Finding a Place to Live

Location is Key

• First year especially, choose housing close to the campus.  

• Find a place with easy access to a public transit route for at least the first year (MS) or first two years (PhD).

• Students find housing is more affordable with a housemate, especially if you are living in a neighborhood further away from campus.

Seattle Neighborhoods

Seattle is a city of neighborhoods, each with a distinct personality.  The following resources will help you navigate.

• Findwell.com features a variety of neighborhood blogs.

• Newcomer’s Handbook for Moving to and Living in Seattle is an in-depth guidebook of Seattle.

• Google Maps (directions to the Health Sciences building), King County Metro’s Trip Planner and Schedules and Maps allows you to verify if the neighborhood you are choosing has a direct bus to the University.

• The OneBusAway app provides real-time and scheduled bus arrival information. 

• Most of Seattle is very walkable, but you may check walkability scores for specific neighborhoods at Walk Score.

• Availability of parking (paid/free lots, garages, street parking) varies depending on the density of the neighborhood. Students without cars can rent a car or use car-sharing services (Zipcar, Car2Go, ReachNow) for trips to areas requiring a car.

Online Resources

• UW Housing (includes graduate and family housing)

• UW International Student Housing Resources

• Off-campus Housing Resources

• Craigslist Seattle

• Trulia

• Zillow

Ask Around

Staff or students in the program are often the best resource if you are looking for new housing. They will have first-hand knowledge about selecting a great neighborhood, can answer specific questions you may have, and will also have knowledge about bus routes.

Student Advice

“My first year, I picked an apartment in the U District because I wanted a short bus ride or walk from campus and no roommate. This was great because I wanted to spend a lot of time on campus, and the U district has grocery stores within walking distance.”

“In my 2nd and 3rd years, I was happy to live in Sandpoint which was more isolated. I was focusing on my course work and the private laundry was super convenient. Having a roommate also saved me some money on rent. Now I’m rarely going to campus, so living in far west Ballard is great. I have time to do stuff (yay Ballard) and I’m happy to not have a roommate since I’m working at home every day. My rent is high, but it’s worth not being disturbed while I work.”