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Off-Campus Housing Near UWM
$579/unit
Fees may applyCampus East
$550/unit
Fees may applyCanterbury Court
$595/unit
Fees may applyMaryland Court & The Patrician
$599/unit
Fees may applyPark at 1824 Student Apartments
$560/unit
Fees may applyRoom for Rent
$600/unit
Fees may applyThe Celeste (525 N. 20th St.)
$595+/unit
Fees may applyThe Montecristo (1722 W. Wells)
$595/unit
Fees may applyThe Ritz on Kilbourn
About Off-Campus Housing Near University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee folds about 24,500 Panthers into the city's upper East Side, a leafy, residential neighborhood minutes from Lake Michigan. That lake proximity defines campus life: students walk to Bradford Beach in warm months and cut through Downer Woods, the school's 11-acre nature preserve, on the way to class. Lake Park, with its lighthouse and ravines, edges the bluff nearby. The East Side blends into the city, so Downer Avenue and the Brady Street district offer a walkable mix of cafes, shops, and street life. Milwaukee brings serious culture, from Bucks and Brewers games to Summerfest, the lakefront music marathon locals call the world's largest. Most students walk or bike the neighborhood and ride buses downtown.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
UWM holds a first-year residency requirement, meaning new freshmen are generally expected to live in university housing where space allows. In practice the rule works loosely, since the school grants an automatic exemption to students who do not submit a housing contract.
Off-Campus Eligibility
If you do not submit a housing contract or a formal exemption, UWM grants an automatic exemption and lets you find your own place through the Off-Campus Resource Center, so plenty of first-years rent on the East Side from the start. Sophomores and up move off campus as a matter of course. The rental process is standard, with landlord applications, a security deposit, and often a guarantor if you lack income or credit history.
Lease Timing
Leases here commonly run 12 months, though the cycle is less rigidly August-locked than at small college towns, giving you a bit more timing flexibility. Many leases start in late summer to line up with fall classes, but units open year-round too. Milwaukee enforces occupancy rules on some rentals, and older East Side houses can have quirks like shared heating or dated wiring, so tour in person.