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Washington University in St. Louis enrolls roughly 15,400 students on its Danforth Campus, a Gothic stretch of arches and quads anchored by Brookings Hall on the western edge of the city. The campus sits right on Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, where students run, bike the Centennial Greenway, and wander to free museums and the zoo. Just north, the Delmar Loop is the walkable district everyone gravitates toward. Spring brings WILD, the long-running outdoor concert that's been a campus staple since the 1970s, and fall fills Francis Olympic Field, the stadium that hosted the 1904 Olympics. The MetroLink light rail has a stop on campus, so getting around the metro area is easy without a car.
WashU requires all first-year undergraduates to live on campus, with most students spending their first two years in the residential communities on the South 40 before moving off. Plan on the South 40 for those early years.
After the on-campus years, students at WashU center their search on University City and the Skinker DeBaliviere area, where older apartment buildings and student-friendly houses dominate, plus newer complexes closer to the Loop. The process runs through private landlords and a few management companies: an application, proof of income or a guarantor, and first month plus a deposit.
Leases usually run a full twelve months, commonly starting August 1 to line up with the fall semester. University City has its own occupancy and rental licensing rules, so a group splitting a house should confirm the unit is licensed and legal for their headcount. Older buildings near the Loop can mean window units and street parking, so check air conditioning, laundry, and repairs.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Washington University in St Louis before signing a lease.
WashU's off-campus cycle is calmer than the coastal frenzy, but it still rewards an early start. Sophomores and juniors typically start looking in the winter and early spring for an August move-in. The most popular University City houses and the units closest to the Loop and campus get claimed first, often by February or March. Lock in a specific house with a specific group by late winter.
The peak runs winter into early spring, with the most popular houses claimed by February or March. Classes start in late August, and since most leases begin August 1, move-in lines up cleanly with fall. Spring break is a popular time to tour with roommates and put deposits down. The walk-to-campus spots go first.
Search later than early spring and you will find fewer of the prime walk-to-campus spots. Summer is a quieter window with some sublet activity, useful if you are staying for research. If you want a specific house with a specific group, lock it in by late winter rather than hoping something opens up over the summer. Late searchers should widen their area.
Just north of the Danforth Campus, University City is the classic student pick, full of apartments and houses within walking or biking distance.
Between campus and Forest Park, Skinker DeBaliviere is a quieter residential mix of apartment buildings and old homes.
The Loop blocks put you in the middle of the action with shops and shows, the busiest option.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A bedroom in a shared apartment or house near campus usually runs $700-$1,100/month per person. Older University City buildings and shared houses land at the lower end, while newer complexes near the Loop and units in Clayton run higher. Budget another $40-$100/month for utilities, depending on summer air conditioning.