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Pratt Institute packs about 4,353 art, design, and architecture students onto a leafy 25-acre campus in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, which doubles as one of the largest sculpture parks in New York City. You'll cut across lawns dotted with more than 70 outdoor works on your way to studio. The neighborhood is brownstone Brooklyn at its best: tree-lined blocks, Fort Greene Park a few minutes west, and the brownstone districts of Bed-Stuy and Prospect Heights nearby. Creativity spills off campus into open studios, gallery nights, and the spring senior shows. Almost nobody keeps a car here. The G train runs along campus, the B54 and B69 buses fill the gaps, and Citi Bike and your own two feet handle the rest, with all of Brooklyn and Manhattan a quick ride away.
Most first-years live in Pratt's residence halls, which keeps freshmen close to studios that run late. The residential setup is built around the leafy Clinton Hill campus, so new students stay near the heart of school life.
After freshman year, the move into Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, and Bed-Stuy is almost a rite of passage for upperclassmen. The rental process here is pure New York City: expect to show proof of income or a guarantor earning roughly 40 times the monthly rent, plus first month and a security deposit up front. If your guarantor lives out of state, some landlords push for an institutional guarantor service instead, so ask early.
Brokers are common, and a broker fee can add a chunk on top of your first month, though plenty of no-fee listings exist if you hunt. Read leases closely: many run a strict 12 months, illegal third-bedroom conversions are a real thing to avoid, and you'll want every roommate on the lease so the security deposit and responsibilities split cleanly. Walk the block at night before you sign.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Pratt Institute-Main before signing a lease.
Brooklyn moves fast, so don't treat this like a small college town. Listings here typically post only four to eight weeks before the move-in date, so searching too early often means seeing units that won't actually be available when you need them. If you start looking in March, most of what you see won't be there in September. Use the lead time to line up your guarantor paperwork and pay stubs instead.
The prime window for a September lease is roughly June through early August. Set alerts and be ready to view and apply the same day, because good Clinton Hill and Fort Greene apartments get scooped within days. Spring graduates free up a wave of units in May and June, which is often the sweet spot. Having roommates and documents ready lets you sign on the spot.
If you're stuck searching late in August, look at rooms in existing share houses and sublets, which turn over year-round. Summer sublets from students heading home are an easy bridge if your lease timing doesn't line up. Be ready to move quickly, since the best late openings go fast. Broadening your search a few blocks east can open up more space and better prices.
Brownstone blocks wrapped right around campus, the most walkable pick and the priciest for it.
Next door, anchored by Fort Greene Park, lively and well connected.
Bigger apartments and more give on price, a short bike or bus ride east of campus.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A room in a shared apartment near Pratt usually runs $1,100-$1,800/month per person in Clinton Hill and Fort Greene. Pushing into Bed-Stuy or Bushwick, or splitting a larger place with more roommates, can pull your share toward the bottom of that range. Studios and one-bedrooms on your own cost far more, which is why most students share.
Other universities in Brooklyn share a similar off-campus housing market.