Finding a Place to Live
Living in Boston
Boston housing is at a premium, so we recommend all of our students start to look early and often to find a place they like. We offer a variety of resources to find housing through Boston University. Links to the various housing options and on campus offices can be found below.
Housing Tips
- Start your search early! Even if you are not in the Boston area until you arrive for the beginning of the semester, it is highly encouraged that you begin looking for housing now.
- Most leases will begin September 1: There are options to find housing that begins off cycle, students may have to use a temporary or short term housing option upon arriving until they can sign a lease.
- Be prepared for up-front costs: Landlords will often require an upfront payment of first and last month’s rent along with a security deposit.
Graduate Student Housing Offices
The BU Off-Campus Services and BU Housing are housing resources for graduate students.
- Boston University Off-Campus Services maintains an online list of off-campus apartments and rooms in the area – 25 Buick Street, Suite 150; 617-353-3523
- BU Housing has a list of on-campus apartments for graduate students – 25 Buick Street – 617-353-3511 – housing@bu.edu
- There are many local real estate agents in the Boston University area who cater to the student market.
Neighborhoods around campus
There are many different neighborhoods in Boston. Each neighborhood has its own unique culture. Most of our students choose to live around the Charles River Campus as that is where the majority of classes and resources are located. However, students should not feel they need to limit their search to those locations.
Neighborhoods with easy access to the Charles River Campus