Hogan Lovells US LLP Columbia Square 555 Thirteenth Street NW Washington, DC 20004 T +1 202 637 5600 F +1 202 637 5910 www.hoganlovells.com

November 19, 2013

Board of Directors

Campus Crest Communities, Inc.

2100 Rexford Road, Suite 414

Charlotte, NC 28211

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are acting as counsel to Campus Crest Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the resale from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis by the selling securityholders identified in the prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement, and as to be identified in one or more supplements to the prospectus, of up to 9,950,240 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Shares”) that are issuable to such selling securityholders upon exchange of 4.75% Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) of Campus Crest Communities Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “Operating Partnership”). This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including telecopies). We have also assumed that the Shares will not be issued in violation of the ownership limited contained in the Company’s Articles of Amendment and Restatement. As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the applicable provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law, as amended, as currently in effect. We express no opinion herein as to any other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, or regulations (and in particular, we express no opinion as to any effect that such other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, or regulations may have on the opinions expressed herein).

Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, if and when issued upon the exchange of Notes in accordance with the Registration Statement and the terms of the Indenture, dated as of October 9, 2013, among the Operating Partnership, the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, upon due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company of certificates therefor, including global certificates, or the entry of the issuance thereof in the books and records of the Company, as the case may be, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Very truly yours,

/s/ HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP