Loading listings
Off-Campus Housing Near UMD
About Off-Campus Housing Near University of Maryland-College Park
The University of Maryland sets about 40,700 Terrapins on a sprawling 1,300-acre campus in College Park, just inside the Beltway and a short ride from downtown D.C. The campus centers on McKeldin Mall, a long green stretch where everyone studies, naps, and throws a frisbee when the weather turns. Students rub the nose of Testudo, the bronze terrapin outside the library, for luck before exams. Every spring, Maryland Day opens the whole campus to the public for a giant open house. Route 1 runs along the edge with the student strip of food and shops, and the College Park Metro on the Green Line drops you into the District in about half an hour, with the Purple Line on the way. When D.C. calls, the monuments and museums are all a ride away.
University of Maryland-College Park Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
Maryland doesn't strictly require freshmen to live on campus, but it guarantees first-year housing if you confirm enrollment and submit the agreement by the May 1 deadline, and strongly encourages students to spend their first two years in the residence halls. Nine in ten first-years take that route.
Off-Campus Eligibility
With no strict mandate, students at Maryland can move off campus when they choose, though most do as juniors. College Park recently restricted how early landlords can push lease renewals: they can't offer one more than 180 days before your current lease ends, which for most students means late February at the earliest. If you are under 21, expect to need a parent co-signer or guarantor.
Lease Timing
Leases almost always run 12 months. Some single-family rentals fall under occupancy limits and rental licensing rules, so confirm the place is properly licensed before you sign. The new renewal rules give you breathing room, so don't let anyone rush you into signing too early.