USA · CHAPTER 13
Student housingin the USA.
Undergraduates usually live in on-campus residence halls in year one. Graduate students mostly share off-campus apartments. Leases often run 12 months and require a deposit; many landlords accept international students with a university letter or guarantor service.
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Options
- On-campus dorms (meal plans often compulsory)
- Graduate apartments run by the university
- Shared off-campus apartments
- Sub-leases for summer
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Options and costs
| Option | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On-campus dorms / graduate housing | Varies by university | Easy from India, often with meal plans |
| Shared off-campus apartment | Most common for graduate students | Split rent and utilities with 2–4 people |
| Studio | Most expensive | Privacy, but higher cost |
Before you sign a lease
- Lease length — often 12 months; check sublet rules for summer
- Security deposit and what is refundable
- Utilities included or extra (electricity, internet, heating)
- Distance to campus and public transport
- Renter's insurance
- Never pay before seeing a lease and verifying the landlord
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
Through university Indian student association groups, messaging-app and Facebook groups for incoming students, and university housing portals.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
USA GUIDE
First weeks in the USA
After arriving in the USA: check your I-94, report to your international office, enrol, open a bank account and apply for an SSN if you get a job.
USA GUIDE
Fees & cost of living
US tuition at public and private universities, health insurance, SEVIS and visa fees and monthly living costs for Indian students in 2026–27.
USA GUIDE
Safety, wellbeing & emergencies
911, the 988 crisis line, campus counselling, the Embassy and consulates of India, and the scams that target F-1 students in the United States.
FROM INDIA
Scams & emergencies abroad
Study abroad fraud warnings for Indian students: fake agents, offer letters and visas, forex and job scams, plus lost passports and emergencies abroad.
FRANCE
Settle in France
Housing, residence permit, bank, health cover and daily life once you land in France.
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Compare countries on fees, living costs, visa rules and post-study work, in one table.
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