Housing
Living in Chicago will be a big change for you, and we want to make sure you are comfortable and able to take advantage of everything city living has to offer! Presently, the buildings CS works with are located in the Gold Coast neighborhood. This neighborhood is chosen for its convenience (close to downtown, grocery stores, public transportation, etc.), safety, and mainly because they offer short-term leases. Students tell us they enjoy living in a community with the other students.
Most of the students will be in a furnished apartment (beds, table, chairs, lamps, dresser, sofa are provided) and some in unfurnished. If unfurnished, we will provide you with options for affordable furniture rental or you can bring your own. Most apartments will be either studio (for two) or one bedroom (for 3). During orientation, you will learn about the available options and decide where you want to live and who you want to live with. Don’t worry if you don’t know any other students going to Chicago! Most of the students do not have roommates and past students recommend rooming with someone from a different college.
On the other hand, some students prefer to arrange their own housing for the semester, often because of cost or location. You are not required to live in CS housing, but it’s important to consider the pros and cons of your decision, with consideration of potentially higher travel times and less sense of community with other students. If you do not plan to live in CS housing, we require that your address be in the Chicago city limits. Commuting from the suburbs is not permitted.
View the apartments where Chicago Semester students live:
Suggestions for Living in Chicago
- While your choice of living situations is ultimately up to you, we recommend not making definite roommate and housing arrangements prior to orientation. Community (not cliques!) is something we encourage and new friends made during orientation may affect your housing decisions.
- Consider living with students from other colleges. In the past, students who have chosen to take this step highly recommend it to others who are coming on the program.
- Keep in mind that word of mouth reports of different apartment buildings may not be entirely accurate.
- Students should regard housing during their stay in Chicago as "home base" and not where they will spend most of their time. Apartment space in the city is generally smaller than in non-urban areas, therefore, be prepared to have a higher cost associated with smaller space.