Boarding at SEM
SEM welcomes boarding students from
all over the country and all over the world.
Our international boarding program invites students from all across the globe to share the SEM experience. We have hosted students from Taiwan, Germany, China, Rwanda, Kenya, Lithuania, Korea, Australia, Guatemala, Bahamas, Spain, and France, among many other countries, resulting in a diverse and culturally curious environment.
Domestic boarding makes the SEM experience available to any student in the United States. If you are a pre-professional athlete looking to balance training with an exceptional education, or live just far enough outside of Buffalo for you not to be able to attend as a day student, boarding is an option.
A Community of Support & Belonging
Whether attending as a 5 or 7-day boarder, SEM provides a nurturing environment that feels less like a dorm and more like a home. Our boarding students live in beautifully renovated historic houses, with all rooms being either singles or doubles. This built-in community ensures:
- Structure and Support: With dedicated study time, accessible faculty, and a caring residential life staff, she has the resources to excel.
- A Balanced Life: Students are encouraged to participate in our 16 sports teams and 33 student-run clubs, fostering leadership skills and personal growth.
- A True Home: The residential houses are connected through a gated courtyard to the main school building, creating a secure and cohesive campus that feels like a family.
An Unparalleled Experience
By design, students gain independence and confidence through their SEM education. Our residential program Our residential program balances structure and safety with freedom and flexibility, allowing students to tailor their experiences and take advantage of the many resources just beyond SEM's campus.
- The Crossroads of City and Country: SEM is located in the vibrant Elmwood Village neighborhood of Buffalo, NY on an Olmsted-designed parkway. It is down the street from a large park, two renowned art museums, an independent bookstore, and several coffee shops.
- Beauty, Fun, and Games: Weekend activities include trips to Niagara Falls, minor league baseball games, and going sledding, ice skating, or apple picking. In Buffalo, we embrace the fun and beauty around us, whatever the season.
- Major Hub for Industry and Innovation: SEM students benefit from proximity to local resources and industries for internships and Capstone partners, including with University at Buffalo, Buffalo State, Oishei Children’s Hospital, Roswell Park Cancer Center, and major law and tech/engineering firms.
At SEM, you have singular access to….
- Truly individualized academic pathways and support
- A pioneering 175-year institution
- Sports like crew, hockey, squash, and sailing
- Professional artists as teachers
- A caring, diverse, and empowered community
- Houses that feel like homes
- 3 Coffee shops and an independent bookstore just down the street
- 2 world-class art museums steps away
- An Olmsted-designed park within walking distance
- A flexible program for high-caliber performers and athletes
- World-class medical and technology industries
- Lake Erie and Niagara Falls a short drive away
