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Off-Campus Housing Near WMU
$440+/unit
Fees may applyArboretum Apartments
$409+/unit
Fees may applyArcadia Grove
$430+/unit
Fees may applyThe Bronco Club
$440+/unit
Fees may applyA2 Apartments
$350+/unit
Fees may applyFirehouse Crossings
$425+/unit
Fees may applyWest Campus Village
About Off-Campus Housing Near Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University sets about 19,887 Broncos on a hilly campus just west of downtown Kalamazoo, a mid-size Michigan city with a real walkable core. Campus sits less than a mile from downtown, so a stroll down West Michigan Avenue drops you into the Kalamazoo Mall, one of the country's first pedestrian shopping streets, plus the city's parks and public squares. Broncos pack Waldo Stadium in the fall, and Bronco Bash kicks off each year with hundreds of student booths. Green space threads through town, from neighborhood parks to the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail for runs and rides. Campus climbs a hill, so most students walk, bike, or hop the campus and Metro Transit buses between class, downtown, and the streets that ring the school.
Western Michigan University Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
WMU strongly steers first-years toward the residence halls, and the vast majority of new students do live on campus. The policy is built around staying close to home, so students typically need to live on campus unless they qualify for an exemption.
Off-Campus Eligibility
Exemptions cover students commuting from a parent or guardian's home within commuting distance, or meeting age, marriage, or credit-hour conditions. After the first year, students are free to move off campus and most do. Kalamazoo's rental process is low-key and landlord-driven, with a mix of divided older homes, a few large student complexes, and standard apartment buildings.
Lease Timing
Leases near campus often run a full 12 months even though the school year is about nine, so plan for summer rent or a sublet. Read for who covers utilities, since older homes usually bill them separately, and whether furniture is included. In shared houses, confirm how rent splits per tenant and check the City of Kalamazoo's rental rules, which set occupancy limits in some neighborhoods.