Residential Academic Programs (RAP) provides UMass Amherst incoming first-year and transfer students with the opportunity to participate in a variety of rewarding academic and social experiences.
A RAP is a community of students who enroll in a specific course and live together in a designated residence hall.
Students who participate in a RAP program quickly become part of the UMass Amherst community. RAP programming gives students the tools to build a strong foundation for their academic and personal success. Check out the information throughout the website to learn more about the goals and program details.
Fall 2021 RAP Sign up is now closed!
If you are looking for room and/or roommate information:
- All applicants will receive an Assignment Notification with their On-Campus assignment and roommate information on SPIRE on August 6, 2021
- If you are interested in having contact information for the other students in your RAP, please send us an email and we will send you that information.
If you have any questions or need assistance please use this GOOGLE FORM to contact us.
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Small communities, BIG opportunities -
CONNECT with classmates for study groups and class projects. -
Transition more easily to college life -
More in-depth discussions
We are glad you are interested in learning more about RAP for Fall 2021!
The most recent UMass Amherst announcement regarding plans for Fall 2021 states: "UMass Amherst expects campus life to return to normal operations in fall 2021. That means an emphasis on face-to-face instruction, full residence halls, and a complement of student events and activities. When our community returns to campus in September, we plan to offer students a full college experience." More information can be found on the UMass webpage Getting Ready for Fall 2021.
In concert with the university statement, we are planning for RAPs to proceed as usual for Fall 2021, meaning a RAP program will include a specific course affiliated with a designated residence hall. Only students who are admitted for Fall 2021 can join a RAP. Although we understand that this is a challenging time for students who entered Fall 2020, we are not able to offer RAPs as an option. Rest assured that there will be lots of programming and opportunities designed to assist you with the transition to UMass and connecting to each other and a wide variety of campus activities.
RAP sign-up closes on Friday, July 9 at 4:30 pm EST.
Please note: The Housing Preference application closes on July 11.
Fall 2021 RAP Course and Program Information - At a Glance
Regarding classroom locations: RAP classes may be located in the residence hall where the RAP is located, in a nearby residence hall or in a main campus classroom.
Course List for Gen Ed RAPs
Each Gen Ed RAP has a designated course. You can review the comprehensive list to see which courses spark your interest, which RAP the course is affiliated with, and which residence hall students will live in together.
NEW! Course Descriptions for Gen Ed RAPs
Read the full list of Gen Ed course descriptions for Fall 2021.
RAP Program Locations
Students may have a particular area of campus they prefer to live in. RAPs are located in all first-year residence halls in five areas of campus. You can review this information in the RAPs by Location document for Fall 2021.
