You received your college acceptance letter, started to pack your bags, and are officially ready to make the big move. Now comes the tricky part: finding student housing in New York City. Snagging a great place to live, especially if you’re looking for a short-term space, can be difficult for the uninitiated. 

Fortunately, you’ve got a ton of options, from on-campus housing in the picturesque West Village to furnished guest rooms in Queens’s vibrant Flushing neighborhood. We know choosing the right place can be daunting, so we put together a guide to the best student housing in NYC. Here’s to a search that involves zero stress, anxiety, or pulling your hair directly out of your head. 

Top NYU Student Housing Options

There’s a decent selection of temporary housing for NYU students located right in the heart of the West Village. While short-term rentals aren’t currently available on campus, the university recommends several hotels and short-term stay options, some of which offer discounts to NYU students.  

Students looking to rent a room over the summer can crash in a NYU residence hall, which charges by the week. Costs range from $387/week for a double or triple room to $474/week for a single room. But rates run lower for residence halls in Brooklyn, which start at $291/week. 

Choose between traditional corridor-style halls which — big bonus — are located right next to campus, and apartment-style halls which — even bigger bonus! — have air conditioning. Note that rooms in apartment-style halls have higher rates.

Top Columbia University Housing Options

Columbia students looking for student housing in NYC and a sense of community might consider applying for a slot at the International House. Single furnished rooms are available for the summer, as long as tenants stay for a minimum of 30 days. While I-House South is currently closed due to COVID-19, I-House North is open and offers apartment-style living. Monthly rates range from $1,562 for a spot in a 3-bedroom suite to $2,585 for a 1-bedroom apartment. 

There’s also summer intern housing, which is sometimes open to non-Columbia students who have an internship or are taking part in a summer program, depending on the year. Summer housing is also available to graduating Columbia students.

Looking to ditch the dorm life altogether? Head to Columbia Residential’s off-campus assistance website, which helps students find rentals, university-managed sublets, and roommates. 

Top Brooklyn College Housing

Brooklyn College doesn’t offer any on-campus student housing at the moment. But students can find housing for the summer, fall, or spring semesters at St. George Towers through Educational Housing Services (EHS). The building is located in Brooklyn Heights, just a short subway ride from the main campus.

Students live in corridor-style housing with shared kitchens, but every room has its own private bathroom. All rooms are furnished. You can choose from single, double, or triple rooms, in addition to larger-sized and lofted doubles or triples. Summer semester (May 30 to August 7) rates begin at $3,650 for a triple and top off at $6,900 for single occupancy of a double room.

Top St. John’s University Housing

Snagged a summer internship and unsure of where to stay? The Queens campus of St. John’s rents apartment-style living spaces, which run from $250/week for double occupancy to $300 for single occupancy. Rooms are furnished and students can enjoy a full kitchen, laundry room, study lounges, and 24/7 security. Each apartment also has one or two private bathrooms. 

If you’re enrolled in summer classes at St. John’s, you can also consider applying for on-campus summer housing. Rates vary depending on the length of the summer session and the occupancy of the room. Expect to pay about $755 for a two-week session and $1,890 for a month-long session. All rooms are double occupancy in the Henley Complex.

Top Fordham University Housing

Fordham students looking for temporary housing over the summer are in luck. The university offers NYC student housing in McMahon Hall, which is located right near campus classes at Lincoln Center. Double rooms go for $1,297.50 for a 5-week session (double occupancy rooms) and $1,530 for a 5-week session (single rooms), based on 2020 rates. 

You can also opt for a residence hall in Rose Hill, the Bronx, which includes a swimming pool, gym facilities, tennis courts, and proximity to Metro North. In 2020, a double room cost $1,090 for a summer session. 

The City College of New York (Upper Manhattan) Housing

The City College of New York has one residence hall: The Towers, which is located uptown on 130th Street. Depending on the year, The Towers offers summer housing to students and interns with a minimum stay of four weeks, according to its office staff. Rates vary by year, but a semester in a double room cost $7,554 during the 2020-21 school year. The rooms are set up in suites instead of corridors. Each suite has its own private bathroom, kitchen, and closet space. There are also suites with two double bedrooms, three singles, or four singles.

City College also offers referrals to off-campus buildings through a private Facebook group. Housing marketed toward Columbia University students could also be a good fit for students at CCNY, due to the close proximity of the two campuses.

Manhattan Off-Campus Student Housing

Finding a short-term rental in Manhattan is tricky, but not impossible. “The options aren’t plentiful,” says Sean McKenzie, a real estate agent with Compass. “Manage your expectations. Be decisive and concise with your search. When you see something that hits eight of 10 things you’re looking for — which is my credo — you should secure that apartment.” 

Always try to make sure you, or someone you trust, has seen the apartment before renting it. “I’ve heard horror stories,” McKenzie says. “If your gut doesn’t feel right, don’t go with it.” One advantage of working with an agent, he notes, is that they tend to know the landlords who deal with short-term rentals, which expedites the process. 

One good, but pricier, alternative to tracking down a rental is going with a corporate-style apartment, which can accommodate flexible lengths of stays. Companies like BridgeStreet offer fully furnished spaces in midtown Manhattan. Amenities can include bi-weekly housekeeping and, depending on the location, an in-unit washer/dryer and shared fitness center. 

Students looking for housing in NYC might also consider checking into a hostel, like Chelsea International or the Jazz on the Park Youth Hostel with maximum stays of 14 days, or the American Dream Hostel, with a maximum stay of 21 days. Depending on the hostel, you’ll be able to book either private or shared accommodations. Many include free daily breakfast, kitchen facilities, WiFi, and lounge areas.

Those in the market for an all-female housing space can check out The Webster Apartments. It’s open to both interns and employed women, with a flexible timeline of four weeks minimum and five years maximum. Expect fully furnished rooms, shared bathrooms, community events, and (major joy!) two home-cooked meals a day. 

Brooklyn Off-Campus Student Housing

Manhattan isn’t your only option! There are plenty of budget-friendly gems in Brooklyn.

“People feel like they have to live right in the heart of NYC in order to get a NYC experience. But there are many other neighborhoods that will be just as nice, and many times more affordable,” notes Sarah Hill, founder of Perfect Strangers, which helps people find homes and matches them with compatible roommates. 

Hill suggests checking out Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Bushwick, which allow for speedy train service into Manhattan. 

If you’re looking for a fully furnished apartment that includes things like cookware and TV, consider Brooklyn Suites, which offers turnkey apartments throughout Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, South Slope, and Boerum Hill. You can also try Furnished Quarters, which hooks customers up with temporary rentals for a minimum of 30 days and promises 24-hour customer service. 

Or look into a Brooklyn guest room experience, like the one at the Greenpoint YMCA. Rates start at $65/night for a single small room and go up to $105/night for a quad room. Guests can expect free WiFi, 24-hour reception, shared bathrooms, and housekeeping. 

International students might opt to live with a family through Sara’s Homestay. In this program, vetted New York City-based families offer a spot in their homes, complete with a furnished room, continental breakfast, and homemade dinners. 

Queens Off-Campus Student Housing

Heading over to jumpoffcampus.com is a great way to start your off-campus housing search in Queens. You can search for the college you’re attending, and nearby available apartments will be displayed. 

Another option is to crash at the YMCA in Flushing, which rents singles, doubles, triples, and quad rooms. Amenities include a café, a lounge, and housekeeping. Guests are charged a $5/per day room membership fee, which covers recreational activities, including exercise classes and access to swimming pools.

Or, consider furnished apartments in Flushing, courtesy of Student Housing Works. You’ll need a minimum stay of 60 days and can choose between single or shared rooms, both of which include a daily cleaning service. A shared room rings in at $850/month and a single room at $1,250. 

If you’re in the market for a Queens hostel, Q4 has male dorms, female dorms, and private ensuite options, for a maximum of 14 nights. It’s centrally located near the Queensboro Plaza Station, which will take you right Manhattan, and includes free WiFi, a guest kitchen, and housekeeping.  

There’s also The Local NYC in Long Island City, offering quick commutes to Manhattan and a maximum stay of 29 days. The hostel has dorm-style rooms along with private rooms with queen or double beds. There’s also coin-operated laundry and a full bar!

—
Whether you’re looking to rent or to buy, find your next NYC apartment on StreetEasy.