Roger Williams University - Bristol Campus Bristol USA 2025

Roger Williams University is inextricably connected to Roger Williams, the 17th-century leader devoted to freedom of conscience and social justice who founded a community in Rhode Island based on those tenets. Roger Williams' philosophy, and what has been called his 'lively experiment,' nurtured the growth of vibrant and open societies. Our pursuit of excellence in education, academic accomplishment, and community service is rooted in his focus on intellectual exchange, critical thinking, inclusiveness, and innovation as a means of improving a free society. It is this legacy that inspires our core purpose.

Our Campuses
Roger Williams University has two campuses that provide students with diverse learning experiences and opportunities. Both campuses are home to a tight-knit community of citizen scholars, leaders, world travelers, athletes, environmentalists, artists, music fans, thinkers, and doers.

Bristol Campus
Our main campus is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, a historic town home to the nation's oldest Fourth of July parade. Our campus sits on a sprawling 143 acres overlooking Mount Hope Bay and is just minutes from downtown Bristol – home to restaurants, ice cream shops, boutiques and antique shops, the East Bay Bike Path, and Colt State Park. We’re just a half hour drive from both Providence and Newport, Rhode Island's beach capital, and a 60-minute drive from Boston. New York is just a three-hours away.

RWU is home to nine professional schools that offer several undergraduate and graduate programs for students. Eight of our schools are located at our main campus in Bristol, including the School of Law. All schools provide students with unique experiences, program offerings, centers and initiatives, special programs, a chance to showcase work, and personalized one-on-one interactions with faculty. Many of our facilities have been recently renovated and are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and modern classrooms. All our resources – from our expert faculty to our information and career centers – are available to students and serve to provide the dynamic, self-directed education students need to pursue interests and passions.

RWU is home to a vibrant campus community. We offer a variety of living options on campus. Our residence halls offer spaces with spectacular views of Mount Hope Bay, the Mount Hope Bridge, and even our academic quad. Our students live in singles, doubles, suites, and apartments. It’s easy to meet new people at RWU and encounter smiling faces, even start a game of wiffle ball or catch on the quad.

With more than 70 clubs and organizations and 22 varsity sports, opportunities are almost endless and range from student senate to the student newspaper. We know that a big part of an enjoyable, well-rounded learning experience happens outside the classroom. We make it easy for students to explore new interests and discover more about themselves.