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Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi sits on its own island campus, Ward Island, where roughly 10,800 students live the only true island-university life in the country. The Gulf is the backdrop for everything: a campus beach, a hike and bike trail that loops the water, and kayaks you can take out between classes. The city wraps around the bay, from the downtown bayfront and seawall to North Beach and the Texas State Aquarium. Students spread across the Southside, Flour Bluff, and the causeway neighborhoods. Traditions run deep, from Anchor Camp that turns freshmen into Islanders to the Lighting of the I rally, and the Shaka is the campus greeting. You'll want a car since one causeway links the island to the mainland, but the payoff is salt air and a real beach.
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi requires first-year students to live on campus for at least two semesters at the Island at Miramar housing. You are automatically exempt if you graduated high school more than twelve months before starting, are 21 or older by September 1, or your permanent address is in Nueces, Aransas, Jim Wells, Kleberg, or San Patricio county. Part-time and online-only students are also exempt but must file the residency exemption form.
Most students move off after their first year. Do not sign an off-campus lease until Islander Housing approves you, since the university does not manage or endorse any outside apartments. The Corpus Christi rental process is standard for Texas: an application, a fee, proof of income or a co-signer, and a deposit.
Read leases carefully for flood and storm clauses, renters insurance requirements, and whether the unit comes furnished. Coastal weather and hurricane season factor into living here. Confirm these details before you commit so a storm clause does not catch you off guard.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi before signing a lease.
Corpus Christi leasing picks up in late winter and spring for an August move-in. The student-heavy complexes near campus and across the causeway in Flour Bluff start filling in February and March, so tour early if you want to be close to the island. Classes begin in late August, and most leases start August 1. Touring in late winter puts you ahead of the rush for the closest units.
Demand for the student-friendly complexes peaks in February and March as students lock down spots near the island. The units that cater to students and sit closest to campus go first. Because the city is a real metro and not just a college town, general apartment options stay available year-round. Still, the close-in inventory thins out as the fall term approaches.
Spring availability opens up as graduating seniors leave, and you can sometimes grab a summer sublet, though many students stay through summer for the beach. The broader metro gives late searchers more of a cushion than small college towns. Watch the calendar around hurricane season, June through November. Ask any prospective landlord how the building handled recent storms before you commit.
Just across the causeway, quiet and residential, the closest off-island option with houses and apartments and an easy hop to campus.
Newer apartment complexes, shopping, and a short drive to campus, the most popular pick with students.
Walkable to the seawall, marina, and nightlife, with a more urban, lively feel.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A room in a shared apartment or house near campus usually runs about $500-$800/month per person, with one-bedroom units closer to $800-$1,100/month if you live solo. Flour Bluff and older complexes sit at the lower end, while newer Southside builds run higher. Budget another $80-$150/month for utilities, since summer AC bills are no joke on the coast.