Living on campus can be very convenient but also stressful at times. The housing process is often complicated and if you aren’t lucky, you can get stuck in an old ugly building that is far from the lecture halls and dining halls or even get paired with a difficult roommate. This is not to mention how expensive it is to live on campus, which can range from $10,216 to $11,945 per academic year. As a result, students will find off-campus housing to find a more comfortable living space and to save money.
What is Off-campus Housing?
Off-campus housing refers to apartments or homes that are not located on your college campus. Most of the off-campus living spaces will not be charged in your tuition package as room and board since you have found an alternative option. Off-campus housing tends to be more affordable than on-campus housing. Some Off-campus housing options include:
- Renting your own apartment– Renting on your own provides you the opportunity to be by yourself, have more space, and create a sense of independence. However, it is typically more expensive to live by yourself in comparison to living with others.
- Renting with Roommates– Students will rent an apartment or a house with other students, this will lower living costs and allow you and your roommates to save a lot of money.
- Off-Campus University Housing– University off-campus housing options are more affordable than university on-campus housing. However, these living spaces are still owned by the university so there might be some additional rules to these spaces or limitations to these options to graduate students and because it is property of the school it would most likely be a part of your tuition package.
Finding off-campus housing could also be a challenging experience. There are many things you might not know about such as how and where to look for a living space.
The top 3 things you should know before moving off-campus. Tips from International Students on what they wish they had known before moving off-campus:
- Costs – Along with rent, you should have enough funds for a security deposit and living expenses. . Along with rent and the security deposit, you are responsible for utilities such as water, heat, gas, and internet. Check with your landlord what utilities are included in the rent and for the ones that are not, ask for an estimate of the cost and how you can pay. This can help you budget.
- Documents – Landlords may need proof of finances before renting you living space. Have these documents prepared and ready – Passport/Photo ID, bank statements, and I-20 or visa.
- Ask the Right Questions –
- How do I pay rent? Is there a late fee?
- Is there a parking space?
- How far in advance do I need to give notice before moving out?
- Can I make any changes to the apartment?
- Under which circumstances will by security deposit not be refunded?
- Who should I contact for emergency repairs?
How to find off-Campus Housing
Finding off-campus housing can be a challenging process since institutions typically choose to not advertise it. You may even ask yourself, “I want to live off-campus but, where do I start”?
ISO has gathered some tips that will help you find housing off-campus:
- Facebook– Universities like Columbia University have Facebook groups dedicated for students to connect and find housing off-campus; ask students or residential assistants if your university has one and if they don’t, create one!
- Social Media– Often, students who are already living off-campus will post a status stating that they are looking for roommates; send friend requests to people you know that attend the same university as you, this way you can connect with other students and be on alert of any open housing slots. You can also create a post, stating that you are looking to move off-campus, students will reach out to your, or other students might share with their peers and will be able to connect you with someone who is looking for roommates.
- Group chats– Are you involved on campus? Whether is a campus job or club, students often have group chats used to communicate on important dates, meetings, and more. If you are not involved on campus, College courses often have group chats as well where students exchange information on important exam dates and assignment clarification. Use those group chats to find postings on off-campus housing; you can also send a message asking for housing availability.
- Paper Postings– Next time you are waiting outside of a professor’s office to attend office hours, waiting outside of a lecture hall, or walking through the library, look for bulletin boards. Students will often place advertisements here for tutoring sessions, club events, and off-campus housing! There might be contact information that you can take a picture of or even a slit of paper that you can rip off and take with you. If you do not find a posting on any bulletin board, create one! Some Universities like Maryland Institute College of Arts have guidelines for posting a bulletin, contact your school for more information on creating a posting to find off-campus housing.
- Websites- There are many websites that help students find off-campus housing, including the ones listed below:
Things to keep in mind before moving off-campus
Before you plan to move off-campus, here is some important information that you might want to consider and keep in mind while finding a living space.
- Budgeting– Finding ways to curb your spending is key to maintaining a healthy financial record. While going out to eat with friends is tempting, make sure that you have set aside money every month to pay for rent and utilities. Also keep in mind the extra costs of personal items, utilities, and furniture (if applicable). Finding a job on or off-campus might help to cover expenses.
- Responsibility– If you will be living with others, consider finding roommates that will be responsible with their finances who will be able to pay for rent on time so you don’t have to front their portion of the rent to stay on your payment schedule. Living with roommates is a good way to help you cover the costs of living space, however, it would be best to have their names on the lease this will hold them accountable to make payments on time.
- Plan Ahead – Give yourself time to find off-campus housing. It might be more difficult to find housing in the middle of the semester. Try to look for housing at the beginning of the summer; there may be fewer listings, but this will give you time to secure a living space before the academic year begins and potentially find some good deals.
- Be aware of scams– Some people on the internet will try to trick you and take your money. Here are some tips to avoid being scammed when looking for a place to live off-campus:
- Look for pictures- When reading advertisements for apartments, houses, roommate spots, look for ads that provide a picture of the place and not just a written description.
- Do not make online payments, especially through CashApp, Venmo, or Zelle.
- Meet with the landlord in person before making any official arrangements
- Do not make any cash payments.
- Google the address to make sure it is real and image reverse search on google to make sure that the picture the ad showed is real and matches the address the ad provided.
- Request a virtual tour, this will help you see if the place is right for you, if you can visualize yourself living there and you can see the entire living space not just what the advertisement showed; this way you can prevent any unpleasant surprises in the future.
- Commuting– Public transportation plays a significant role in the life of students. Please be sure to utilize everything that is available to you such as trains, buses, ferries, etc. This can save you lots of time and money. Especially, if you live in an urban college environment.
Hopefully, these tips can help take away some stress in finding off-campus housing. ISO wishes you luck in housing/apartment hunting!
