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Off-Campus Housing Near Eastern Illinois University
$500+/unit
Fees may applyCampus Pointe Apartments
$450/unit
Fees may applyGrant View Apartments - 105 Grant Ave
$625/unit
Fees may applyMelrose on 4th
$332/unit
Fees may applyRoyal Heights
$505+/unit
Fees may applyThe Millennium Apartments
About Off-Campus Housing Near Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University occupies the heart of Charleston, a classic downstate Illinois college town where the university and the community have grown together for well over a century. Founded in 1895, EIU is a mid-sized public comprehensive university known for its teacher education roots, active research programs, and a student-to-faculty ratio that puts undergraduates in genuinely small classes. The physical campus is handsome and walkable, with red-brick Georgian-style buildings arranged around a central Library Quad that becomes the social and academic center of campus life when the weather cooperates. Charleston itself wraps around the university in the way that the best college towns do, with affordable restaurants, locally owned shops, and a historic downtown square a short walk from the edge of campus. The off-campus housing market is well-developed and competitive, offering students a wide range of apartments, houses, and shared living arrangements at prices that are accessible by Illinois standards. For students who want a true college-town experience with genuine community ties and a campus that feels alive, Eastern Illinois delivers that combination reliably.
Eastern Illinois University Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
Eastern Illinois University requires students who have fewer than 30 earned credit hours and who have been out of high school for less than one year to live in university residence halls. Exceptions are granted for students who are 21 or older, married, living with a parent or legal guardian within a specified commuting radius, or who have dependents in their care. Students who believe they qualify for an exemption must submit a completed petition to University Housing and Dining Services by the published deadline.
Off-Campus Eligibility
Students who have earned 30 or more credit hours are eligible to move off campus and may do so without restriction as long as they are not under a current housing contract. Transfer students entering EIU with enough credit hours to meet the threshold are also immediately eligible for off-campus living. Confirming your credit-hour count with the registrar before signing a lease is a good precaution to avoid any contract conflicts.