Housing & Dining
Communal living – whether it be on-campus in Medford, in the Beacon Street housing, or off-campus – is an integral part of life for SMFA at Tufts students. The people you live with will come from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and parts of the world. These differences provide a diverse community that will define your student experience and enhance your academic, artistic, and personal growth.
On-Campus Housing for 2026-2027
Housing for First-Year BFA Students
First-year BFA students live in Tufts housing on Beacon Street in the coveted neighborhood of Brookline, near our SMFA campus. SMFA's Beacon Street housing consists of three historic, renovated brownstones—1023 Beacon, 1025 Beacon, and 1047 Beacon—located in close proximity to the SMFA campus. The residence halls provide students with a quintessential college experience in a community of artists in one of the most desirable neighborhoods of Boston.
Each residence hall has a student staff that is responsible for the student leadership of each hall. Their duties consist of extra-curricular programming, move-in and move-out facilitation, student support, resource connection, on-call availability, and assisting in health and safety inspections. The Office of Residential Life and Learning coordinates all aspects of SMFA living in conjunction with Student Life. For more information on Residential Life, staffing, policies, and procedures, visit the Office of Residential Life and Learning’s website.
Housing for Second-Year BFA, and First- and Second-Year Combined Degree Students
Due to the different academic requirements of the program, Combined Degree (BFA + BA/BS) students live on the Medford/Somerville campus for their first two years at Tufts. Rising sophomore BFA students also live on the Medford/Somerville campus during their second year, which gives them the opportunity to build social networks beyond their BFA cohort and fully embrace student life at Tufts. SMFA students live with other Arts and Sciences and Engineering students and have a variety of living options available to them. Check out the Residential Life website.
Changes to On Campus Housing for BFAs for 2027-2028
Beginning in September 2027, all first-year Tufts students, including SMFA BFA students, will live on the Medford/Somerville campus. Incoming BFAs will be integrated with other incoming first-year Combined Degree, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering students through the standard room and roommate assignment process managed by Residential Life and Learning. Also, moving forward, all SMFA undergraduates will have the same two-year campus residency requirement as all other undergraduates. More details will be shared in Fall 2026.
Off-Campus Living
During their junior and senior years, many SMFA students live off-campus in one of Boston's diverse and interesting neighborhoods. The Office of Residential Life and Learning provides listings of available apartments, roommates, realtors, and alternative accommodations on their Off-Campus Housing website; plus, office resources to support your search, including telephones, Internet access, and bulletin boards.
Dining
SMFA Café
The SMFA Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday – Thursday, and breakfast and lunch Friday. The café features a fresh soup and salad bar, a sizzle station for burgers, fries, and other items, and a hot food bar with savory entrées and sides. Look for an assortment of freshly-made grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, and wraps, plus healthy snacks and yogurt. There's always fresh fruit and things to munch on, as well as our popular espresso drinks, chai lattes, teas, and coffee.
In addition to the Boston-based café, SMFA students also have access to all dining locations on the Medford/Somerville campus, including Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Centers, Commons Marketplace, Hodgdon Food-on-the Run, Hotung Café, Kindlevan Café, Mugar Café, and Pax et Lox Kosher Deli. More information can be found on the Tufts Dining website.
SMFA Meal Plans
- First-year BFA students living on the Boston SMFA Campus are required to be on the SMFA A Plan.
- First-year students living on the Medford/Somerville campus are automatically enrolled in the Tufts Premium Plan but may opt to enroll in the SMFA Premium Rhino Bucks Plan instead (please contact the Dining office at 617-627-3566 or tuftsdining@tufts.edu to do so).
- The SMFA A & B Plans provide a variety of eating options designed to support students who live in Boston. This includes meal swipes that can be used Fresh at Carmichael/Dewick-MacPhie Dining Centers on the Medford/Somerville Campus, SMFA Café Meal Money, Rhino Bucks, as well as meals in Emmanuel College’s all-you-care-to-eat or retail/pick 4 locations.
- See our helpful Guide to SMFA Meal Plans.
- More details can be found on the Tufts Dining website.
Rhino Bucks/Campus Cash Program
SMFA students are eligible to participate in our declining balance program, Rhino Bucks. Rhino Bucks are stored on your Rhino Bucks Card and are accepted at the many Boston businesses that welcome Campus Cash. All businesses that accept Campus Cash have a "Campus Cash Welcomed Sticker" in a visible location.
For any questions about Tufts Dining options for SMFA students, contact: tuftsdining@tufts.edu or call 617-627-3566.
