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Augsburg University sits in Cedar-Riverside at 2211 Riverside Ave, a compact urban campus between the Mississippi River and the University of Minnesota. Founded in 1869, Augsburg has grown into a diverse liberal arts university with strong programs in health sciences, social work, business, and the arts, drawing students who want a small-college feel inside a major city. Cedar-Riverside's large East African community and international character sets it apart from a typical college-town environment. Off-campus housing is plentiful in Cedar-Riverside, Seward, the West Bank Arts District, and Midtown, ranging from dense urban apartments to quieter house rentals a short bike ride from Riverside Ave.
Augsburg University encourages but does not strictly require all freshmen to live on campus. Most first-year students choose to live in on-campus residence halls for at least their first year, but students with documented reasons, commuter status, or who live with family in the Twin Cities metro can petition to live off campus from the start.
Students who have completed at least one year at Augsburg, or who meet specific commuter criteria, are generally free to move into off-campus housing in Minneapolis. The Cedar-Riverside and Seward neighborhoods directly adjacent to campus have a dense supply of apartments that have historically served Augsburg's off-campus population.
Minneapolis follows an academic lease calendar closely, with the majority of apartments near Augsburg turning over on August 1st. The city's strong rental demand means you should sign a lease for the following fall by February or March to secure the best options near campus.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Augsburg College before signing a lease.
Students planning to move off campus after their first year should begin serious searching in January or February, well before spring break. The rental market in Cedar-Riverside and Seward moves fast because demand comes from multiple institutions, including the University of Minnesota which is less than a mile away. Attending open houses in February and applying immediately for desirable units is not paranoia, it is the standard practice for off-campus Augsburg students. Signing a lease in February or early March for an August 1st start gives you the widest selection.
The peak leasing window for apartments near Augsburg runs from late January through mid-March, when the best units in Cedar-Riverside and along Riverside Ave are claimed. Properties managed by landlords who know the student market, particularly along Seward's Franklin Ave and in the Cedar neighborhood near Minnehaha Ave, get multiple applications within days of listing. During this window it is common to apply for an apartment without seeing it in person, relying instead on virtual tours and references from previous tenants. Moving quickly is essential; hesitating more than a day or two on a good unit often means losing it.
Students who miss the peak window can still find housing in Minneapolis, but the search becomes more stressful. April and May listings in Cedar-Riverside tend to be the units that received less interest, whether due to condition, price, or less convenient location. The U of M area and Dinkytown sometimes have units available through June for students willing to look further from Augsburg's campus on Riverside Ave. Sublet listings and roommate-finding boards on Augsburg's housing portal and on Minneapolis Facebook housing groups are worth monitoring closely in this period.
Cedar-Riverside is directly adjacent to Augsburg's campus along Riverside Ave and is the primary neighborhood for off-campus students. It is a dense, walkable urban neighborhood with a strong East African community, diverse restaurants and groceries, and easy access to the Cedar-Riverside light rail station on the Blue and Green Lines.
Seward sits just southeast of campus across the Mississippi River corridor and is one of Minneapolis's most established student-friendly neighborhoods. Franklin Ave and Minnehaha Ave form its spine, lined with co-ops, cafes, and bike-friendly infrastructure. Rents here are somewhat higher than Cedar-Riverside but the neighborhood is quieter and well-connected by bus to campus.
The West Bank immediately west of Augsburg along Cedar Ave is a historically bohemian neighborhood with live music venues, theaters, and affordable older apartment buildings. It is extremely walkable to campus and benefits from proximity to the Cedar-Riverside transit hub, making it one of the easiest car-free locations for Augsburg students.
The Phillips neighborhood and Midtown corridor along Lake St, a short bike ride or bus ride south of campus, offer some of the most affordable rents in central Minneapolis. Students who prioritize space and price over proximity to campus find good value here, and the frequent Route 21 bus on Lake St connects to both Augsburg and the broader city.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Cedar-Riverside, the neighborhood directly adjacent to Augsburg, is one of the more affordable urban neighborhoods in Minneapolis. One-bedroom apartments typically rent for $1,100 to $1,500 per month, and two-bedroom units shared between roommates often work out to $700 to $1,000 per person. Seward and West Bank rents are similar. Midtown and Phillips offer lower prices but are a bit further from campus.
Other universities in Minneapolis share a similar off-campus housing market.
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