You took the TOEFL test, translated your local diploma, written up college essays (in English), sent applications to multiple universities and attended campus tours. After all that work, you got in. congrats! But now what? Well, the first thing you’ll need to do when arriving to the United States as an international student is to find housing. Before you set out to find an apartment or a dorm room, though, there are some important things you should know about the process here in the United States that will make finding housing and moving in easier on you, your roommate and your landlord. Use this international student guide to housing in the United States to get started!
Living on-campus versus off-campus
There are many considerations that come into play when choosing between living in the dorms or living off-campus (cost of living, space, preference for privacy, proximity to classes and more), but one thing is clear: one option is certainly not better than another. We encourage you to explore both on-campus and off-campus housing options. The on-campus dorms usually make for an easier move. Everything is setup for you from the furniture, bed and even the roommate. You’ll make a lot of friends immediately living in the dorms and get the full American college experience. However, you will have less privacy — sharing a room and a bathroom with others — more noise, and more distractions for better or worse. Most dorms don’t have a full kitchen, so if you want to cook your favorite dishes from home that might not be possible. You’ll have to resort eating at the campus cafeteria or in nearby eateries every single meal (perhaps aside from the infamous microwaved ramen noodles). As for the cost, you might find the dorms to be pricier than the off-campus housing options which often offer more space (private bedroom and even a private bathroom) and more amenities.
With off-campus housing, you might still be able to walk to school, or be a short bus ride or drive away. Living off-campus isn’t as social as living in the dorms, but you could still make friends with other students from your classes, your neighbors, and of course with your roommates. Lastly, the dorms tend to have more rules, but can also be safer and keep you grounded. Some restrict visitors after certain hours, forbid bringing in and consuming alcohol and might even have a nightly bedtime curfew. Living off-campus will grant you more flexibility and freedom, but just remember to abide to local laws and stay out of trouble regardless. Keep in mind also that many colleges require freshman students to live in the dorms for the first year, so you might not have a choice, unless you are an older student or an upper classman. Make sure to ask your international student office about this first.
Finding Student Housing
There are a few things that you need to consider when looking for a place. Do you want to live on-campus or off-campus? Do you want something furnished or unfurnished? What neighborhood do you want to live in? And how much are you willing and able to spend on rent every month? Make sure that before you look at places, you know these details. Also, if you are coming for a semester, or just for one academic year, try to find places that offer shorter and flexible leases. You don’t want to pay for a full year and only need a place for three or four months. Explore on-campus options as this might be the easiest, but not necessarily the cheapest. If your school doesn’t have an on-campus housing options, ask your international student office if they know of any apartments or houses for students near the campus or if they can connect you to other international students who might have gone through this process before. Look for one that’s close to campus; you don’t want your commute getting longer just because you had to find a place off-campus. When you find a place you like, just be careful and don’t send money to someone before you really made sure it’s legit.
Choosing a College Roommate
When it comes to housing, you may have heard that it’s all about location, location, location. However, choosing a roommate is more important than selecting an apartment, especially for students. It can make or break your college experience. There are a lot of cultural differences between local students and international students, so make sure your potential roommate is as excited about the possibility of living with someone from another country as you are excited about studying abroad. It can be nice to have your roommate as your first friend who can also introduce you to his friends and expand your social circle right away.
You could also consider living with other incoming international students who are in the same boat as you; Even though you might be also from a different country, the fact that you are both foreign in a new country will be a very strong common bond. If end up rooming up with another international student, don’t miss on opportunities to make friends with local students as well. Typically most students share housing with students, but you should certainly explore living with graduate students, young professionals or even a host family. Depending on your university, if you elect or are required to live on campus, you might not have a say on your assigned roommate.
The Importance of Privacy
Many international students choose private living arrangements, whether it’s their own apartment or for the very least a private room. Living with a host family or in on-campus dorms may not offer sufficient privacy for many international students, who are often studying and working hard to adapt to a new environment at once. Many colleges have plenty student neighborhoods or apartment complexes around the campus. There you might be able to find your own room in a shared apartment with other students and more personal space. These sometimes can even be cheaper than a shared dorm room on campus.
Safety and Other Considerations
The quality of housing options for international students varies significantly by location. Make sure to explore any potential apartment complex and talk with residents before committing to a lease; ask about building maintenance, safety, noise levels, availability of facilities and services, etc. Some student complexes have more security than others, so you should check on that as well. In most cases, you’ll want something close to your college or university campus so you can easily get around without a car. This will also save you money on parking and gas.
How to pay the rent
Many international students don’t have a local bank account, and if they do they don’t necessarily have the funds to pay for rent. A lot of an international student’s expenses are paid by their parents who are abroad and most likely have a foreign bank account. So when you are looking for a place, ask what options there are to pay the rent. If your parents will be paying your rent from abroad, make sure you get them the wire details of your landlord, or check if they can pay with a credit card. If you are holding funds within the U.S. to support your living expenses, then typically a mailed check to your landlord will suffice. Some landlords these days also accept rent payment by Zelle, which is an instant bank to bank transfer that is free of fees. If you have a U.S. bank account at any bank, you should be able to set up a Zelle account and then use it to pay rent easily and instantly.
Other Housing Costs
Paying rent isn’t just about putting a few dollars into your landlord’s account. Rent often includes utilities and monthly fees for things like cable, internet, parking and laundry. Paying these bills can be tricky if you aren’t sure how much money you should expect to pay each month or what some of these charges are for. As an international student, here are some things you need to know about paying rent. One of your biggest expenses will be housing. Most schools arrange on-campus housing but also offer off-campus options; however, keep in mind that these accommodations may not always come with free amenities. Weigh out all associated costs before signing anything; consider using a spreadsheet to calculate costs and compare them across different living situations.
We hope you find this guide helpful to decide what type of housing you prefer and inform you on what to expect when it comes to securing housing and finding roommates. If you decide to live off-campus and find roommates, feel free to check out our roommate finder near your college. There are plenty of students and young professionals that are looking for roommates or offering rooms. We also make it easy to find people from your own country with one single filter. All the best, and welcome to the U.S.