Boston Student Housing: A Comprehensive Guide for Harvard and MIT Students

Moving to Boston for Harvard or MIT is exciting, but the housing hunt can feel like a whole assignment on its own. This guide breaks it all down: neighborhoods, budgets, transportation, and lifestyle tips, so you can focus less on stressing about rent and more on enjoying Boston student life.

Why Off-Campus Housing Appeals to Harvard and MIT Students

Living in dorms has its advantages, but many students quickly realize that off-campus housing in Boston gives them more independence, flexibility, and often better value for money. Living off-campus means you get to experience Boston like a local: cozy coffee shops, indie bookstores, weekend games at Fenway, and a food scene that makes dining hall meals feel like a distant memory. Since thousands of students are doing the same thing every year, it is easy to find roommates, swap tips, or even land a place through word of mouth.

Top Neighborhoods for Student Accommodation in Boston

When choosing where to live, it's important to consider factors such as commute time, budget, and lifestyle preferences. Here are some of the most popular neighborhoods for Harvard and MIT students:

Cambridge

Cambridge is the heart of it all. Both Harvard and MIT are here, which makes it easy to walk or bike to class. If convenience is your top priority, it should be your obvious choice. Harvard Square is filled with cafés, bookshops, and student hangouts, while Kendall Square is known for its tech and research hubs. Rent is higher here, but many see it as worth the price for the location. It is popular among students searching for Harvard student living and MIT student housing.

Allston-Brighton

Allston-Brighton is known for being one of the most student-friendly neighborhoods in Boston. It is more affordable than Cambridge and has lively restaurants, thrift shops, and late-night food options. Commuting to Harvard and MIT is manageable with the Green Line and bus routes nearby. Many international students choose this area when looking for affordable housing for students without giving up social life.

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Somerville

Somerville has a strong community feel with lower rents than central Cambridge. Places like Davis Square and Union Square are full of restaurants, coffee shops, and live music venues. The Red Line makes commuting easy, and biking is always an option. If you want a balance between affordability and atmosphere, Somerville is worth considering.

Fenway-Kenmore

Although closer to other universities, Fenway still attracts some Harvard and MIT students who do not mind a longer commute. In exchange, you get to live near museums, cultural venues, and Fenway Park.

Budgeting for Student Life in Boston

Boston is known for being a relatively expensive city, so having a clear idea of monthly costs will help you budget.

Key Considerations for Off-Campus Housing

For housing, always make sure to check if the building has secure entry systems. Another important factor is the weather, as Boston winters are snowy and cold, so make sure the apartment has a reliable heating system.

On-Campus Housing Benefits

On-campus housing provides many benefits during your time at Rio. We provide you with a safe and secure location that not only promotes community and engagement but fosters individuality and independence. Statistics also show that living on campus will better your academic success. This is an opportunity for personal growth while forging lifetime friendships. Resident Assistants (RA) live within the residence halls and are available 24 hours a day. Like Student Success Coaches, RA's are here to help you achieve your goals during your time at Rio. Should conflicts arise, they are also trained in resolution.

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Housing Application Process

The Housing Application Process includes four components. The first three must be completed by the priority deadline of Friday, June 13. The fourth must be submitted prior to check-in.

Complete the New Student Housing Application.
Register for Fall with your Student Success Coach. Registration opens May 1, and more information from the Student Success Center will be shared with you.
Submit the $200 housing pre-payment - Payment can be made by: A. Rio Grande, OH 45674. Please include the name and ID number of the student on the memo line. B. Calling the Business Office at 740-245-7226 to make a credit card payment.

All students under the age of 23 living outside of 50 miles are required to live on campus for the first four semesters. Residency requirements shall mirror those set by the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College regarding tuition structures. A student wishing to file an exception to the residency requirements may do so by downloading the Commuter Exemption Form.

Gender-Inclusive Community

The Gender-Inclusive Community is a housing option in which two students share a room regardless of the students' sex, gender identity or gender expression. This means that students can live in the same room with a person of a different assigned sex at birth.

Interested students must indicate in the housing application in the Residence Hall Portal that they are interested in the Gender-Inclusive Community. By selecting "yes" (you are interested), you will be able to request a roommate of any gender.

This option is available to incoming and current students in the residence halls. This community is in Johnson Hall. Students will not be assigned to Gender-Inclusive Community unless they have elected to do so.

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Community Expectations

As a student selecting to live in the Gender Inclusive Community, I recognize and understand this community has been designed to provide students with the flexibility to accommodate the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) students, allies and others for whom cultural or identity considerations are needed. Students can choose to room with the person they are most comfortable living with, regardless of gender or sex. An inclusive community is one committed to social justice and based on respect for and celebration of people of diverse identities and backgrounds.

I understand that by signing this Living Community Agreement, I must adhere to the following community living standards:

I commit to maintaining an inclusive and welcoming living environment that is free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression.
I will respect all residents of the floor and their guests. I will strive to understand inclusion, diversity and difference, including different forms of gender identities, sexual and romantic orientations and does not require disclosure.
I understand that living on this floor does not indicate a specific gender identity or sexual orientation.
Be willing to learn about others’ experiences and preferences regarding their level of disclosure of personal information and I will respect their need for privacy.
I will be aware of, and responsible, for my own language. I will strive to use inclusive language and be open to learning new terms.

As it relates to room changes and/or filling a vacant space in a room, I understand the following:

Students will not be assigned to the Gender-Inclusive Community unless they have elected to do so.
If a roommate leaves the room and community, Residence Life reserves the right to consolidate and/or fill the space with another student wishing to live on the Gender-Inclusive Community.
Failure to adhere to the community living standards and/or exhibiting behavior that is contrary to the spirit of this agreement may result in a reassignment to a residence hall room outside of the Gender-Inclusive Community. The residence hall contract will remain in effect in cases where students are removed from the Gender-Inclusive Community.

Substance-Free Housing

Residents living in our Healthy Living community have agreed to observe a standard that prohibits the use and possession of alcohol and illegal drugs as defined by Wisconsin law and university policy. In addition, residents have agreed and have made a commitment that the use of any of these substances outside the community that influences the environment in the community (e.g. consuming alcohol off-campus and disturbing others while intoxicated is prohibited).

Residential Art Policy

Artwork (paintings, drawings or sculptures) is an integral part of student culture in many UWRF living groups. UWRF is committed to a respectful and welcoming living, learning and working environment for all community members.

Policy Summary

Artwork in shared spaces may not be used to engage in harassment, discrimination, retaliation, invasion of personal privacy, defamation, threats or violence, targeting of groups or individuals or infringing the intellectual property rights of others.

Artwork must comply with individual living group policies, UWRF Policies, Residence Life Community Standards and the law. More specifically, artwork in any shared spaces must not contain material that creates an environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile or abusive and that adversely affects an individual’s educational, work, or living environment.

Unacceptable material includes images or language that is derogatory or discriminatory based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status or national or ethnic origin.

Existing artwork may be temporarily removed or covered during deliberations as to their acceptability. Graffiti is not protected under the Residential Art Policy.

Artwork or mounting systems (i.e., picture rail, panel hangers, etc.) must be installed by professional staff arranged by UWRF Facilities and approved by Residence Life.

Development and content of murals in Residence Halls remain subject to the policies below.

UWRF Residential Art Policies and Protocols

Definition of artwork versus graffiti: Artwork differs from graffiti, posters and flyers. Graffiti is writings, drawings or scrawling without permission on a permanent surface and are not protected by this policy. Graffiti can contribute to a hostile environment and may be reported to Residence Life or University Police and will be followed up with the conduct process at minimum. If it is not certain whether something is artwork or graffiti and whether the community will be upset if something is removed, community members are encouraged to err on the side of caution.

The purpose of artwork: Artwork can be an integral part of student culture in many UWRF living groups and can serve several useful purposes as listed below.

Allow for creative self-expression of students.
Create a greater sense of comfort, "home"-ness and connection to the residence by giving students the opportunity to modify and contribute to their living space.
Foster camaraderie and bolster support networks by allowing students to collaborate in defining and designing their living space.
Contribute to UWRF's broader image of creativity and innovation.

Art context: All artwork is placed in a residence in a certain context that is with some purpose or motivation. This could include promoting discussion on a specific topic, adding to an existing theme, or highlighting an aspect of society, recalling a story or adding an attractive visual aesthetic. The specific motivation and location for artwork may thus provide context for images present in the art.

Requesting modification or removal of existing artwork: If a community member, summer guest or other person believes a piece of existing artwork creates a hostile environment or is otherwise a violation of a UWRF policy or the law, the community member should inform the Associate Director for Facilities and Operations.

MIT Housing Selection

Housing selection, like many things at MIT, is unique. Teams at Housing & Residential Services, Residential & Community Life, and across the Division of Student Life are committed to ensuring your housing assignment and move-in experiences are easy and welcoming!

Each residence hall has a unique community, and choosing where to live is one of the most exciting decisions you’ll make in your first year. Review each residence page to help you explore the residential community. You'll rank which building you'd like to live in with the first-year building preference form. It's your first step to joining the residential community.

After you submit your housing preference form, you will receive your building placement from Housing & Residential Services and a roster will be sent to your residence’s student room assignment chair (RAC) for individual room placements.

We want your move-in experience to be easy and welcoming! Plan to check in for orientation after checking into your residence hall and dropping off your belongings. Move into your assignment, but don’t settle in so you can keep your options open.

Next comes Residential Exploration (REX), First-year Residence Exchange (FYRE), the in-house room assignment process, and move day! Through Residential Exploration (REX), you can meet other first-year residents and get to know each dorm culture through events and gatherings. During REX, the first-year residence exchange form will be open in the housing portal. You can decide if you want to enter the opt-in lottery to switch residence halls.

After FYRE, you will receive your permanent assignment through your dorm's in-house process. The in-house process allows dorm culture to flourish and participation is encouraged but not mandatory.

After in-house processes are complete, you will have your final assignment. If you chose to participate, that means it's time to move! Again! Residents moving to a new housing assignment (either room or building) must move out of their original housing assignment by 8 am. Professional movers will be on-site to assist FYRE participants with moving boxes to their new building. There will be a designated area for residents who are transitioning to a new housing assignment to leave their belongings as they move.

Housing & Residential Services has worked collaboratively with Residential & Community Life, Room Assignment Chairs and House Teams in each house to develop a process for first-year room assignments. Below are the house-created Action Plans outlining each residence hall's unique approach to assigning residents to specific rooms.

University of Oregon Housing

As you think about where you want to live on campus, you may want to learn more about the communities, room types, and residence halls at the University of Oregon as well as the costs, which are determined by the type of room and meal plan you select. Living on campus is a great way to make friends and get involved. Not only are you making friends and memories that will last a lifetime, you are creating a foundation for success, connecting with faculty, and transitioning to college life.

First-Year Students

Once you have been admitted to the UO, you can register for housing. You will want to learn about the different academic residential communities on campus as well as the room types and the different residence halls on campus. This information will help you fill out your housing registration.

First-year students at the University of Oregon live in the residence halls. First-time, full-time freshmen from the US have higher GPAs, higher retention rates, higher graduation rates, and faster graduation times when they spend their first academic year living in University Housing at the University of Oregon.

Returning, Transfer, and International Students

For those who have already lived on campus as a first-year student, if you want to live on campus again, you can sign up on my housing to keep your current room or select from any available room, including Yasui Hall. You might also consider university apartments. Studying on campus over the summer? No worries, there is summer housing available. Studying abroad? Only pay for the terms you live on campus.

All students are welcome and encouraged to live on campus at the University of Oregon. Transfer students find that it is a great way to learn about campus and get involved.

Non-first-year students (which would include returning, transfer, exchange, and visiting students) starting at the UO this fall and looking to live on campus are invited to register for housing at housing.uoregon.edu/myhousing. Registration begins December 1. We anticipate spaces for non-first-time full-time students will be limited. There will be an interest wait list if capacity is reached. The interest wait list will be used as spaces become available, with priority based on earliest registration date. Those who have not been offered a residence hall assignment by August 15 will be asked if they would like to remain on the list.

Learn more about living here next year.

For non-first-year students looking to live off campus, visit the Office of the Dean of Students’ off-campus living web page to find a unit near campus.

Family Housing and University Apartments

Family housing and university apartments offer wonderful environments suited for students with children or students who are married or in a domestic partnership. While graduate students are welcome to live in the residence halls, our Graduate Village prioritizes graduate students. We provide a warm, diverse, academic community where everyone can thrive. Our staff is committed to working with residents to encourage the development of interactive and supportive communities.

University of Denver Housing

Living on campus is more than room size and location! At DU, you'll find a wide range of housing options conveniently located within walking distance of your classes. While the first two years require on-campus living, returning after your live-on commitment offers continued convenience and a sense of community. Our on-campus accommodations range from singles and doubles to suites and apartments, ensuring we meet your preferences.

The dedicated staff at Housing & Residential Education ensures your residential community suits you and fosters a supportive and enjoyable environment where you will feel a sense of belonging, regardless of where you stay on campus.

Explore DU's unique housing options to see what may be the best fit for you! After your two-year live-on requirement, you have many off-campus options to explore.

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