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Florida International University is one of the country's largest public universities, with about 58,836 students on its main campus in west Miami, built on the old Tamiami Airport site along Tamiami Trail. It's commuter-heavy, deeply Miami, and unmistakably international, with the Everglades to the west and the city sprawling east. Campus life centers on the Graham Center student union and the Panthers, who play football at Pitbull Stadium and tailgate in Tamiami Park next door. Homecoming kicks off with the Uncaging, a week of events that's pure FIU. Most students drive or take transit, since Miami runs on cars and buses, and the beach and downtown nightlife are a drive away.
FIU does not require first-year students to live on campus, which fits its big commuter culture, though it encourages the on-campus experience for new students. The catch is demand, since freshman housing fills fast and has hit full capacity in recent years, so if you want a dorm, apply by the priority deadline in spring to help your odds.
Many students skip campus housing entirely and rent in the surrounding neighborhoods, especially as upperclassmen. The off-campus scene is a real mix of large by-the-bed student complexes, university-affiliated buildings like the growing University City area across Tamiami Trail, plus regular apartments and houses nearby. By-the-bed complexes lock you in per bed with individual liability, parking can cost extra, and furnished units and short summer terms change the math.
In a market this big, confirm what is included before you sign. Check whether the lease is by-the-bed with individual liability or a traditional whole-unit lease, since that changes who is responsible for the rent.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Florida International University before signing a lease.
Miami is a year-round rental city, but the student-heavy buildings around FIU still run on a fall cycle. The big by-the-bed complexes in University City and Sweetwater open renewals and preleasing in the fall for the next August. If you want a specific complex or a walk-to-campus unit, lock it in by spring.
The closest, most in-demand spots fill through winter and spring. Regular apartments and houses in the surrounding neighborhoods turn over all year, so if you are flexible on building, you have more runway and can find places closer to your move date. Classes start in late August, so most leases line up with that.
If you are searching late, the affiliated and by-the-bed buildings sometimes have summer openings. Miami's broad rental market also means traditional units and sublets pop up year-round. Summer terms and subleases are common near campus, so a short bridge is doable if you arrive off-cycle.
Right next to the main campus and walkable, the classic FIU student zone, with a strong Latin American character and lots of shared units.
The growing affiliated district across Tamiami Trail, packed with newer by-the-bed student buildings.
A bigger, more suburban neighborhood just east with apartments and houses, a short drive in.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A private bedroom in a by-the-bed student complex near FIU usually runs $700-$1,100/month per person, often with utilities and amenities bundled in. Sharing a regular apartment or house in Sweetwater or Westchester can land lower, around $600-$900/month per person, while a studio or one-bedroom on your own runs higher. Parking and summer terms can add to it.
Other universities in Miami share a similar off-campus housing market.
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