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Lincoln University, the nation's first degree-granting historically Black college or university, sits on a rural campus of about 2,077 students amid the rolling farmland and wooded hilltops of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The setting is quiet and green, roughly 45 miles from Philadelphia, so the social world centers firmly on campus. Tradition runs deep: Homecoming is a week-long event with a coronation, step shows, and tailgating that draws alumni back across generations, and the International Cultural Center anchors arts and big gatherings in its large auditorium. Lions athletics fill Manuel Rivero Hall, which also holds a pool and gym. Because the campus is rural and spread out, students rely on cars to reach the surrounding towns.
Lincoln folds incoming first-years into campus housing as part of the enrollment process, so once you confirm enrollment and clear the bursar you complete the housing application and Residence Life assigns your room. Plan on living on campus when you start, since campus life is the default given how rural the location is. To live on campus you have to be a full-time student carrying at least 12 credits.
Students who move off campus are typically upperclassmen who want more space, and they spread into the surrounding small towns rather than a dense student district, since there is not one at the gates. Common landing spots are Oxford, Avondale, and Landenberg, and Lincoln even partners with an apartment community in Newark, Delaware. Expect ordinary small-town renting, with a credit and income check, a security deposit, and often a guarantor.
The housing contract binds you for the full academic year, not just the fall, so budget for the whole term when you sign on campus. Off-campus rentals run standard year-long terms in the surrounding towns. Confirm who handles well water, septic, and trash, and read the lease for occupancy limits before committing.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Lincoln University before signing a lease.
This is a rural market with very little purpose-built student housing, so the search works differently than at a city school. There is no big preleasing rush, but the trade-off is thin supply, which means the handful of decent rentals in Oxford, Avondale, and Landenberg get claimed quietly and early. Start looking in late winter or spring for a fall move-in, and check listings often, because places appear and disappear without much warning in a small market. Having a car and flexible roommates lined up makes the whole thing far easier in a spread-out area like this.
Classes start in late August, so aim to have something locked in by early summer. Summer is also when leases turn over, so it is a reasonable time to catch a vacancy as upperclassmen cycle through the small-town rentals. The limited supply means the best places go fast once they surface, so move quickly when you find one. Stay in close contact with local landlords through the spring and summer stretch.
If you miss the early-summer window, you may need to widen your radius toward Newark, Delaware, or accept a longer drive. Subletting is uncommon out here, so do not count on a short-term option to bridge a gap. The thin supply makes a last-minute find unreliable in a town this size. Lining up a car and flexible roommates gives you more room to adapt if your first choice falls through.
The closest hub, with a small walkable center and the most rentals within an easy drive of campus.
Quieter and more spread out, mixing houses and farmland for students who want space.
A bit farther, this town offers more apartments and amenities and draws Lincoln students willing to commute.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
This is a rural area with limited supply, so a per-person share of a house or apartment in Oxford, Avondale, or Landenberg usually runs about $500-$900/month. Older houses split among roommates land at the bottom, while newer or larger units, or places over toward Newark, Delaware, sit higher. Plan to share to keep your slice manageable.