Hope CollegeStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Hope College. Free for students.

Private Non-Profit Liberal Arts College in Holland, MI. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

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3K+

Total Enrollment

Liberal Arts College

Institution Type

11

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall Semester 2026 First-Half

The semester, explained for Hope College

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall Semester 2026 First-Half
Campus terms
17
Local details
11

Academic calendar

Fall Semester 2026 First-Half runs Aug 31, 2026 – Oct 20, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

11 entries
  1. July Term 2026
  2. Fall Semester 2026 First-HalfRelevant now
  3. Fall Semester 2026
  4. Fall Semester 2026 Last-Half
  5. Spring Semester 2027 First-Half
  6. Spring Semester 2027
  7. Spring Semester 2027 Last-Half
  8. May Term 2027
  9. May Term 2027
  10. June Term 2027
  11. July Term 2027

Add dates to DormWay

Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

17 terms

B

BSU
Black Student Union, an organization focused on the interests and culture of Black students.

C

Cook
Cook Dining Hall, the buffet-style dining location on the east side of campus.
Cup & Chaucer
The coffee shop and cafe located within the Van Wylen Library.

D

Dykstra
Dykstra Hall, a large all-female residence hall on the east side of campus.

H

HSA
Hope Student Association, the college's student government body.

K

Kollen
Kollen Hall, a large co-ed residence hall located near the Pine Grove.

L

LSO
Latino Student Organization, a group promoting Latino culture and community on campus.

N

Nykerk
The Nykerk Cup, an annual competition between freshman and sophomore women featuring song, play, and oration.

P

Phelps
Phelps Dining Hall, the primary buffet-style dining location on the west side of campus.

S

SAC
Student Activities Committee, the student-led group that plans major campus events like concerts and movies.

T

The Anchor
The official student-run newspaper of Hope College.
The Bowl
The outdoor amphitheater area located near the Dow Center.
The Cottages
A collection of over 70 college-owned houses used for upperclassman residential living.
The Kletz
Kletz Market, a retail dining location in the Bultman Student Center offering grab-and-go items and grill food.
The Pine Grove
The central, tree-filled park area in the middle of campus used for studying and events.
The Pull
The famous annual tug-of-war competition between the freshman and sophomore classes.

V

Voorhees
Voorhees Hall, a historic residence hall often housing upperclassmen.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

11 details
Bultman
The Bultman Student Center, the central hub for student life, dining, and the bookstore.
DeVos
The DeVos Fieldhouse, the primary venue for basketball, volleyball, and athletic offices.
Dimnent
Dimnent Memorial Chapel, the historic Gothic chapel used for services and major ceremonies.
Dining Dollars
Declining balance funds included with meal plans for use at retail dining locations like The Kletz.
Hope ID
The official student identification card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
kletz_market
Kletz Market
phelps_dining
Phelps Dining
Plus-One
A guest meal pass that students can use to bring a non-meal-plan holder into the dining halls.
Schaap
The A. Paul Schaap Science Center, housing the natural and applied science departments.
The Bubble
A term used by students to describe the insular, safe, but sometimes isolated feeling of the campus community.
Van Wylen
The Van Wylen Library, the main research and study hub on campus.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall Semester 2026 First-Half runs Aug 31, 2026 – Oct 20, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
17 approved campus terms and 11 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Class of 2030 · Hope College

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What we’ll email you about

  • Aug 28

    New Student Move-in & Orientation

    Required · source

  • Aug 31

    Vehicle Registration Deadline

    Recommended · source

  • Aug 31

    Last Day to Change Meal Plan

    Recommended · source

One email per real deadline. Source link cited every time. We re-check 7 days before each one fires.

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Find a few communities to try at Hope College

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

23 mapped items from 6 public sources

Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

Worth a look

Dance Marathon

An annual 24-hour dance marathon that raises money for Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. The event was founded by Greek members in 2000.

Open to all

Source: hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

Student Congress

The official student-elected governing body of Hope College. Representatives serve on college boards and sponsor services like a local shuttle.

Source: hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

The Anchor

Hope College's student-run newspaper, publishing monthly print issues and online content.

Source: anchor.hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

Learn More

Alpha Phi Zeta (Alethean)

A local sorority that values authenticity, friendship, and faith.

Invite only

Source: hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

Class Council

Part of Student Congress, with representatives from each class (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) who advocate for their respective cohorts.

Source: hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

Easy to try first

Alexander Hamilton Society

A non-partisan national organization focused on fostering discussions on American foreign policy, economic policy, national security, and statecraft.

Drop in any time

Source: public campus page · Verified 17 days ago

Ballet Club

Open to all students seeking to practice technical skills, perform together, and appreciate the beauty of ballet.

Drop in any time

Source: public campus page · Verified 17 days ago

Capturing Hope

A film and photography club that serves as a creative community for storytellers and art lovers.

Drop in any time

Source: public campus page · Verified 17 days ago

Campus rituals

Christmas Traditions

The Hope President and First Spouse invite students to their home for the Lighting of the Tree, Christmas carols, and cookie decorating.

Drop in any time

Source: hope.edu · Verified 17 days ago

Using DormWay at Hope College

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Syllabus to schedule

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Hope College on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

9

Active Students

3

Syllabi Analyzed

3

Courses on DormWay

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Popular Courses

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Foundations of EducationIntroduction to Engineering MaterialsPsalms & the Christian Life

Life in Holland for Hope College Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Holland.

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$1,065

Cost of Living Index

95

Student Population

3,500

City Transportation

Walkability

50

Bikeability

50

Public Transit

Macatawa Area Express bus system

Nearest Airports

West Michigan Regional Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid continental

Avg Annual Temp

50°F

Avg Snowfall

75 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Lot 75

surface_lot

Reserved for accessible parking only; located west of Smith Stadium.

Lot 62

surface_lot

Reserved for handicapped parking during events at DeVos Fieldhouse.

DeVos Fieldhouse Lots

surface_lot • high during public events

Located along 11th Street; open for public use during specific athletic contests.

Martha Miller Lot

surface_lot

Largest lot on campus, accessible from 10th Street.

Campus News

Latest updates from Hope College

Hope College Orchestra Wins National Programming Award

The Hope College Orchestra and director Samuel Pang were named national winners of The American Prize–Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in orchestral programming.

Sep 4, 2026

Read More

Knickerbocker Theatre Presents Fall Films Series

The historic theatre in downtown Holland begins its fall film series featuring four films screening from Sept. 8 through Oct. 17.

Sep 4, 2026

Read More

St. Benedict Institute to Host Lecture on Sacred Architecture

Architect Michael Bursch will discuss foundational principles of sacred architecture in a public lecture on Sept. 8 at Graves Hall.

Aug 25, 2026

Read More

Campus Safety conducts safety escorts for students, faculty, and staff upon request at any time.

Campus Safety conducts safety escorts for students, faculty, and staff upon request at any time.

Read More

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Hope College

Hope On The Go - Cubs at Wrigley Field

September 13, 2026

Wrigley Field

Hope College alumni and community event at a Chicago Cubs game.

Poster Sale

September 16, 2026

Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center

Annual campus poster sale for students to decorate their living spaces.

Hope Alumni Mahjong Event

September 17, 2026

Martha Miller Center for Global Communication, Rotunda

An alumni gathering featuring Mahjong from 6:30pm to 9pm.

Anchor Day

September 18, 2026

Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center

A day for prospective students to visit campus from 9am to 4pm.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Hope College

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

11 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Cook Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Durfee Hall

Capacity: 92

Room types: single, double, triple

Dykstra Hall

Capacity: 265

Room types: single, double, triple

Gilmore Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Kollen Hall

Capacity: 292

Room types: single, double, triple

Lichty Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Phelps Hall

Capacity: 160

Room types: double

Scott Hall

Capacity: 98

Room types: rooms

Van Vleck Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Voorhees Hall

Capacity: 114

Room types: single, double, triple

Wyckoff Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Private Non-Profit

Email Domain

@hope.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

Plan your semester at Hope College

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