No, Roosevelt University does not have a mandatory live-on requirement for first-year students. The university operates largely as an urban commuter campus, and students of all years are welcome to rent privately in Chicago's neighborhoods.

The South Loop and Printer's Row are the closest and most walkable neighborhoods to Roosevelt's Michigan Avenue campus. Students willing to take the CTA have a wide range of options including Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square, and Pilsen.

The ideal search window is January through March for a fall move-in. Chicago's rental market is large enough that options remain available into summer, but the best units near campus lease during the late winter and early spring months.

No, a car is not necessary and is often impractical for students living near the South Loop. Chicago's CTA rail and bus network connects Roosevelt's campus to virtually every neighborhood in the city, and many students find the cost and hassle of parking outweighs any benefit of having a vehicle.

In the South Loop and Printer's Row, one-bedroom apartments typically range from roughly $1,600 to $2,400 per month, while shared two-bedroom units can reduce per-person costs significantly. Neighborhoods farther from campus, such as Logan Square or Pilsen, offer lower rents in the $1,200 to $1,800 range for comparable units.