Off-Campus Housing Near Saint Joseph's University
$799+/unit
Fees may applyThe Eleanor at Chestnut (Per Bedroom Lease)
$2,174+/unit
Fees may applyThe Left Bank Apartments
$2,225+/unit
Fees may applyThe Linden University City
$1,300+/unit
Fees may applyThe Quincy
$5,215+/unit
Fees may applyThe Simon at Founder's Row
$905+/unit
Fees may applyUniversity City Associates
$1,715+/unit
Fees may applyUniversity City Housing
$899+/person
Fees may applyVantage
About Off-Campus Housing Near Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private Jesuit university on City Avenue in northwest Philadelphia, straddling the boundary between the city and Lower Merion Township, with about 6,800 students. Its Haub School of Business is the best known of its divisions, alongside strong programs in health sciences, education and the liberal arts, and the university expanded substantially through mergers including the former University of the Sciences. The campus has a genuine collegiate feel with a quad and Barbelin Hall's tower, unusual for a school inside city limits. Saint Joseph's maintains real residential capacity, with IPEDS reporting dorm capacity above 2,500, and requires students to live on campus for their first two years. Off-campus students find the City Avenue corridor and nearby neighborhoods offer far lower rents than Center City. Find My Place currently lists 817 rentals in Philadelphia, the deepest inventory of any market on the site, with monthly rents from about $999 to $2,084 and a median near $1,480.
Saint Joseph's University Housing Requirements
Two-Year Live-On Requirement
Saint Joseph's University requires all students to live in university housing during their freshman and sophomore years. The requirement covers the first two years of study, after which students may move off campus.
Exemptions
Students commuting from a parent or guardian's local permanent address may be exempt from the requirement, and students granted that exemption must actually reside at home with the parent or legal guardian. The university also considers exceptions in cases of extraordinary financial or medical need. Requests go through Residence Life.
Off-Campus Eligibility
Juniors, seniors and graduate students rent privately, most commonly in the neighborhoods along and just off City Avenue. Wynnefield and Overbrook sit within walking or short-bus distance on the Philadelphia side, while Bala Cynwyd and Merion Station sit just across the line in Lower Merion at somewhat higher rents. SEPTA bus routes along City Avenue and Regional Rail at Overbrook connect students to Center City.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Saint Joseph's University before signing a lease.
When to Start Looking for Housing Near Saint Joseph's University
Early Searchers
Because the requirement covers two years, most Saint Joseph's students entering the rental market are juniors and above. For an August or September start, begin looking in January or February. Philadelphia's student rental cycle runs earlier than most cities, with many leases for the following academic year signed in late winter and early spring.
Peak Demand Window
March and April are the peak months for student rentals in Philadelphia. Houses along and just off City Avenue suited to groups of three to five lease up in this window, and returning students who lived there the previous year often renew first. Groups that settle roommates in January have a real advantage.
Last-Minute Options
Students searching in July or August will find fewer options near campus but Philadelphia's overall market is deep enough that something workable is usually available. Widening into Overbrook, Wynnefield Heights or along the Regional Rail line toward Narberth typically surfaces openings, and mid-lease replacements are common.
Neighborhoods Near Saint Joseph's University
Wynnefield
The Philadelphia neighborhood immediately south of campus, with rowhouses and small apartment buildings at attainable rents and a short walk or bus ride to City Avenue.
Overbrook
West of campus with a SEPTA Regional Rail station, offering rowhouse rentals and a straightforward commute both to campus and to Center City.
Bala Cynwyd and Merion Station
Just across the city line in Lower Merion, quieter and more suburban with apartment buildings and rental homes at somewhat higher rents.
Manayunk
Northeast along the Schuylkill, a lively neighborhood popular with students across Philadelphia universities, requiring a drive or bus connection to campus.
Frequently Asked Questions: Off-Campus Housing Near Saint Joseph's University
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Yes, for two years. All students are required to live in university housing during their freshman and sophomore years. After that you are free to move off campus.
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