When to Look for Off-Campus Housing at KU: The Lawrence Lease Calendar

Start looking for off-campus housing at KU in October, and have a lease picked out by late January, for a move-in the following August. Why those months? The student complexes near campus on Find My Place all hand over keys in one August week (the 13th through the 20th in 2026), and KU's deadline for returning students to renew a dorm or campus apartment lands in late January. Miss that and you're picking through leftovers.

Key Takeaways

• Lawrence leases follow the school year. Student complexes near KU moved residents in between August 13 and August 20, 2026.
• Every complex we checked offers 12-month leases, so you'll pay for the summer unless you sublease.
• KU's last renewal window for returning on-campus residents closed January 23, 2026. That's your real decision deadline.
• Classes for fall 2027 start August 23. Your lease probably starts a week before.
• Deposits are capped by state law: one month's rent, unfurnished (K.S.A. 58-2550).
• Want a second opinion? KU Legal Services for Students reviews leases.

How the Lawrence Lease Year Works for KU Students

Student leases in Lawrence run August to August. We pulled the posted move-in date for each student complex on the Find My Place page for off-campus housing near KU. They're bunched into eight days:

• The Collective at Lawrence: August 13
• Proxi Lawrence: August 14
• Hawks Pointe and The Landing: August 15
• Helix 24: August 19
• HERE Kansas: August 20

Every one lists a 12-month lease. Classes started August 24 this fall and start August 23 next fall, per the Kansas Board of Regents academic calendar. Same rhythm every year. You sign while school's in session, get keys a week before class, and hand them back the next August.

Here's the catch nobody mentions on tours. Because everyone's lease ends around the same August week, everyone is also looking at the same time. Wait until spring and the units you liked in November may already be gone.

The KU Off-Campus Search Calendar, Season by Season

Use this as a rough plan for a lease starting August 2027. It's built around KU's housing dates and the August move-in pattern above.

October to November: Pick roommates and a budget

Settle who you're living with first, because that decides everything else. A four-bedroom split four ways is a completely different budget than a one-bedroom. Lawrence complexes mostly rent by the bed, with beds running about $439 to $909 a month at the student complexes on FMP. Tour a few places now, while you have time to compare.

December to January: Decide on or off campus

This is the deadline that actually matters. Last cycle, KU Housing opened returning-student applications on December 2, 2025, closed them January 23, 2026, and started room selection February 4. Expect a similar window this year (check KU's returning students page for the exact dates). If you're leaving campus, know where you're going before that window closes.

February to April: Sign

This is a sensible window to sign. Before you do, ask to see the actual unit, not just the model. That advice comes straight from KU's Legal Services for Students, which also reviews leases for KU students.

May to July: Leftovers and subleases

Late searchers can still find a place, just with fewer choices. It's also a good time to watch for subleases from students leaving town.

August: Move in and document everything

Keys change hands somewhere around August 13 to 20. Then the clock starts: under K.S.A. 58-2548, you and the landlord have five days to walk the unit together and sign a written record of its condition. Do it. Snap photos of every scuff while you're at it, because next August that piece of paper is your deposit.

What to Have Ready Before You Sign a Lawrence Lease

Have your deposit money and a lease reviewer lined up before you start touring. Kansas limits how much a landlord can ask for up front. Under K.S.A. 58-2550, a deposit can't exceed one month's rent for an unfurnished unit or one and a half months' rent for a furnished one, plus up to an extra half month if you have a pet.

The same law sets the clock at move-out. Your landlord must return what's left of the deposit within 14 days of figuring the deductions, and no later than 30 days after the lease ends. KU's Legal Services for Students adds one more tip: landlords have to charge actual repair and cleaning costs, not a flat fee, so ask to strike any standard "maintenance charge" addendum.

Watch the summer months

June and July are on the bill whether you're in Lawrence or not. Take a $735 bed at The Collective: that's $1,470 for two months you might spend at home. So either budget for it or line up a subleaser early.

If You're Searching Late for a KU Apartment

Running late? You can still land something. Go through the whole list of student housing in Lawrence, not just the walkable stuff, since buses are free with a KU ID. A place 2.5 miles out (The Collective, say) can work fine. Pull up the route map first.

And if a place has open units in July, ask why. Sometimes it's just timing. Sometimes it's the reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions About When to Look for Off-Campus Housing at KU

When should KU students start looking for off-campus housing?

October or November, for a lease that starts the following August. That gives you time to tour before KU's late-January deadline for renewing on-campus housing.

When do leases start in Lawrence?

Mid-August. In 2026 the student complexes near KU moved people in from August 13 to August 20, roughly a week ahead of the first day of class.

Are Lawrence student leases 12 months?

Yes, at every complex we checked on Find My Place. Plan to pay through the summer or find a subleaser.

How much can a Lawrence landlord charge for a deposit?

One month's rent for an unfurnished unit, or one and a half months' rent furnished, under K.S.A. 58-2550. Pets can add another half month.

Can someone review my lease before I sign?

Yes. KU's Legal Services for Students reviews lease agreements for KU students. Reach them at legals@ku.edu.