The author investigated college students' perceptions of intellectual safety by posing research questions designed to elicit a definition of intellectual safety and the elements needed to create an intellectually safe environment. Participants included undergraduate and graduate students drawn from three institutions. All students filled out a questionnaire designed for the study, with what they perceived to be an intellectually safe or threatening environment providing the basis for a definition of intellectual safety. Implications for education are presented, including an emphasis on relationships in the classroom and instructors' self-reflective practices. The author concludes that further study of this topic with a more diverse sample is warranted.