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Old Dominion University brings about 24,300 Monarchs to Norfolk, a coastal Virginia city built around the water. The main campus sits right on the Elizabeth River in the city's west end, so sailing, kayaking, and waterfront walks are part of everyday life. Across Hampton Boulevard, the University Village district anchors game-day energy around Chartway Arena, where Monarch basketball draws a loud blue crowd. Nearby Larchmont brings tree-lined streets, while historic Ghent offers a walkable grid and the riverfront stage at Town Point Park downtown. Norfolk's a Navy town with beaches, the Elizabeth River Trail, and ferries to Portsmouth. Students lean on the free Monarch Transit shuttles, plus the Tide light rail and HRT buses, so a car is optional.
ODU does not require freshmen to live on campus, so you have flexibility from day one, though plenty of first-years still choose residence halls to ease into college life. There is no live-on mandate to clear before leasing elsewhere.
Many students move off campus by sophomore year, often into the apartments and houses clustered just across Hampton Boulevard or in nearby Norfolk neighborhoods. Because there is no requirement, eligibility is open to students from their first year onward.
The local rental process is standard: you will complete an application, likely pay an application fee, and sign a lease, frequently with a guarantor or proof of income if you are a younger student. Norfolk has its share of older homes carved into student rentals, so check occupancy rules, flood-zone disclosures, and who handles lawn care and utilities before committing. Some blocks near campus sit in flood-prone areas, so consider renters insurance.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Old Dominion University before signing a lease.
Norfolk's leasing cycle is a bit more relaxed than the big preleasing rush you will see at some schools, but the closest spots still move early. Start looking in late winter or early spring for the following fall, especially if you want University Village units or houses within walking distance of campus, since those go first. The best walk-to-campus houses reward starting your search early. Touring early gives you the pick of the close-in inventory.
Demand for the closest units builds through late winter and spring ahead of a late-August start. Classes start in late August, so aim to lock in by spring to have real choices. University Village units and the nearest houses clear fastest. The walk-to-campus inventory thins out as the spring rush gets going.
Larger complexes turn over units year-round, so a late summer search is not hopeless, but you will have fewer options near campus and may end up farther out along the Tide line. Spring also brings sublets from students graduating or doing co-ops, which can fill a gap if your timing slips. If you are flexible on neighborhood, you can find something most of the year. You will trade proximity for availability when searching late.
University Village sits right across Hampton Boulevard from campus, mixing student apartments with shops and the Chartway Arena scene.
Larchmont offers leafy streets and a quieter, residential feel a short ride away, while Lambert's Point is the close-in neighborhood many students rent in, walkable to campus but more no-frills and budget-minded.
Ghent brings a historic, walkable grid near downtown with a livelier vibe and plenty of nightlife, while downtown Norfolk trades the student bubble for waterfront city life right along the Tide light rail.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A shared room or by-the-bed spot near ODU usually runs about $500-$900/month per person. Older houses in Lambert's Point and Larchmont land at the bottom, while newer University Village apartments and furnished units sit higher. Splitting a multi-bedroom house with roommates is the cheapest way to bring your per-person number down.