Moving out of the dorms is one of those milestones that feels exciting until you realize you need to find people to live with, sign a lease, and figure out how to split a utility bill. This guide covers the entire process.
When to Start Looking
If you're planning to move for the fall semester, start looking in March or April. The best housing goes fast in college towns, and waiting until summer means picking from whatever's left.
For mid-year moves or post-graduation relocations, give yourself at least six weeks. That's enough time to find options, meet people, and make a decision without desperation driving your choices.
Finding Housemates as a Student
Students have some unique advantages in the roommate search:
- Campus networks give you a built-in pool of people at a similar life stage
- Student housing offices often maintain roommate matching boards
- Class and club connections mean you might already know potential housemates
- Social media groups for your university usually have active housing threads
- Roommate finder apps let you filter by proximity to campus and student-friendly budgets
The key is starting the conversation early. Don't wait until you're desperate.
What Students Should Prioritize
Study Habits
This is the student-specific version of schedule compatibility. If you need silence to study and your potential roommate studies with music blasting, you're going to have a problem every midterm and finals season.
Ask specifically:
- Where do you usually study? (Home, library, coffee shop?)
- What time of day do you do most of your work?
- Do you pull all-nighters?
Social Life
College social life varies wildly from person to person. Some students want their apartment to be the hangout spot. Others want a quiet refuge from campus.
Both are valid. But mixing them under one roof creates friction fast.
Budget Reality
Students are often working with tight budgets, which makes financial compatibility even more important. Be upfront about:
- Whether your parents help with rent
- If you have a part-time job and what happens during breaks
- How you'll handle summer months if the lease runs year-round
- Your grocery budget and whether you want to share food costs
The Post-Grad Transition
Graduating adds new variables to the roommate equation:
- Work schedules replace class schedules. You might go from flexible days to 9-to-5.
- Income increases but so do expectations. You probably want a nicer place than your college apartment.
- Friend groups scatter. The built-in social network of college disperses.
- Location matters differently. Proximity to your office might matter more than proximity to campus.
This transition is actually one of the best times to use a roommate matching service. Your college friends might be moving to different cities, and you need a systematic way to find compatible people in your new location.
Avoiding Common Student Housing Mistakes
- Don't move in with your best friend without discussing living habits first. Great friends don't always make great roommates.
- Don't skip the lease review. Read every clause, especially about subletting, guests, and early termination.
- Don't assume everyone shares your definition of clean. Have the conversation.
- Don't ignore red flags because you're in a rush. A bad living situation affects your grades, your mental health, and your bank account.
Making It Work Long-Term
The most successful student households share three habits:
- Regular check-ins. Even a brief monthly conversation about how things are going prevents small issues from becoming big ones.
- Written house rules. Not because you don't trust each other, but because memory is unreliable and expectations drift over time.
- Respect for differences. You don't have to live identically. You just have to live considerately.
Getting Started
Whether you're leaving the dorms, finding your first post-grad apartment, or relocating for a new job, the process is the same: figure out what you need, find people who need the same things, and have honest conversations before you commit.
The tools for doing this are better than they've ever been. Use them.