Deciding whether to live on or off campus prior to beginning your graduate program shouldn't be fraught with much difficulty. Yes, there are a multitude of options for incoming students, but there is also a tremendous amount of help you can tap into in the form of your college or university housing office, the many off-campus housing offices common at most schools, and the wealth of internet resources that revolve around relocating for grad school.
With fall fast approaching and deadlines looming or already passed, searching for housing opportunities now will ensure you're ahead of the game when you begin your adventure as a Masters or PhD student this fall semester!
Below are a few things to keep in mind regarding relocating for grad school.
On campus graduate housing:
If you want to live right on top of all things "college," then there might not be a better place for you to live than right on the campus grounds. After all, the library is a short walk away, as is the gym and everything else the school has to offer with regard to university living. Many schools will even guarantee an "offer" of housing to incoming grad students, but not those already attending.
For international students, this can often be an option if planning a trip overseas is not possible prior to leaving your home country. However, it's important to note that the word "offer" doesn’t guarantee you'll actually get a place to live on campus, merely an offer to pursue such an option.
On campus housing can also be a bit of a tight squeeze, and we've seen many a grad student try to fit a library full of books into what essentially amounts to a studio apartment. Also, kitchens, if they exist at all, are very tiny and you'll find yourself either eating out a lot or eating in the cafeterias with a lot of undergrad students.
On campus housing is certainly available, and you'll need to weigh the pros and cons of this option to make the decision that is right for you.
Check with your university’s on-campus housing office to find out more information about the options available to you. Every school is different, and every school has its own amenities, as well as policies regarding which type of students can live on-campus while pursuing an MBA, Masters or PhD.
Here is a great example of a grad student housing contract.
Off campus graduate housing:
Clearly, your options for different types of housing increase once you move off campus. Depending on the city you've chosen for your grad program, you may have options as diverse as apartments, townhomes, condominiums, multi-story brownstones, or even downtown luxury residences if you're in a big city and are pursuing a grad program at places like NYU or Columbia in New York, the U of C or Northwestern in Chicago, or USC or Cal-Berkley on the west coast.
With a little bit of planning (get started now!) you'll have a new place to live prior to relocating to campus. In contrast to on-campus housing though, where you can often get by with a studio apartment (but be without certain other perks you'll have off campus), living a mile or two from school brings with it some obstacles of its own. Those often revolve around the 3 "Rs": Roommates, Rent and Real Estate, or to put it more simply, who to live with, how much to spend, and where to live. We’ll cover these issues in separate posts later on.
At Stu'sView, we can help you answer all of those questions right here on stusview.com. By working with landlords and leasing companies, as well as grad students who have tread similar ground before you, we've compiled a list of the best apartments, the best landlords and the best locations for you to check out – all before packing a single bag to actually move.
Here you can learn more about the different type of rental properties in the city where you're relocating for school.
You can also learn how other grad students are rating the properties you want to consider.
And to read about issues important to students already in grad programs, or getting ready to pursue a grad program, read our grad school article database.
More Tips and reminders prior to relocating:
- Don't forget to call the housing and off-campus housing offices at the schools you're considering, as well as the financial aid office and your graduate student office to plan ahead. Most schools can provide all sorts of valuable housing information related to subleasing, finding a roommate, transportation, utilities and sample lease and roommate agreements. . .to name a few.
- Check out this Grad Student handbook for more tips on finding housing for graduate school
- Finding a roommate to share housing with is probably something you haven't thought about since being an undergrad. If you need to go this route, check out this funny and useful video about finding a roommate from the folks at Virginia Tech.
- Also, be aware of fellowship and financial aid award deadlines, as well as scholarship deadlines, as they might impact your ability to get a lease for the time covering your term in school. You'll also want to fill out your FAFSA if you haven't already done so. . .all of the good and fast grant money goes fast as well!
- Housing loans are often available to grad students at rates lower than a bank might provide, but they are often based on student need and availability. They're also, unfortunately, not usually available to international students.
- Here is another great source for off-campus housing that will remind you of the many, many things you've got to be thinking about when relocating for school: Off Campus Housing Guide from Texas A&M University
Good luck, and for more help from your crew at Stu’s View, check out these other related stories!
1. How to find a place close to your grad school campus
2. Understanding your credit score before you rent
3. 25 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Grad School