Virginia State UniversityStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Virginia State University. Free for students.

Public Research University in Petersburg, VA. Operating on a semester system.

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

Free for all Virginia State University students. No credit card required.

5K+

Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

14

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall Semester 2026 Term I (8-Week)

The semester, explained for Virginia State University

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 Term I (8-Week)
Campus terms
26
Local details
18

Academic calendar

Fall Semester 2026 Term I (8-Week) runs Aug 17, 2026 – Oct 9, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

17 entries
  1. Summer Semester 2026 Session III
  2. Summer Semester 2026 Session II
  3. Fall Semester 2026 Term I (8-Week)Relevant now
  4. Fall Semester 2026
  5. Fall Semester 2026 Term II (8-Week)
  6. Winter Session 2026
  7. Spring 2027 Term I (8-Week)Spring Semester 2027 Term I (8-Week)
  8. Spring Semester 2027
  9. Spring 2027 Term II (8-Week)Spring Semester 2027 Term II (8-Week)
  10. Summer Semester 2027 Session ISummer Session I 2027
  11. Summer Semester 2027 Session IIISummer Session III 2027
  12. Summer Semester 2027 Session IISummer Session II 2027

Add dates to DormWay

Campus language

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

26 terms

1

1882
The founding year of the university, frequently used in chants, social media, and apparel.

B

Branch
Branch Hall, a residence hall typically housing upperclassmen.

C

CAB
Campus Activities Board, responsible for organizing student events and concerts.

D

Dining Dollars
Funds specifically designated for use at on-campus retail food outlets.

F

Flex
Flex Dollars, declining balance funds attached to a student's meal plan for use at retail locations.
Foster
Foster Hall, which houses retail dining options like Subway and Chick-fil-A.

G

Gateway
Gateway II, a suite-style residence hall often preferred by upperclassmen.
Greater Happens Here
The official university tagline, often used by students to describe campus achievements.

J

Jones
Jones Dining Hall, the primary all-you-care-to-eat dining facility on campus.

L

Land of Troy
A poetic nickname for the VSU campus and its community.
Langston
Langston Hall, a residence hall named after John Mercer Langston.

M

M100
The Marching 100, Virginia State University's renowned marching band.

N

NPHC
National Pan-Hellenic Council, representing the 'Divine Nine' historically Black Greek-letter organizations.

O

Orange and Blue
The official school colors, used as a shorthand for school spirit and identity.

R

RHA
Residence Hall Association, representing students living on campus.

S

SAAC
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, representing the interests of VSU's student-athletes.
SGA
Student Government Association, the primary representative body for the student voice.

T

The Caf
Common student shorthand for Jones Dining Hall.
The Grill
The Trojan Grill, a retail dining location offering burgers, wings, and late-night options.
The Hill
A common nickname for the VSU campus, referring to its elevated geography overlooking the Appomattox River.
The P.O.D.
Provisions on Demand, a campus convenience store for snacks and essentials.
The Quad
The Quad Hall, a modern residence facility consisting of four wings.
Trojan
The official mascot and the term used to describe a VSU student.
Trojan Land
A term of endearment for the VSU campus and its community culture.

V

VAB
VSU Activities Board, the student-led group responsible for planning campus events and concerts.

W

Whiting
Whiting Hall, a residence hall on campus.

Places and practicalities

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

18 details
Banner
The self-service student portal used for registration, checking grades, and financial aid.
Blackboard
The learning management system where professors post syllabi, assignments, and grades.
chick_fil_a
Chick-fil-A
Foster
Foster Hall, the student union building housing the ballroom and student activity offices.
Gandy
Gandy Hall, the building housing the College of Agriculture and various labs.
gateway_dining_hall
Gateway Dining Hall
Hunter-McDaniel
The main science building housing biology, chemistry, and physics departments.
Johnston
Johnston Memorial Library, the main academic library on campus.
jones_dining_hall
Jones Dining Hall
MPC
The Multi-Purpose Center, the university's arena for basketball and major events.
Singleton
Singleton Hall, the primary building for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
starbucks
Starbucks
subway
Subway
The Loop
The campus shuttle service that transports students between various points on campus.
The MPC
The Multi-Purpose Center, the arena used for basketball games, concerts, and graduation.
Trojan Card
The official student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
Trojan Express
The campus shuttle service that transports students around the university grounds.
VSU Alert
The emergency notification system that sends texts and emails regarding campus safety or weather closures.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall Semester 2026 Term I (8-Week) runs Aug 17, 2026 – Oct 9, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
26 approved campus terms and 18 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 · Virginia State University

You just committed to Virginia State University.

The four months ahead don’t need to be one giant open tab. Sign up and we’ll only email you when Virginia State University actually needs you to do something this summer — orientation, housing, course registration, immunization. That’s the whole product.

What we’ll email you about

  • Aug 1

    Fall Tuition and Fees Payment Deadline

    Required · source

  • Aug 1

    Mandatory Immunization Records Submission

    Required · source

  • Aug 12

    New Student Move-In Day

    Required · source

  • Aug 31

    Health Insurance Waiver Deadline

    Recommended · source

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

Get the Class of 2030 essentials for Virginia State University

DormWay tells you when your campus asks you to do something this summer. Then it helps you do it. That's all.

DormWay’s AI organizes your school. It doesn’t do your work. Free for students.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at Virginia State University

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

Tell us what we missed

10 mapped items from 5 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

Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity

A co-educational fraternal organization that advances college and university bands.

Source: vsu.edu · Verified 1 month ago

Mu Beta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity

An organization for women who have a sincere interest in music.

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago

Royal Court

A select group of students, including Mister and Miss VSU, who serve as ambassadors for the university at various events.

Regular commitment

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago

Pre-Alumni Council

Works to bridge the gap between current students and university alumni.

Open to all

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago

Class Councils (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)

Represents the interests of each respective class, planning class-specific events and fostering class unity.

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago

VSU Gospel Chorale

A choir that performs gospel music at university and community events.

Tryout required

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago

Sociology Club

An organization for students interested in the study of sociology.

Open to all

Source: public campus page · Verified 1 month ago · may be stale

Campus rituals

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

A campus tradition to kick off the holiday season with a formal lighting of the university's holiday tree.

Drop in any time

Source: vsu.edu · Verified 1 month ago

Resources & spaces

Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)

A central academic support hub offering tutoring, academic coaching, and other services to help students succeed.

Open to all

Source: vsu.edu · Verified 1 month ago

Using DormWay at Virginia State University

What the product handles for students.

Syllabus to schedule

Upload any Virginia State University syllabus and get a complete semester breakdown in seconds

Workload planning

Balance your courseload with helpful workload distribution

Free student access

No premium tiers, no paywalls. Free for all Virginia State University students

Virginia State University on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

12

Active Students

18

Syllabi Analyzed

15

Courses on DormWay

Browse all courses →

Popular Courses

Browse all →
BIOL 116College AlgebraComposition IDrawing IFreshman StudiesIntroduction to BusinessIntroduction to Psychology (Non-Majors)Multicultural Families and Communities

DormWay integrates with Virginia State University's LMS

Connect your learning management system for automatic assignment syncing

Canvas

Supported

Connect your Canvas account to automatically sync assignments, grades, and course schedules.

Life in Petersburg for Virginia State University Students

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

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$1,050

Cost of Living Index

87

Student Population

4,500

City Transportation

Walkability

45

Bikeability

35

Public Transit

Petersburg Area Transit (bus), Amtrak service via nearby Ettrick station (Virginia State University)

Nearest Airports

Richmond International Airport (RIC, regional primary), Dinwiddie County Airport (general aviation)

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid subtropical

Avg Annual Temp

58°F

Avg Snowfall

6 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Lot 43

surface_lot • Reserved

Reserved for VIP members.

Multi-Purpose Center Lots

surface_lot • Event-based

Preferred parking can be purchased via Ticketmaster for specific events.

Campus News

Latest updates from Virginia State University

Letter From The VSU President Regarding Campus Shooting Incident

President Makola M. Abdullah addressed the university community following a shooting incident near the Quad Annexes on August 15, 2026.

Aug 17, 2026

Read More

Virginia State University Selected To Host National HBCU Media Training Symposium

VSU will host the 2026 HBCU Media Training Symposium: Owning the Narrative, focused on strengthening institutional storytelling and communications.

Aug 13, 2026

Read More

VSU Board of Visitors Holds Annual Retreat

The Board of Visitors held its annual retreat on August 6-7, 2026, at the Virginia War Memorial Foundation in Richmond.

Aug 3, 2026

Read More

Campus lockdown on August 15, 2026, following a shooting incident near the Quad Annexes residence halls.

Campus lockdown on August 15, 2026, following a shooting incident near the Quad Annexes residence halls.

Read More

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Virginia State University

WELA Applications Open

September 1, 2026

Online

Applications open for the Women's Leadership Academy (WELA).

Financial Aid Disbursement Begins

September 3, 2026

Virginia State University

The disbursement of financial aid for the Fall 2026 semester begins.

LeadHERship Hour

September 3, 2026

Hotel Petersburg/Rooftop

A leadership event held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Military Appreciation Game vs Bowie State

September 5, 2026

Rogers Stadium

VSU Football vs Bowie State University. Game color: Camo/Military Gear.

Labor Day Holiday

September 7, 2026

University-wide

University closed for the Labor Day holiday.

Formal Opening Convocation

September 14, 2026

Virginia State University

The formal opening convocation for the academic year at 6:00 p.m.

Family Weekend/Faculty & Staff Appreciation Game vs Winston-Salem State

September 26, 2026

Rogers Stadium

VSU Football vs Winston-Salem State University. Game color: White.

Trojan Wellness Day

September 29, 2026

University-wide

No classes; university offices remain open.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Virginia State University

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

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

Branch Hall

Capacity: 197

Room types: single, triple

Byrd Hall

Eggleston Hall

Gateway Hall

Capacity: 586

Room types: single, double

Langston Hall

Lucretia Campbell Hall

Magnolia Residence Hall

Capacity: 454

Room types: single, double

Moore Hall

Capacity: 499

Room types: Suite A (4-person single), Suite B (4-person double), Suite C (2-person single), Suite D (1-person single)

Otelia Howard Hall

Capacity: 254

Room types: single, double

Residence halls total

Capacity: 586

Room types: double, single

Seward Hall

VSU Quad II

Capacity: 458

Room types: single, double

Whiting Hall

Williams Hall

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@vsu.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

Plan your semester at Virginia State University

Upload a syllabus, collect the important dates, and build a schedule around the work ahead.