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Rutgers University-Newark plants about 13,231 students in the University Heights district of Newark, New Jersey's largest and most diverse city. The Scarlet Raiders share this academic corridor with NJIT and Essex County College, so the streets stay busy with students, cafes, and light rail stops. Newark runs on culture and transit: the New Jersey Performing Arts Center sits minutes away, and Branch Brook Park, the oldest county park in the country, holds the largest collection of cherry trees in the nation. The Newark Light Rail serves University Heights at the Warren Street, Washington Park, and Norfolk Street stations. With New York City a 20-minute train ride east, students here treat both Newark and Manhattan as their playground.
Rutgers University-Newark is largely a commuter campus, so first-year students are not forced into the dorms, and many freshmen commute from around the region. Those who want on-campus housing typically start in Woodward Hall, the standard first-year residence.
Most students who go off campus do so after year one, renting in University Heights or the surrounding neighborhoods through private landlords. Many buildings near campus are apartments split among roommates rather than single-family houses.
Expect proof of income or a guarantor, a security deposit (New Jersey caps it at 1.5 months of rent), and an application screening. Newark requires rental properties to be registered and inspected, with rules around occupancy and certificates, and leases usually run 12 months starting September 1, so confirm a unit is legally registered and read the lease for who covers heat and any building fees before signing.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Rutgers University-Newark before signing a lease.
Newark's rental market moves on a standard urban cycle, with most leases turning over for September move-ins that match the fall semester. Because campus housing is limited and a lot of students live off campus, demand in University Heights stays steady, so don't wait. Start your search in March or April if you want a spot within walking distance of class, since the closest apartments and larger roommate-friendly units get claimed by early summer.
Leases usually run 12 months starting September 1, so the spring-into-summer stretch is when the close-in units turn over. Hold off too long and you are competing with NJIT and Essex County College students searching the same blocks. Tour promptly, keep your documents ready, and lean on campus boards and Newark rental groups to catch listings as they post. The best-located units go fast.
Hold off until August and you will still find places, but you are choosing from what is left. For mid-year arrivals, look for sublets from students graduating in December or studying abroad. These spring and off-cycle openings surface on shorter notice, so watch campus boards and Newark rental groups closely if you are searching late.
Right at campus, it is the most student-dense pick, with light rail stops, cafes, and rooms for rent built around walkability.
East of downtown, it is famous for its food, bakeries, and busy nightlife, with shared units that tend to run lower on price.
Puts you by Penn Station and the arts scene for an urban, transit-first lifestyle.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A room in a shared apartment or split unit near campus usually runs $800-$1,300/month per person. Shared units in the Ironbound tend to land lower, while newer or solo apartments in University Heights and downtown sit higher. Splitting a multi-bedroom is the standard move to keep it manageable.