The recently reinstated two-year live-on requirement has made on-campus housing for junior class standing and above more difficult to find. Most likely, your student will have to live off-campus at some point during their college career. Living off-campus can offer several advantages, such as greater independence, the opportunity to learn life skills like budgeting and cooking, and a chance to experience the challenges and rewards of life on your own. 

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The Office of Community & Student Relations, in collaboration with Residence Education and Housing Services and Spartan Family Connections, are here to support both you and your student in this transition.  

Encourage your student to research potential living arrangements and neighborhoods thoroughly. Offer your assistance during the apartment/house hunting process and help them create a budget for living expenses. 

It's best to begin the search well in advance, usually a few months before the start of the semester. This allows ample time to find suitable housing and avoid a last-minute rush. 

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If your student is looking for off-campus housing in the City of East Lansing, this process typically begins in October due to larger property management companies “opening leases” during this time. Encourage your student to do their due diligence before signing a lease, even if they feel rushed to sign. It’s always important to slow down and approach with caution: a lease is a legally binding agreement once signed

We recommend beginning the search with OffCampusHousing.msu.edu, a partnership that provides a safe and secure platform. All participants are required to log-in with their MSU NetID, so you can rest assured that the individual on the site is, in fact, an MSU student. Some apartment complexes also offer roommate matching services; however, these are courtesy matching services based on bedroom or unit availability. 

Director of Community & Student Relations, Suchitra Webster, has put together a FAQ to troubleshooting rental issues. Please consider the steps in this guide and reach out to our offices if we can assist with issues that remain unresolved following these actions.

We’re glad you asked! We’ve created a program to assist your student in finding off-campus housing. Check out our Spartan Off Campus Living Guide – Find & Sign a Lease to figure out first-steps in your off-campus housing journey. We recommend first considering the basics:  

• What’s your budget? 

• Will you have roommates? If so, how many? 

• What amenities are you (and your roommates) considering in your search?