Hilton launches Undergraduate brand to expand college market presence

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the launch of Undergraduate by Hilton, a new upper-midscale hotel brand targeting college and university markets. The brand aims to complement the company's existing Graduate by Hilton properties by serving a broader range of campus communities.

The new brand has long-term expansion potential of 400-500 hotels, with the first property expected to open in 2027. Undergraduate by Hilton will use a flexible development model supporting both new construction and hotel conversions near college campuses.

"We saw a clear opportunity to bring the energy, design and experiences people love about campus communities to more university towns with this new brand," said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. The company plans to grow its Lifestyle portfolio to 700 hotels globally by 2028, with 60 openings scheduled this year.

The brand targets travelers visiting college towns, including students, families, alumni, sports fans, business travelers and conference attendees. Properties will feature social public spaces designed as off-campus hangouts, guest rooms with dedicated study areas, and barista-led markets.

Undergraduate by Hilton differs from Graduate by Hilton in positioning and scale. While Graduate operates as an upper-upscale brand with fully customized designs, Undergraduate functions in the upper-midscale segment with a more standardized approach to enable efficient development.

The new brand will participate in Hilton Honors, the company's loyalty program serving more than 250 million members. Undergraduate joins Hilton's expanding Lifestyle portfolio, which includes recent launches of Outset Collection by Hilton and an exclusive agreement with YOTEL under the Select by Hilton platform.

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