LIFE AT RICE

Diversity

Diversity and the Rice Experience

We not only celebrate, but actively seek out broad diversity across our student body as a central and meaningful part of the Rice experience. We believe that educational diversity increases the intellectual vitality of education, scholarship, service and student life at Rice.

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Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Rice, diversity, equity, inclusion and excellence underscores everything we do. They are foundational values of the university that we are committed to as a community and believe are essential to our continued success.

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Rice's Uniquely Accepting Community

We put our community first – with support on campus and beyond, with pride in our students and their talents and with kindness and respect for each other. See how Rice’s uniquely accepting culture touches students across campus and affects them long after they leave.

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HOW WE BUILD ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE STUDENT BODIES IN THE NATION

With the goal of enrolling a diverse class of the most talented students from across the country and around the world, we take a holistic, team-based approach to reviewing applications.

Holistic Evaluation

Through our holistic review, we ensure each application is reviewed in context of a student's academic background as well as their personal life experience. We value the breadth of socioeconomic, cultural, geographic, racial or ethnic, educational and other perspectives that each student brings to the table.

Expanding Access

We have fly-in programs, such as SOAR and VISION, to ensure prospective students can participate in our fall and spring open house programs. And our Owl Arrive initiative helps selected incoming first-year students feel at home in their residential college room with bedding and supplies.

Partnerships

By partnering with programs such as College Greenlight, College Horizons and Coalition for College, Rice aims to reach students from all backgrounds and income levels. We also frequently collaborate with community-based organizations to ensure we are reaching students where they are.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

At Rice, we are constantly working toward making higher education more affordable, which is why we've dramatically expanded financial aid through The Rice Investment and our array of scholarships. We believe talent deserves opportunity. And we're willing to invest in that belief.

QuestBridge

In 2003, Rice University was one of the founding members of the QuestBridge partnership. Since then, Rice has enrolled 400+ QuestBridge scholars, with over 200 of them being a part of the College Match process. In addition, the QuestBridge Scholars Network has a very active chapter on campus and is recognized as an official student organization.

Multicultural Life

With a variety of cultural groups to choose from, there is no shortage of opportunities for students to get involved and find their communities with the help of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Rice’s diverse academic and social atmosphere encourages students to be as involved in campus life as they choose.

CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITY

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Newly created Owl Access program welcomes Rice students

Juneteenth at Rice

Rice Pride 2024

50 years of HACER

2024 Paralympian Ahalya Lettenberger

#1 MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CITY IN THE U.S

We consider Houston an essential part of the education we offer to students as an urban university. With more than 145 languages spoken here in the fourth largest city, Rice places students directly in the center of one of the most diverse, culturally rich cities in America.

145 Different Languages are Spoken

We're an international city, and that's reflected in the people who call Houston home. In any area of Houston, you may hear unique vernaculars from across the world.

No. 1 Race/Class Interaction

No. 1 Race/Class Interaction

Rice's campus isn't isolated from our Houston community, but rather reflects it in our student body. Because of our deep belief in our culture of care, students form communities across campus that create lasting bonds.

Princeton Review, 2023

One of the largest Pride celebrations in the country

One of the largest Pride celebrations in the country

Everything is bigger in Texas - and our Pride celebration is just one example of that. No matter where you turn, you'll find that Rice's uniquely accepting culture means you'll always have somewhere you belong.

DEMONSTRATING OUR COMMITMENT

The Rice commitment to cultural inclusiveness is not represented merely in numerical terms. It is much more. It represents a way of thinking, seeing, and behaving that demonstrates a learned understanding and respect for all ethnic and cultural traditions. Cultural inclusiveness at Rice embodies the University’s commitment to an atmosphere of civility and rich dialogue where these various traditions can contribute to a sharing of perspectives in the pursuit of scholarship and truth. It includes the acknowledgment -- both individual and collective -- of those ethnic or racial groups whose contributions to the history of our nation and the University deserve far more recognition than they have been accorded in the past. It also includes the recognition and celebration of the cultural differences that bind together the Rice community.