from the blog
student housing tips & guides
everything you need to know about finding, choosing, and living in student housing.
What Credit Score Do You Need to Rent a Student Apartment?
What credit score do you need to rent an apartment? Most leasing offices want 620 to 650, and no law sets a minimum. Students with no score at all still get approved with a cosigner, a guarantor service, or a bigger deposit.
9 Things to Check Before Signing an Off-Campus Lease Near UD
The most useful off-campus housing tip for UD students: read the whole lease and confirm what's included before signing. Here are nine things to check first, from per-bed pricing to the subletting clause to spotting scams.
Do You Need a Car at the University of Delaware?
No, most students don't need a car at UD. Newark is walkable, the UD shuttle is free, and UD budgets just $1,000/year for off-campus transportation. If you bring a car, off-campus students need a paid campus parking permit.
When Should You Start Looking for Off-Campus Housing at UD?
Start looking for off-campus housing at UD in January or February for a fall move-in, and lock in roommates first. The best units near Main Street get claimed as early as October, so students who wait pay more for less.
Best Neighborhoods for Off-Campus Housing at the University of Delaware
The best place to live off campus at UD depends on your priority: Main Street for walkability, Cleveland Avenue for shared houses, and South Newark or Elkton Road for cheaper rent. Most students live within a 10-15 minute walk of Main Street.
How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near the University of Delaware?
Most University of Delaware students pay $700 to $950 a month per person for a shared off-campus apartment in Newark, or $1,225 to $1,695 for a studio, one-, or two-bedroom. UD budgets $9,370 a year for off-campus housing plus $5,304 for food.
How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near NAU?
Off-campus apartments near Northern Arizona University run about $750 to $1,050 per person per month for a shared by-the-bed unit, and $1,400 to $2,070 for a whole apartment. At 7,000 feet, budget another $150 to $200/month for utilities.
Does Renters Insurance Cover Roommates? A Student Renter's Answer
No. Renters insurance does not cover your roommate, and theirs does not cover you. Two things make this sharper for students: your parents' homeowners policy probably stopped covering you the day you signed an off-campus lease, and whether your roommate is insured is your problem or not depending on your lease type.
How to Find a College Roommate When You Don't Know Anyone
If you don't know anyone at your school, you find a college roommate the way thousands of incoming students do: start with your university's matching portal, branch out to your class group and a student app, then screen the people who respond before you commit.
How to Rent Your First Apartment with No Credit History
You can get your first apartment with no credit by giving the landlord another reason to trust you'll pay: a cosigner or guarantor, proof of income around three times the rent, and a willingness to put more down up front. Here's the step-by-step.
First Apartment Mistakes College Students Make (and How to Avoid Them)
The costliest first apartment mistakes college students make are financial and legal: budgeting on rent alone, skipping the lease fine print, and signing a 12-month lease over a 9-month school year. Here's how to avoid each one.
The First College Apartment Checklist: Everything You Actually Need
A room-by-room first college apartment checklist: the bed, kitchen, bathroom, and cleaning essentials you need on night one, the shared items to coordinate with roommates, and the boring stuff everyone forgets.