Every fall, as leaves crunch underfoot and the air grows crisp, college campuses across the country buzz with the excitement of a new semester—and a few eerie whispers from the past. From colonial-era universities to modern institutions built on old battlefields, some campuses carry more than just academic history. They’re said to host lingering spirits of students, professors, and tragic figures who never truly left.

Here are a few of the most haunted college campuses in the U.S.— where studying late in the library might come with an unexpected visitor.

Ohio University – Athens, Ohio

Nestled in the rolling hills of Appalachia, Ohio University is often called one of the most haunted campuses in America. The infamous Ridges, a former mental asylum turned art museum and classroom space, is the heart of the legend. Students and staff report flickering lights, eerie footsteps, and cold spots in the old wards.
The most chilling tale? A ghostly stain left behind by a patient found dead in the 1970s—said to reappear no matter how many times it’s cleaned. The surrounding cemeteries and abandoned tunnels only add to Athens’ spectral reputation.

University of Notre Dame – South Bend, Indiana

Notre Dame’s Gothic architecture is the perfect backdrop for ghost stories. One of the most famous spirits is George Gipp, the legendary football player immortalized in the phrase “Win one for the Gipper.” Students claim to see his figure near Washington Hall, where Gipp’s body once lay in state.
But he’s not alone—music students practicing late at night have reported hearing footsteps and doors slamming when no one else is around.

Gettysburg College – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Built on the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, Gettysburg College is unsurprisingly a hotbed of ghostly activity. The most famous haunting occurs in the basement of Pennsylvania Hall, where employees claim to have seen a vision of a Civil War field hospital—complete with bloodied soldiers and frantic doctors—before it vanishes into thin air.
Campus tours often stop here at night, when the air feels heavy and history itself seems to come alive.

University of Georgia – Athens, Georgia

At the Demosthenian Hall, one of the oldest student debate societies in the nation, members sometimes report strange noises and objects moving on their own. But the real haunt is the Alpha Gamma Delta House, formerly the home of a grieving widow known as “Susie.” She’s said to wander the halls, forever waiting for her husband to return from the Civil War.

 Fordham University – Bronx, New York

If parts of Fordham’s campus look familiar, it might be because scenes from The Exorcist were filmed there—and rumor has it that strange happenings occurred during production. Students at Keating Hall, the site of the shoot, report hearing whispers, footsteps, and locked doors rattling late at night.
Even priests have been known to bless certain rooms after unexplained events.

Keene State College – Keene, New Hampshire

Another campus with a spine-tingling story is the dormitory Huntress Hall at Keene State College in New Hampshire. Built in 1926 and originally an all-women’s residence hall, the building is named after Harriet Lane Huntress, a former state education administrator. Legend holds that Harriet Huntress’ spectral presence still makes itself known on the premises—students have heard the squeak of a wheelchair rolling through the attic, and some claim to see her figure in the corridors. The dorm reputedly becomes more active when romantic activity happens—some say Huntress was fiercely opposed to male and female mixing and now haunts the hall in protest (the dorm is now co-ed). Whether you’re moving in for freshman year or just passing through the quad late at night, you might glance up at the windows of Huntress Hall and feel you’re not quite alone.

Why Haunted Campuses Endure

There’s something inherently magnetic about ghost stories in academic settings. Maybe it’s the blend of old architecture and youthful energy, or the way libraries and lecture halls hold centuries of memory. Whether you believe in spirits or just love a good scare, these haunted campuses remind us that history is always closer than we think.

So next time you’re burning the midnight oil in an old college building, listen closely—you might not be studying alone.

Have you experienced something strange on your campus?
Let us know by sharing your story in the comments below!