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Andrews University spreads across a rural campus in Berrien Springs, a small village in southwest Michigan along the St. Joseph River, with roughly 3,162 students drawn from all over the world. It's a Seventh-day Adventist university, and that shapes campus life: a strong international community, Saturday as the day of rest, and a tight, faith-centered culture. The village is small and quiet, ringed by farms, orchards, and vineyards, with the river alongside town for boating and fishing and parks like Shamrock and Rotary giving water access. St. Joseph and Lake Michigan beaches are a short drive north, South Bend is about half an hour south, and Chicago is reachable for a weekend. Most students get around by car, and the pace here is rural and calm by design.
Andrews runs as a residential campus, so single undergraduates under 22 are expected to live in a university residence hall. The exception is students living with an approved family member or with Andrews faculty or staff. Plan on living on campus during your first years unless you qualify for an exemption.
Off-campus living generally opens up for students who are 22 or older, married, or have families. The university also owns a large set of apartments and houses that many older and graduate students rent. If you think you qualify for an exemption, work with the Campus Housing office early, since the rules are specific.
Summer is the natural turnover window as leases end and graduating tenants leave, so target a summer move-in. Read leases for who covers heat and water, and confirm occupancy limits before you sign. Expect houses and small buildings rather than student complexes near the village.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Andrews University before signing a lease.
Berrien Springs is a small, rural village, so there is no big preleasing frenzy, but the limited supply near Andrews means the closest options still go early. A lot of off-campus housing here is university-owned, so start with the Campus Housing office, which lists apartments and houses and posts local listings. Contact them in winter or early spring for a summer move-in. Line up roommates before you commit, since shared houses tend to lease as whole units.
Classes start in late summer, so aiming to sort housing by spring gives you breathing room. Summer is the natural turnover window as leases end and graduating tenants leave. Demand concentrates on the thin supply of houses and apartments in the village near campus. Most students at Andrews who want a close-in spot work with Campus Housing well ahead of the fall.
Because the village stock is thin, late searchers often widen toward Niles or the St. Joseph area, where there is more to choose from. The international student calendar means rooms and sublets can open at other points in the year too. Check with the Campus Housing office, which posts local listings as they appear. Having roommates lined up helps you move on whole-unit houses quickly.
The village around campus is small, quiet, and rural, with houses and a handful of apartments near the river, and it leases first. The areas right along the St. Joseph River give water access and a calm setting close to campus.
About 15 minutes southeast, Niles is a larger town with more rental options and shops. It widens your choices when village supply runs thin.
North toward Lake Michigan, this area adds beaches and a bigger market a short drive away. South Bend, across the Indiana line, is another option if you do not mind a longer commute.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Berrien Springs runs on the lower end. A room in a shared house or a small one-bedroom around the village often runs about $400-$700/month per person, and some university-owned apartments fall in a similar range with utilities sometimes included. Whole units sit higher. Budget roughly $40-$120/month for utilities when they aren't bundled in.