Can freshmen live off campus?

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At many colleges, not by default. Lots of schools require first-year students to live in university housing unless they live with family nearby or qualify for another exemption, such as age, marriage or military service. Check your school's residency requirement and exemption process before you look at any off-campus leases. Schools that require first-year residence usually publish the policy on the housing office website, along with an exemption form and deadline. Common exemptions include commuting from a parent's home within a set distance, being a veteran, being over a certain age, or having children. Some schools extend the requirement to the second year as well. If you sign an off-campus lease and then find out you're required to live on campus, you may end up paying for both. Get the exemption approved in writing first. If living on campus is optional at your school, the dorm still has real advantages in year one: no lease to break if you transfer, a meal plan while you learn to cook, and an easy way to meet people you might live with later. Many students use that first year to find roommates and learn which streets near campus are worth renting on.

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