Residential CAT Communities

What is a Residential CAT Community?

These living-learning communities provide a unique opportunity for first-year students like you to connect with others who share your academic interests by placing you in the same on-campus residence hall or residence community.

Like our other CAT Communities, about 22 first-year students take a group of classes together and are taught by engaging and empathetic professors, but you'll also live, eat, sleep, study, and socialize near each other, too! Your Residential Learning Assistants will also live in the same hall or community to support you throughout the year. One more bonus: students enrolled in Residential CAT Communities are also able to select their rooms earlier than other incoming first-year students, in late March.

How to Sign Up:

If you are interested in enrolling in a Residential CAT Community, follow the directions below.

1. Read through the page below to find the best fit for your academic needs and interests.
2. Indicate which Residential CAT Community you would like to be a part of on your Residence Hall Application.
3. After you make your selection, you will receive an email from Housing and Dining with the details about your Residential CAT Community choice, including the required courses and hall, and a link you will need to click to fill out with a brief survey to confirm your interest.
4. After that, our K-State First team will confirm your spot, we will enroll you in the three courses in the Spring semester, and they will be on your schedule before your advising appointment in the Spring/Summer! You can also work with your advisor during your Advising Appointment to get connected if you aren't sure which option is right for you!

For more information about the room styles available within the halls, you can also Explore Your Options on the Housing and Dining site.

Fall 2026 Residential CAT Community Options:

Below are the Residential CAT Communities for Fall 2026. Click on the titles for more information about each one and a welcome from the Learning Assistant peer mentor!

Residential CAT Community	College or Academic Interest	Open/Closed
Animal Health and Nutrition A Pre-Vet focused hands-on learning community that applies fundamental science to your love of animals.	Agriculture	Open
APDesign Community Provides you with professional development and community building opportunities and ways to learn strategies to stay focused and motivated in your first year as an APDesign student.	APDesign	Open
Engineering Futures Explore different engineering degree programs and careers while engaging in learning activities that promote your personal and professional development as an engineer.	Engineering	Open
Fandom and Film Studies Explore the stories, films, and fandoms that shape our culture while also gaining the tools to succeed in any field. Deepen your understanding of media literacy, build meaningful connections, and gain skills that set you apart in the workforce, all while learning about something you're passionate about.	Arts & Sciences Exploratory Studies	Open
Honors Community: Well-being in Practice The path to becoming a healthcare professional is rigorous. Create your essential toolkit for success by learning practical, evidence-based approaches for sustainable well-being.	Arts & Sciences Health & Human Sciences Honors	Open
Medicine, Science, and Society What does it take to be a good healthcare provider? Develop your critical analysis and reasoning skills while exploring public health concepts related to health disparities.	Arts & Sciences	Open
Pre-Med As you prepare for future medical careers you will have the opportunity to explore what it means to be a culturally aware health professional and what healing means for individual patients and different communities around the world.	Arts & Sciences	Open
Psychology of Social Media Examine what social media is, the advantages and disadvantages it brings, and how we can get the most out of social media for our personal and professional lives.	Arts & Sciences	Open
Small but Mighty: How Insects Impact Your World A Pre-Vet focused community: from beekeeping to the transmission of pathogens, we'll look at the impact of insects and related arthropods on agriculture and health.	Agriculture	Open

Information about specific course sections tied to each Residential CAT Community will be updated early in the spring.

Learn more about Residential CAT Communities and how they work within Housing and Dining!

Check out the Housing Contract Webinar to learn more about how to get connected to Residential CAT Communities! *Updated 2026 Webinar coming soon!