Hereford is located on Observatory Hill near Scott Stadium. It is a short walk to the Aquatic & Fitness Center, UVA’s primary gym, and a 10-minute bus ride to Central Grounds. Also nearby are miles of hiking and biking trails on Observatory Hill. In addition, nearby Fry’s Spring Corner has a wide selection of restaurants and shops. Find a map and directions on our Residence Halls page.
Hereford is a community of first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year students from all majors and schools as well as international, transfer, and exchange students. One of the great things about living in Hereford is the opportunity to meet students from other class years and majors. Students can choose to live in Hereford throughout their time at UVA.
A residential college is a living and learning community within the larger University that allows for student self-governance, encourages innovative forms of learning, and facilitates meaningful engagement between students and faculty. The UVA Residential College ideal is premised on Thomas Jefferson’s notion of the Academical Village in which students and faculty live and learn together as a holistic community.
There are single and double rooms, with approximately 25-28 students on a floor with four floors in each building.
You can use your meal plan to eat at Runk Dining Hall, which is only steps from Hereford. Or, there are kitchens in each of our buildings, so you can prepare your own meals in the dorm. Finally, Hereford offers numerous food-related events, including weekly breakfasts and cookie nights, monthly banquets, and special occasion events.
NO! This persistent rumor likely comes from Hereford’s well-known commitment to sustainability. But we can assure you that the showers at Hereford function exactly the same as any other showers on Grounds.
For the records though, taking showers that are no longer than 5-minutes is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint by conserving the energy and resources required for both treating and heating water!