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Clemson University sits about 26,000 Tigers in the upstate corner of South Carolina, on a campus that's basically a college town wrapped around a lake. Lake Hartwell laps up to the edge of campus, so boating, fishing, and lakeside afternoons are a normal part of the semester, not a road trip. Bowman Field, the big open green at the heart of campus, is where everyone throws a frisbee or gathers before games. And the games are the whole personality: Memorial Stadium, known as Death Valley, fills with orange while the team rubs Howard's Rock and runs down the hill in front of 80,000 people. Downtown Clemson runs along College Avenue, a walkable strip right off campus, and the Blue Ridge foothills give you waterfalls and trails a short drive north.
Clemson requires first-year students to live on campus, so freshmen are in the residence halls and shouldn't count on an off-campus apartment that first year. Most Tigers move off as sophomores.
Exemptions are limited and generally cover students living with family nearby, married students, those with dependents, veterans, or older students. Most Tigers at Clemson move off as sophomores, and that is when the apartment hunt really kicks in. A lot of the newer student complexes aren't in Clemson proper but in neighboring Central and Seneca.
The rental process is standard, with an application, a credit check, and usually a guarantor requirement, but read the lease term since by-the-bed complexes lock you into a full 12 months. Many newer complexes sit in Central and Seneca, meaning a shuttle ride or short drive to campus. If you are renting a house downtown with a group, confirm the occupancy rules before everyone signs.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Clemson University before signing a lease.
Clemson preleases hard and early. The big student complexes start signing leases for the next fall up to a year ahead, often beginning in the fall semester, and the closest and newest buildings fill first. If you want to be in Clemson proper or walking distance to campus, plan to be looking by October or November for the following August. The earliest movers get the close-in units.
The peak runs October and November as the closest and newest buildings fill first for the following August. Leases run a full 12 months. Downtown houses go to friend groups on their own timeline, often a bit later in spring. Be looking by late fall to land a walkable Clemson-proper spot.
The complexes out in Central and Seneca tend to have more availability later, so if you are searching in spring or summer, that is where you will find options, just budget time for the shuttle or drive. Spring also brings sublets from students leaving for co-ops and internships, which is your move for a short-term or mid-year lease. Expect to be farther out if you are late.
Running along College Avenue, downtown Clemson is the walkable heart of town and the closest you can live to campus and the action.
A neighboring town a few miles out, Central has many newer by-the-bed complexes, trading walkability for newer units and a shuttle ride.
A little farther still, Seneca is quieter and more spread out, with more space for the drive.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A by-the-bed room near Clemson typically runs about $500-$700/month per person in the complexes out in Central and Seneca, and closer to $700-$900 for newer buildings or anything within walking distance downtown. Houses split among a group can land at the low end. Add roughly $40-$100/month for utilities if they aren't included.