All residence halls are locked 24 hours a day and can be entered only with a student's specially coded American University ID card, Americard. Visitors must be escorted by a resident. AU's residence halls are divided into two complexes, north and south. Hughes, Leonard, and McDowell are in the north complex. Anderson, Letts, and Centennial Halls are in the south complex.
Most students live in double or triple rooms.
A limited number of single rooms are available only to returning upperclass students. These are double rooms in which three students are housed on a temporary basis until a permanent space is available. Hughes Hall houses 325 students and is known for a strong sense of community. This hall is ideal for any student who is interested in living with and learning about individuals from other countries. McDowell Hall houses 373 students and has a fitness center.