College housing
Does my university help with off-campus housing?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Many do. Look for an off-campus housing office, often part of student affairs or residence life, that offers rental listings, roommate matching, landlord information and sample leases. Many universities also have student legal services, often free for enrolled students, that will review a lease before you sign or help if you have a dispute with a landlord.
Services worth asking about:
- Off-campus listing sites run by or for the school.
- Workshops for first-time renters on budgeting, leases and tenant rights.
- Student legal services for lease reviews and landlord disputes.
- Emergency funds or short-term housing for students in a crisis.
- Neighborhood guides and safety information for the areas around campus.
What the school usually won't do is guarantee a landlord is honest or become a party to your lease. A listing on a school site isn't proof the listing is real, so still see the place and check who owns it before you pay.
Search your school's website for "off-campus housing" or "commuter services", or ask the dean of students office where to start. Student government and graduate student associations sometimes keep their own landlord reviews too.
Want the whole picture? Read Off-Campus Housing for Students: A Semester-by-Semester Timeline.