
Roger Williams University's Hawks compete in NCAA Division III varsity athletics, principally in the Conference of New England. NCAA Division III participation should not be mistaken for an offer of an athletic scholarship.
Varsity opportunities include sports such as basketball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming and diving, volleyball, and wrestling. Sailing also has a significant presence but follows its own collegiate sailing competition structure rather than ordinary NCAA championship arrangements. Beyond varsity teams, students can look for club sports, intramurals, fitness facilities, and recreational activities; their eligibility rules and schedules differ from varsity recruiting. Applicants interested in a particular sport should confirm that team's current status and tryout process.
Student involvement at Roger Williams University extends beyond classes through student government, academic and professional organizations, cultural groups, service activities, and the performing arts. The precise roster of recognized organizations can change from year to year.
Examples of student-led media opportunities include the campus newspaper and radio station. Theater and choral participation provide other ways to collaborate outside a major. Students seeking a particular identity-based, service, or career-focused group should check the current student-organization directory and meeting schedule; an organization's listing does not necessarily establish that it is active in a given term.
Roger Williams University enrolled 4,350 students in the reported institutional count. Its entering undergraduate population includes both first-time students and transfers: the reported counts were 918 and 168, respectively.
Most students in the reported age distribution were traditional college age, especially ages 18-21, although students in their late twenties and older also attended. The reported geographic breakdown showed a particularly large share coming from other U.S. states - 78% - compared with 20% from Rhode Island. Those figures are useful for understanding recruitment reach, but they should not be treated as a description of every classroom or program.
Reported racial and ethnic counts include 2,501 White students, 464 Hispanic or Latino students, and 154 Black or African American students. Such counts describe enrollment categories, not the experiences or interests of the people within them. The university's reported student-to-faculty ratio was 14 to 1; this institution-wide measure does not specify the size of an individual lecture, seminar, or laboratory.
Daily life at Roger Williams University combines a residential Bristol campus with a substantial commuting population. About 62% of students were reported as living on campus and 38% as commuting, so students' schedules and access to evening activities may differ considerably.
Orientation, campus programming, recreation, and student organizations offer ways to meet peers. The university also reports a student health clinic and personal or psychological counseling services. For commuters in particular, the timing of events, parking rules, and the availability of places to study between classes may matter as much as the number of activities advertised. First-year students should note the reported restriction on registering or parking a car on campus and confirm current exceptions before making transportation plans.
Roger Williams University students have access to the University Library and specialized law-library resources. The library system supports coursework and research through study space, collections, and access to scholarly materials.
Students can use research assistance and electronic resources as well as physical materials; library services also include reservable study rooms. Law students should consult the law library for legal research collections and specialized support. Access hours, room-booking rules, remote database authentication, and interlibrary-loan availability can vary, so students planning late-night or off-campus study should check the applicable library's current policies.
Total enrollment
4350Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen
864Member of Athletic Associations
NCAATotal staff
187 full time, 273 part timeVeterans affair office
NoVarsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).
Sport
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Cross-country running
Equestrian sports
Field hockey
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and diving
Tennis
Track and field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Wrestling
Data last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.