the available internet access, research tools, library resources, food places, activities around campus and people who are able to help you in a certain field.
What kind of person should not attend this school?
People who don't feel comfortable living on a relatively big campus, people who enjoy city life, and people who do not want to walk much to get to classes should probably not attend this school.
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
When I brag about my school to my friends I usually brag about how open the school is. To be more specific, at URI almost all the professors make the courses out so you decide how far you want to go and how much you want to learn. This style of teaching allows for me, as a student to essentially determine what I want my educational experience to be. This option pushes me to do the best that I possibly can and although it is tough at times if you dedicate yourself, you will succeed.
Someone who wants to go to a medium sized school with lots of different majors, with many opportunities for involvement from intramural sports to sailing and fencing as well as greek life. A student looking for a great experience, whether decided or undecided major, the University of Rhode Island has so many major choices and great advisors, and so many opportunities to study abroad as well.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The teachers are not always approachable. I find that the teachers and advising members often care more about their own reputation and trying to come off as a reputable person rather than trying to help.
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
At this University, the most common type of student you will see is one engaged in tons of partying and drinking...that is the straight truth. But that doesn't mean the students here are corrupted by any means. As a matter of fact, some of the most intelligent and innovative students and professors are the University of Rhode Island. There is not a lot of ethnic diversity, but being Indian myself, it does not make it uncomfortable. Many times, students are also stereotyped into Greek life, which include fraternities and sororities. Greek life is major component of this University, as many activities and programs are assisted by students participating in Greek life.
There hasn't been a day on U.R.I. that stands out but there are moments. My favorite moments at U.R.I. is longboarding down the campus, going off paths and sidewalks. There is a pretty strong longboard presence and if you board you will find others that are willing to ride.
Another moment was participating in student recreation where we were playing outdoor soccer against a frat. I remember this day in particular because we got very competitive and a fight almost broke out. Both of our teams were fined and they had a harsher punishment as they were the antagonist of the incident.
Classes are a different world in college. All the work must be done yourself and nobody is going to baby you. Classes are medium normally 30 kids at a maximum and the information covered during the semester is a lot.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
93% of students attending University of Rhode Island receive some sort of financial aid.
24% were awarded federal grants.81%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
