Finding Housing

Housing is a primary concern for everyone coming to a new place.
There are many types of accomodation options in Corvallis, and this web page is designed to help you find housing and understand some of the common types of housing and housing-related terminology.

Short-term Housing
Long-term Housing
Types of Housing
Estimated Housing Prices
Common Housing Terminology

Students:

International students live on-campus and in houses or apartments in the Corvallis area.

Scholars:

Please click here for scholar housing options.

Short-Term Housing:

Crossroads International, a volunteer community organization in Corvallis, assists International Student and Faculty Services in welcoming students from all over the world. A 3-Day Home Stay through Crossroads International provides an opportunity for students to be guests in Corvallis area homes and receive a warm welcome, food, and lodging upon arrival. If you would like to participate, please complete and return the application form below. Be sure to apply early because space is limited. (Transfer students: we regret that the program is open only to students coming to the U.S. for the first time.) 3-Day Homestay Application Form.

Corvallis has several motels within 5 miles (8 kilometers) of the Oregon State campus. You can contact the hotel or motel and make a reservation using a credit card.

For a complete listing of Corvallis accommodations, refer to the Corvallis Convention and Visitor's Bureau website. When you make a reservation, ask about possible weekly discounts and let them know you are an OSU student. You can find more hotels by looking in Corvallis' visitor's guide, or the Corvallis phone book (Type "Corvallis" and look in the "Travel" section).

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Long-Term Housing:

On-Campus

If you have a contract for on-campus housing, you can move into your residence hall on the Sunday prior to the beginning of your first term at OSU. You should receive an assignment letter from University Housing and Dining Services (UHDS) that will provide you with your hall and room assignment, as well as more detailed information about residence hall life. If you do not receive your assignment letter, email UHDS at UHDS@oregonstate.edu. Please direct questions regarding on-campus housing and housing contracts to University Housing and Dining Services by telephone at (541) 737-4771, fax (541) 737-0686, or e-mail at UHDS@oregonstate.edu.

For information about on-campus housing, please visit the website at http://oregonstate.edu/uhds/

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Off Campus

If you plan to live in off-campus housing, you should expect to spend several days locating and settling in to an apartment or room in a
house. Off-campus rental housing is advertised in the following places:

• YourCampusRent.com - This is a free site designed specifically for OSU students to find rentals and/or roommates.
• Classified advertisements in the local newspaper, "The Corvallis Gazette Times")
• Information listings for local Property Management Companies (Type "Corvallis" and look in the "Real Estate, Moving & Storage" section).
• Renter’s Guide available at the Memorial Union on campus
• Occasionally there are homes available to rent which are owned by OSU faculty on sabbatical. Go here for more information.
• you may find housing (apartments for rent, shared housing, etc.) listed on a website called “Craigslist” at http://corvallis.craigslist.org/.

You may call the owners or managers of a property and ask them questions about the housing and schedule an appointment to visit the property before you decide to rent the property.

Types of Housing:

Apartment:
A set of rooms with separate bedroom(s), bath, kitchen, living room.
Some apartments are advertised as "furnished". This means that a
minimum amount of furniture is included with the rental. Most
apartments are rented unfurnished (without furniture).
Studio Apartment: An apartment with a separate bathroom and kitchen. The living room and bedroom are combined into one room.
Quad: A set of four apartments grouped together with shared bathroom and kitchen.
Duplex: Two separate houses that join together at one of the outer walls.
Condominium: Similar to an apartment, but each unit is privately owned.
House: Multi-room living area (bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, family room) plus a private yard and garage.

Estimated Housing Prices:

The following chart gives a range of rental prices that you might find in Corvallis.

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Common Housing Terminology:

Apartment manager: The person in charge of your apartment building. Managers are paid to take care of problems and financial issues (collecting rent, deposits, etc.).
Cleaning deposit: Money that you must pay before you move into the housing for cleaning the rental property before and after you move in. This deposit is normally non-refundable.
Landlord: The property owner who rents houses or apartments to tenants.
Lease or rental agreement: A contract between you and your landlord in which you agree to pay a specific amount of rent for a certain number of months. If you move out before the ending date of the agreement, your landlord may require you to continue paying rent for the months remaining in the lease or until another tenant moves in.
Property management company: A company that is paid to manage a rental property for the property's owner. The company finds renters and makes sure the renters follow the lease. The company may also provide basic maintenance service.
Security deposit: Money that you must pay before you move into the housing. If you damage
anything in the rental property this money will be used to repair the damage to the property. This deposit is sometimes refundable if you have not damaged the property. The refundability of security deposits will be listed in the lease agreement.
Tenant: The person who rents a house or an apartment.
Utilities: Services such as water, gas, electricity and garbage pick-up. Sometimes these services are included in the rent--usually they are separate. Your lease will define if utilities are included.

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