A room in a by-the-bed student complex near Coastal Carolina usually runs $600-$950/month per person. Older units and shared houses split among roommates land lower, while newer complexes along University Boulevard sit at the top. Plan on another $40-$120/month for utilities if they aren't bundled or capped.

Yes, and so do sophomores. CCU requires first and second year students to live in university housing. You're automatically exempt if you graduated high school more than two years before enrolling or live with a parent or guardian within 50 miles, and other exemptions like married, parent, or military need a request form.

Most juniors and seniors cluster in the purpose-built complexes along University Boulevard, a short walk or bike from campus. Others spread along the Highway 501 corridor toward the coast, into historic downtown Conway for the river-town feel, or out to Myrtle Beach if they want the beach scene.

If you live in the University Boulevard complexes you can walk or bike to class, but a car helps a lot here. Conway is spread out, groceries and the beach take some driving, and Myrtle Beach is about a half hour east. Most upperclassmen living off campus keep a car.

Start in January or February for the next school year. Demand outpaces beds, so complexes open leases in the fall and the closest units fill through winter. Sign by early spring for a walk-to-campus spot, or you'll be hunting farther out by summer.

Student complexes typically lease by the bedroom for 12 months, so you cover your room even over summer. Confirm whether yours is by-the-bed or a joint lease, since joint leases make you liable if a roommate leaves. In beach-adjacent areas, check parking caps and guest rules during tourist season.

The University Boulevard student complexes and downtown Conway are well-trafficked and standard for students. Areas closer to the coast can swing with tourist seasons. Wherever you look, walk it at night first, confirm lighting and locks work, and ask current tenants how they feel after dark.

It varies. Newer by-the-bed complexes often bundle or cap water, trash, and internet, while older apartments and houses leave electric and the rest on you. Florida-adjacent summers mean real AC bills, so ask exactly what's included before signing an uncapped place. Plan on about $40-$120/month per person for anything not bundled.

Yes. By-the-bed complexes match you with roommates if you need them, and most students find theirs through classes, clubs, or CCU housing groups. Summer subleases show up but skew short and beach-seasonal, so don't bank on handing off your room easily over the break.

Yes. Myrtle Beach sits about a half hour east, so beach weekends are normal rather than a road trip. Day to day, campus life leans on Conway and the Waccamaw River, with the Riverwalk and Riverfront Park downtown, but the Grand Strand is close enough that students use it all the time.