Welcome to Off Campus Living!
The Office of Student and Family Support Services provides a central location for off-campus students to get guidance, support, and resources for their off-campus experience.
We know that a person’s living environment plays an important role in their success as a member of the River Hawk community. The transition to a new apartment or new geographic area can bring new and exciting opportunities as well as new challenges and responsibilities. The Office of Student and Family Support Services strives to give students the tools to be successful in navigating these transitions through our Off-Campus Living services.
Off-Campus Living connects students to several resources, including:
- Easily navigable and accessible web page with property listings in the Lowell area from local landlords and property management companies
- Assistance with finding off-campus roommates, including an online roommate search services private to only UMass Lowell students
- Programming focused on apartment searching, budgeting, and being successful as an off-campus student
- City of Lowell resources and information
- Information related to housing and food assistance programs
Should You Live On-Campus or Off-Campus Next Year?
| Choice | On-Campus | Off-Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Style of Living | On-Campus housing offers a variety of accommodations, including traditional, suite style, and apartment style housing. Housing is available for undergraduate and graduate students. | The Lowell area offers diverse rental options with a variety of apartment/house sizes and amenities. This could be a good option for students with families or students that are looking to live with non-UML people. |
| Money | Current housing rates are available on the Residence Life website. These rates include food, utilities, laundry, cable, internet, and a variety of programs offered by Residence Life staff. Financial aid is often available to cover on-campus housing, and students can find out if this is an option for them by contacting the Solution Center. | Monthly rates in the community can vary based on size, location, and amenities. Don’t forget that in addition to rent, there may be additional monthly costs for utilities, internet, cable, and other living costs (food, laundry, lawn care, etc). |
| Food | Someone else cooks for you. On-Campus living comes with a meal plan that allows access to the dining halls as well as provides dining dollars for retail dining locations. Visit University Dining to learn more. | You cook for yourself, but always decide on the menu. Commuter meal plans are available for purchase on the University Dining website. |
| Rules | Students living on campus are expected to follow the Residence Life Guidelines, which sets guidelines around noise and guests. | Students living off-campus are expected to follow all Lowell city laws and policies. |
| Neighbors | Your neighbors are always other UMass Lowell students. | You are neighbors with anyone in the Lowell community. |
| Security | Residence Halls provide a secure living environment with card access front doors, overnight security staff, and hall staff available 24/7. | When renting, you are responsible for securing your own apartment and making sure that everything is locked. Lowell PD and UMLPD are great resources for off-campus students. |
| Planning | On-campus housing is an all-inclusive charge and is part of your overall student bill for each semester. You are able to submit a housing contract for the academic year. Living on-campus also allows you to change your room or residence hall if you need to. | You will need to create a budget and handle monthly costs and bills. Many landlords ask that tenants sign a 12-month lease, which will often begin during the summer. By signing a lease you are committing to that space for the duration of the lease. |
Still trying to decide?
Contact a member of our staff at OffCampusLiving@uml.edu to set up a time to discuss! We are here to help you make the best decision for your college experience.