As housing leases become available to sign in the upcoming months, students may wonder what the process is and how to find what is right for them. Students have the decision between on-campus or off-campus housing, a choice that allows students to find what best suits them.
For those looking for housing through the school, there are several on-campus apartment options available to students who are either 19 years old or in at least their second year at Iowa State University.
“We have Frederickson Court, which is two and four-person furnished apartments,” Chrissy Rhodes, the digital communication specialist with the Department of Residence, said. “We have University Village, which is two-person unfurnished apartments. Then we also have Schlitter Village, which is our family housing.”
Students who choose to live on campus for the 2026-27 school year will fill out their contracts starting January 2026. Both the dorm and apartment options go by semester, so students who graduate after their first semester or travel abroad will not have to pay for a semester’s worth of housing if they do not need it.
“We will be sending emails towards the end of the semester, so just keep checking your email,” Rhodes said.
If apartment prices are too high for a student’s budget, then students also have the opportunity to be a Resident Assistant (RA).
“I love getting to have another community with my coworkers since we all became closer during training,” Nikita Khurana, a sophomore in animal science who is an RA for Friley Hall’s Hutton House, said. “Getting to work and goof off with them always cheers me up.”
According to Khurana, RA benefits can change depending on what location a student chooses, but she gets a free single room with air conditioning, a meal plan and additional money working as an RA.
“If you choose on-campus housing, I would definitely recommend making sure you have a roommate that you like and making sure you both sit down and talk about expectations with living together,” Khurana said.
Off campus, there are countless options available to students between apartments, condos, townhouses and rental properties.
According to several students who lived off campus this year, it is recommended to start searching now due to lease contracts becoming available to sign soon and the competitiveness of some options.
“If you want to live off campus, I would recommend looking as soon as possible since everyone starts to get their housing around this time,” Khurana said. “If you want something good, you are most likely going to find it during the fall semester.”
Every building is different and offers different amenities, so careful consideration is necessary. Every option costs differently, so build a budget and look into what extra costs might show up.
Utilities, including electricity, water, internet and laundry, may or may not be included in the rent. Be prepared for those utilities to cost a little more or less, depending on the month, if they are not included.
Location is also an important factor. Many of the available housing options are along CyRide routes, but if not having to rely on the bus system is a need, then check out buildings within walking distance of campus.
Additionally, keep in mind that living off campus both limits and opens dining options. Dining halls are no longer a couple of minutes away, so students either have to cook at home or go out. In that way, considering what restaurants and grocery stores are nearby can be helpful.
If the location isn’t appealing, students should consider whether free parking is provided to make driving to places more convenient. Everyone is going to have different preferences, so look into every option and consider everything.
No matter if they are interested in on or off-campus housing, students should list their needs versus their wants and figure out what is most important, so when choosing an apartment, students end up with what is right for them.
“There are so many good options out there for students,” Rhodes said. “Whatever works best for you is what works best for us.”
