Loading listings
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University packs about 8,797 Eagles onto a Daytona Beach campus that sits right beside Daytona Beach International Airport, which tells you a lot: this is a flight and engineering school where students watch their own planes take off. Campus life leans technical and tight-knit, with aviation, aerospace, and motorsports pulling students who knew their major at 16. The big draw outside class is the Atlantic, a short hop east to the wide hard-packed beach and the oceanfront boardwalk. Daytona's identity runs on speed, with the famous Speedway anchoring the city's racing culture, while quieter coastal towns like Ormond Beach give students room to breathe. Between the runway views and the beach, Embry-Riddle feels like nowhere else you'd study.
Embry-Riddle requires new students under 21 before September 1, both first-year and transfer, to live in university-managed housing for two full academic years. Students who turn 21 by that date are exempt. There's also an exemption for students living within a 50-mile driving distance if the student and guardian have held that address for a full calendar year before classes start, with documentation of permanent residency.
Most students move off after the two-year requirement, into apartments and houses around Daytona Beach. The rental process is standard Florida, with an application, credit check, and a guarantor if you don't have income. Because the campus is fairly self-contained, the off-campus market is more regular apartments than dedicated student complexes.
Expect individual 12-month leases, so read the lease term carefully if you only need the academic year. Watch parking, since some students keep cars for the beach and trips, and confirm flood and renters insurance expectations in a coastal city. Matching the term to your stay avoids paying for months you won't use.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach before signing a lease.
Daytona Beach is a tourist and racing town, so the rental calendar bends around the season as much as the school year. Start touring in late winter and through spring for the next academic year, since the closest and best-managed apartments lease quickly once spring hits. Booking tours early gives you the most choice. The nicest near-campus units go first.
Classes start in late August, and because much of the market is regular apartments leasing year-round, you compete with locals and seasonal renters, not just students. Spring is the strongest window. That means you can sometimes find a place later than in a tight college town, but the best units still go early. Moving in spring keeps you ahead of the season.
If you're searching late, look toward Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, and Pelican Bay, and ask about move-in specials, which Daytona buildings use to fill units off-season. Avoid signing a tourist-priced short-term place by mistake. Subleases exist but skew seasonal, so don't rely on one. Widening your radius opens up more steady year-round options.
Apartments and houses closest to Embry-Riddle, easiest if you want a short commute. Pelican Bay, a residential community with apartments popular for student housing, sits a quick drive from campus.
A calmer, more affordable area just north, central between campus and the river. It's a practical middle ground for students.
Ormond Beach is a quieter coastal town north of Daytona with beach access, favored by students wanting a step back from the tourist core. Daytona Beach Shores offers beachside living for students who want the ocean at their door and don't mind the drive.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A room in a shared apartment near Embry-Riddle usually runs $600-$1,000/month per person, since the market is mostly regular apartments rather than by-the-bed student complexes. Splitting a larger unit in Holly Hill or Pelican Bay lands lower, while beachside spots sit higher. Budget another $50-$140/month for utilities, with summer AC the big swing.