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Housing

Picture yourself living in Berkeley or San Francisco.

Dormitories and Student Residences

Dormitories are recommended if you want a structured atmosphere with opportunities to meet new people through planned activities. Meals are sometimes provided, and you will likely have a roommate who is not a UC Berkeley Extension international student.

Private or shared Apartments

Apartments are recommended if you want to be more independent or prefer a quieter atmosphere for studying.

Homestays

A homestay is a private room in a local family home, and homestay opportunities are available in San Francisco, Berkeley and nearby areas. Features include meal options, Wi-Fi, laundry, use of family areas and English spoken in homes. We recommend using one of the homestay programs listed at Universal Student Housing.

Choosing a place to live depends on your interests, preferences and budget.

With options available in both Berkeley and San Francisco, you can live in the bustling atmosphere of a dormitory, enjoy the independence of a private or shared apartment, or get the personal attention of a homestay.

We encourage you to research options by reading our blog posts below, attending our housing webinar, and directly contacting any of the housing providers below to confirm your housing before arrival. We do not endorse any of the following housing providers, but offer them for informational purposes only. Make sure you read and analyze all details and contracts for your off-campus housing before making any legal commitments.

To get started, read our blog posts to learn more about the following topics:

  • What Should I Pay for Housing?
  • Types of Housing in the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Understanding Your Lease
  • Need Furniture and Household Supplies?
  • What Is a Housing Security Deposit and How Do I Get It Back?

You can also check out the UC Berkeley Graduate Assembly (GA)'s GA Housing Guide, for additional resources.

Once you are accepted into a Berkeley Global program, you will also be granted access to a private Berkeley housing Facebook group. This group is a great resource as members often share new housing resources, tips and posts about housing or room openings.

For additional assistance or information, please email any questions to visiting-intl@berkeley.edu.

Housing Scams Targeting International Students

When looking for housing, especially from abroad, it is important to know that not all advertisements may be legitimate. Some warning signs that the listing may be a scam are:

  • It seems "too good to be true"
  • It asks for personal information such as a passport ID, credit/debit card numbers, or Social Security numbers
  • It requires immediate action
  • It insists you send money even though you have not seen the property
  • They refuse to show you the place or to meet you (whether it is via Skype or other video chat)

Consider this advice to avoid being the victim of a scam:

  • Research rental rates in the Bay Area before you commit to renting
  • Use Google Maps to verify that the property exists
  • Ask about all the terms and conditions before signing anything or giving money
  • Avoid paying for a money transfer
  • Be suspicious of anything involving large sums of money
  • Do a reverse image search to see if the pictures of the property were taken from another site
  • Read about other common scam types

If you think you have been the victim of a scam or are unsure if a listing is legitimate, please contact us immediately for assistance at visiting-intl@berkeley.edu.

The International House, Berkeley is a multi-cultural residence and program center serving students at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dormitories and Student Housing

Berkeley

The Berk

Location: 10-minute bus ride or 20-minute walk to class

Features: Furnished double, triple and quad rooms with mini-fridges and microwaves; roommate matching; library and study lounges; laundry facilities; and Wi-Fi

Pricing: Begins at $1,050 per month for an academic year contract; see website for details and how to apply.

Visit the The Berk site.

FOUND Study

Locations: Downtown Berkeley (2024 Durant Ave.) and Southside Berkeley (2201 Dwight Way)

Features: Furnished units, shared common spaces, in-unit or on-site laundry, rooftop terrace

Pricing: See website for details and to apply.

Visit the FOUND Study Downtown Berkeley or Southside Berkeley sites.

International House

Location: 10-minute bus ride or 30-minute walk to class

Features: Meals, multicultural and international activities, Wi-Fi, indoor and outdoor dining, café, easy access to the UC Berkeley campus, and library and computing centers

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the International House site.

PSR Housing

Location: 1798 Scenic Ave., at the Pacific School of Religion

Features: 15-minute walk to campus; several buildings with co-ed dorm-style housing, mixed with Berkeley students and Pacific School of Religion students; large single rooms with beautiful views, shared hall bathrooms; coin-operated on-site laundry; two community kitchens and community lounge area; 10-month lease

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,400 per month for a private bedroom; $900 for shared rooms

Visit PSR Housing.

Regent House

Location: 10-minute bus ride or 25-minute walk to class

Features: Small student residence (i.e., two houses and a cottage) with fully equipped kitchens, social events, professional housekeeping, on-site laundry, study areas, easy parking

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,690 per month for a single; $1,290 per person per month for a shared room. Rates may vary depending on semester. See website for details.

Visit the Regent House site.

Spectra Southside

Location: 2335 Telegraph Ave.

Features: 5-minute walk to campus; mostly single rooms, with single-occupancy hallway bathrooms; 12-month leases, some spring-only availability; staffed front desk; furnished with a bed, dresser, desk and mini-fridge; all utilities included except cable and Internet; communal kitchen and laundry room

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,250 per month for a single; $750 per bed in shared rooms.

Visit Spectra Southside.

Telegraph Commons

Location: 10-minute bus ride or 20-minute walk to class

Features: Furnished single, double and triple rooms with mini-fridges; laundry facilities; Wi-Fi; and community kitchens to prepare meals

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,295 per month for a private room; $687 per month for a shared room. See website for details and how to apply.

Visit the Telegraph Commons site.

San Francisco

FOUND Study

Location: Downtown near Union Square and Theatre District (16 Turk St.)

Features: Fully furnished private and shared bedrooms with private bathrooms, communal kitchens, study lounge and library, on-site laundry, controlled access entry with 24/7 security and front desk, Stockwell Automated Grocery Store, Notfii Package service, high-speed Wi-Fi, and more.

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,400 per month for a single or $700 per month for a shared double. See website for seasonal and semester pricing.

Visit the FOUND Study site.


Private or Shared Apartments

Fully furnished apartment

Berkeley

Academic Housing Rentals

Location: Two locations located in South Berkeley, 10 minutes from campus

Features: Flexible leases available for private or shared rooms, and move-in ready: fully furnished, fully stocked kitchen with essentials, on-site laundry facilities, and provides bath towels, linens and bedding.

Pricing: See website for details and to apply.

Visit the Academic Housing Rentals site.

Berkeley Flats (Bay Housing)

Location: 2120 Grant St. (downtown Berkeley, quiet residential area very close to the UC Berkeley Extension office)

Features: Fully furnished 2-bedroom/2-bathroom apartment at Grant Street; 3-bedroom/2-bath and 1-bedroom/1-bath available at Tyler Street; 12-month leases preferred, but semester leases possible

Pricing: Rates begin at $1,200 per month for a single room; $1,050 per bed per month.

Contact: berkeleyflats.com/rent

The Berkeley Group

Location: 13 communities all less than a quarter-mile from campus

Features: Singles and doubles in co-living situations, utilities and cleaning included

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit The Berkeley Group.

Bratcher & Gray Apartments

Location: 2500 and 2508 Benvenue Ave.

Features: 10-minute walk to campus; 10-month leases; on-site coin laundry; water and garbage included in rent

Pricing: Large, unfurnished studio apartments for $1,700 per month; one-bedroom unfurnished apartments from $2,050

Visit Bratcher & Gray Apartments.

Hillside Village

Location: 10-minute walk to class

Features: Studios to 3-bedroom pet-friendly apartments (unfurnished) with fully equipped kitchens, garage parking, resident lounge with Wi-Fi and on-site laundry

Pricing: Rates begin at $3,100 for a single studio. See website for more details and to apply.

Visit the Hillside Village site.

K Street Flats

Location: 10-minute walk to class

Features: Furnished and unfurnished one- and two-bedroom apartments with kitchen, Wi-Fi, private terraces, on-site laundry, roommate matching, parking garage and City Car Share on premises

Pricing: Rates begin at $2,342 for a one bedroom, unfurnished apartment.

Visit the K Street Flats site.

The Laureate

Location: 2556 Telegraph Ave. (Southside)

Features: Boutique building with fully furnished apartments, washer/dryer in unit, 3- and 4-bedroom floor plans, living room with sofa and TV, a minimum of 2 bathrooms per unit

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit http://www.thelaureate.com website.

Oxford Apartments

Location: Two locations in North Berkeley, both less than 10 minutes from campus

Features: Fully furnished one-bedroom apartments that can be converted to accommodate more tenants; on-site laundry; long- or short-term rentals for the full academic year (spring, fall or summer semester)

Pricing: Pricing varies by apartment. See website for details.

Contact: Visit the Oxford Apartments site; email oxford-apartments@comcast.net

Sterling Housing

Location: Upscale, modern apartment buildings in central Berkeley

Features: Studios to three-bedroom apartments (unfurnished), fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, garage parking available at most locations

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Sterling Housing site.

Unique Housing

Location: Heart of the Elmwood neighborhood

Features: Furnished apartments and studios for short-term stays, 15-minute walk to Berkeley campus, one block from bus stop, Wi-Fi and expenses included

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Unique Housing site.

The Standard

Location: 2580 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704

Features: From fully furnished studios to 5-bedroom apartments; roommate matching available; amenities include a gym, lounge, computer room, outdoor patio and in-unit washer/dryer.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit The Standard.

San Francisco

Nestpick

How it works: Aggregate search of furnished rooms—searches Anyplace, Blueground, Faros, Housing Anywhere, Roomster, Airbnb, sublet.com, homestay. Works through partners such as those listed, not individual landlords, so more reliable than Craigslist.

Benefits: Have furnished apartments, private rooms, shared rooms, in Financial District, South of Market (SoMa), North Beach, Union Square. "Verified" option means the partner has met with the landlord or toured the apartment personally to verify it.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Suitable for: individuals, groups, families.

Visit the Nestpick site.

Rexidence Residential Services

Location: Downtown and Lower Nob Hill locations.

Features: Private and double rooms in fully furnished units and student housing buildings, including utilities and short-term leases.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Rexidence Residential Services site, or check availability by calling (415) 484-6040 or emailing bayarea@rexidence.com.

Sublet.com

How it works: Search site for sublets. Can search furnished, 6–12 month lease term or 1–6 months, neighborhood, and size, sort by price.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Memberships: Paid and unpaid memberships. For unpaid membership can only view "free" listings. Membership costs $10 for 90 days.

Benefits: Has "trusted" landlords, verified phone number, office, and listing as valid.

Suitable for: Individuals, groups, families.

Visit the Sublet.com site.

Trinity Management Services

Location: Recommended properties: 845 Pine St. (between Nob Hill and Union Square) and Crystal Tower, 2140 Taylor St. (in North Beach/Russian Hill)

Features: One- and two-bedroom furnished apartments with fully equipped kitchens, short-term leases, on-site laundry and linens

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Trinity Management Services site.


Homestays

High School students from different nationalities working together

Andretto Solutions

Location: Locations by request

Features: Short-term or long-term housing available; personalized matching with host families; meals; internet

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Andretto Solutions site.

HomestayMatch LLC

Location: Locations by request

Features: HomestayMatch is a website for students who would like to choose their own homestay. Students can see room pictures, prices and host details before applying.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the HomeStayMatch site.

StudentRoomStay

Location: Locations by request

Features: StudentRoomStay is a website for students that provides all forms of off-campus housing on a safe and user-friendly platform, matching services to help students find housing and 24/7 support.

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the StudentRoomStay site.

Universal Student Housing

Location: Locations by request

Features: Airport transfers, monthly stays available, meal plan options

Pricing: See website for rates and to apply.

Visit the Universal Student Housing site.

More Apartment and Housing Resources

If you want to do your own research to find alternate housing options, the following websites are a good place to start.

  • Airbnb
  • Apartmentlist.com
  • Apartments.com
  • Corporate Housing by Owner (CHBO)
  • Craigslist.org (SF Bay Area)
  • Preferred Corporate Housing
  • Realtor.com
  • ReLease Subleasing
  • Rent.com
  • Sublet.com
  • UCSF Campus Life Services (for San Francisco housing)

Resources for Parents

We understand that students with children have specific housing needs different from those who arrive as single individuals. Below are a few housing resources we recommend for those with children, who most likely are looking for entire apartments rather than room or flat shares.

We also recommend joining the Berkeley Spouses, Partners & Parents Association. They have resources about schools in the area and childcare, as well as events for parents!

Websites you can search:

  • Apartments.com
  • Cal Rentals (need Calnet ID to log in)
  • Craigslist.org (SF Bay Area)
  • Kopa.co
  • Nestpick
  • Point 2 Rental Homes (private apartment rentals in Berkeley and San Francisco)
  • Sublet.com
  • Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) housing resources for parents/families
  • Zillow.com
  • 4Stay Housing

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