International Students

Contact the Office of Global Services for guidance on any forms (visa, I-20, etc.) that you may need. These are often needed to secure an apartment. Without an I-20, you may be requested to show other forms of funding documentation to be approved for an off-campus apartment. Visit their Youtube Page for more!

Our Get Started page has all the information you need to understand the pricing, people, paperwork, and protection needed to live successfully off campus.

Rental costs, and average neighborhood prices, will likely help you determine how many roommates you need. Most students live with 2-3 fellow students.

Understand the Boston apartment search process. Review our website, research Boston’s neighborhoods, and watch our off campus video series! After you know more about your budget and where you want to live,  you can start finding roommates and available apartments using our Northeastern Housing Database.

Know the costs of living off campus. Most apartments are unfurnished and do not include all utilities. Learn more about living expenses here.

Understand how to work with Boston area realtors. There are laws to protect you as a consumer. Be aware of applications, leases, and security deposit rules.

Use the Northeastern Housing Database to find apartment listings, rooms available, verified agencies, and potential roommates. We recommend that you create a roommate profile. There are helpful filters including “international student friendly” and “no fee” apartments.

Be careful: Be vigilant about online listings. If you are unable to visit an apartment in person, please use our Rental Scams page to protect yourself and learn how to verify listings. 

Many landlords/property managers will require a co-signer. A cosigner is someone with an income that agrees to cover any unpaid rent. We recommend you take the following steps:

• Let your realtor or property owner know that you are an international student. Some applications are automated and co-signing may be waived if they know you are a student with a visa.
• Learn about and use third-party co-signing companies. These services charge a fee to serve as a co-signer and may be the right choice for you.
• Discuss your application with the landlord/property manager. Most landlords/property managers know that international students may not have a co-signer and will opt to charge a fee instead.
• If there isn’t much flexibility, consider using a different realtor or property.