This thesis explores the planning and design of on-campus housing for graduate students in urban context. This study reviews the prevailing models of on-campus housing nationally and discusses the new concepts of future housing models for graduate students living on or near campus for urban universities. MIT is selected to illustrate the essential ideas and criteria. A series of analyses of urban context for graduate student housing are further explored and exercised in the urban design of the northwest campus of MIT. The urban design is then developed into a concrete design proposal aiming to create a viable and harmonious on-campus residence community in this area. Particular emphasis is placed to create a gateway that incorporates the northwest campus as an integral part of the whole residence system of the Institute. Three planning and design objectives are set for the future improvement and development of on-campus graduate student housing for MIT: to provide enough residences to meet the demand of graduate students, to enhance the housing quality to address the housing preferences of graduate students, and to create a vigorous living community among the graduate students. These goals are based upon the student life survey and the analyses of the existing residence system as well as the urban context. The final proposal considers multiple housing types, feasible development density, efficient circulation and pedestrian system, easy connections to the main campus, well-defined streetscapes and a rough timing. The northwest campus of MIT as proposed will act as a functional and pleasant residential neighborhoods, defining the edge between main campus and Cambridgeport neighborhoods.