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Off-Campus Housing Near Colgate
About Off-Campus Housing Near Colgate University
Colgate University brings about 3,054 students to Hamilton, a small, postcard village in the rolling hills of central New York. Campus rises up a hill above town, anchored by Taylor Lake and a stone-and-ivy quad, and the Village Green sits at the heart of Hamilton just down the slope. Because the village is compact, student life and town life blur together: a short walk takes you from your residence to the shops around the Green. Colgate runs deep on tradition, from the Torchlight Procession that sends seniors down to Taylor Lake, to Founders Day and Homecoming each year. The Raiders compete in Division I, and the surrounding hills offer trails, lakes, and serious winters. The free Colgate Cruiser loops campus and the village, and most students walk.
Colgate University Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
Colgate is a residential campus, and the university houses students for essentially all four years, so off-campus living is the exception, not the default. First-years and most upperclassmen live in college housing up the hill above Hamilton.
Off-Campus Eligibility
Only about a third of seniors get approved to live in privately owned off-campus housing, and approval runs through an application and lottery process tied to on-campus capacity, so it's not guaranteed even if you apply. That makes the off-campus pool in Hamilton small and competitive.
Lease Timing
If you win a spot in the lottery, you'll rent from local landlords who know the student cycle well, often houses in the village split among several seniors. Expect a security deposit and first month up front, and leases that frequently run a full 12 months even though you're only in town for the academic year, so factor in summer. Read closely for who handles heat, snow removal, and parking, and get every housemate on the lease so the deposit and responsibilities split evenly.