Practical Matters

Living Off-Campus

Living Off-Campus
Transportation
 

Living Off-Campus
"Reprinted [or adapted] with permission from NAFSA's International Student Handbook (AT&T, 1996). Copyright 1996 NAFSA: Association of International Educators."

Many foreign students, particularly graduate students, prefer the independence of living off campus. In some cases, students find off-campus living to be more affordable because they can share costs. You should exercise care, however, in selecting the right apartment or house. If you plan to seek housing off campus, arrive well before classes start. Information about temporary housing may be available from your international student office, your campus residence hall, or community volunteers.

The Commuter Center in the basement of Murray-Herrick Center maintains a list of available apartments. International Student Services keeps copies of these lists. Both places have postings of students seeking roommates. Other students from your country may be a good source of information about housing near your college or university.

When choosing an apartment you should consider its cost, proximity to campus, and safety. Is the property well lighted? Are there adequate locks on the windows and doors? A "lease" is a binding legal contract between you and the property owner, or landlord. When you sign a lease, you are obligated to pay

The landlord will collect monthly rent for the duration of the lease. Most leases are for 9 or 12 months, and it is usually very difficult to break or alter a lease. Therefore, before you sign you should be reasonably sure that you can live with your decision for the duration of your lease. With permission from your landlord, you may be allowed to find a tenant to take your place for the remainder of your contract. If you "sublease" your apartment to other tenants, however, you probably will remain responsible for their actions.

Never sign a lease unless you are completely satisfied with the apartment and surrounding property. Sign only when you understand all the terms of the lease.

When you sign a lease, you will typically be required to pay a "security deposit," usually equivalent to at least one month's rent, as well as the rent for the first month. The security deposit will be returned to you when you move out, provided you leave the apartment in good condition. In addition, you may incur expenses that you would not incur on campus. For example, most apartments come equipped with basic appliances such as stove and refrigerator, but you may need to purchase or rent a bed and other furniture, as well as kitchen equipment, a telephone, and other items. Also, you probably will be responsible for paying the cost of your telephone service and "utilities": water, electricity, and gas. The utility companies may require you to pay a deposit before service is activated. These deposits will be refunded to you or credited to your account when you terminate your service, provided you have paid all of your bills.

In spite of these additional costs, there are ways to reduce your expenses if you live in an apartment. Your foreign-student adviser can suggest where to obtain used furniture and small appliances.

Whether you plan to live on or off campus, consider protecting your belongings with renter's insurance. With renter's insurance, you will be compensated by the insurance company if your personal belongings are stolen or destroyed.

Transportation
"Reprinted [or adapted] with permission from NAFSA's International Student Handbook (AT&T, 1996). Copyright 1996 NAFSA: Association of International Educators."

The transportation system in the United States is quite different from that in most other countries. Most Americans own cars, which are the most common form of transportation. Our rail and bus systems are not as extensive as those of many other countries. The Twin Cities bus system, "Metro Transit" is very helpful and easy to use for students who have just arrived to the Twin Cities. There are some places that it is impossible to get by bus, but for the most part people can get to the most important places, such as Minneapolis and St Paul downtown, different malls, hospitals, etc. Metro Transit offers different bus schedules with each route so the person can easily look at the arriving and departing times at each bus stop that the bus goes through.

The most common busses used near the St. Paul campus are numbers:
63 (Grand Ave)
7 (Cleveland Ave)
4 (Snelling Ave)
16 (University Ave)
St. Thomas offers these different schedules at the information booth located on the first floor of Murray-Herrick Center. For more information you can call Metro Transit at (612) 373-3333.

For many students-especially those who live on or near campus-the most common means of transportation is the bicycle. You may want to purchase a used bike and a good lock. Your campus will have special areas where your bike can be locked while you are attending classes. But also you have to remember that in Minnesota you can't do this all year around. You may be able to ride your bicycle from April to October. The other months are almost impossible because of the cold weather, although some people are crazy enough to do it.