International Student Housing

Before you begin tracking down a place to live when you're in the Seattle area, there are a few things to consider:

• Our main campus is located in Bellevue, which is less than 20 minutes from Seattle, depending on traffic.
• Some apartments are within walking distance to CityU’s Bellevue site.
• Short-term housing is expensive. Your best option is to make arrangements from home.
• If you are unfamiliar with the area, stay with a host family or arrange for a monthly lease.
• We have a good public transit system, so wherever you live, it's affordable and fairly easy to get around. The average commute time in the Seattle area is 45 minutes.
• There are some beautiful views in the Seattle area - mountains, water and lots of trees. But depending on which kind of housing you choose, you should expect to pay more for a nice view.
• Our climate is mild - not too hot, not too cold - and yes, it rains sometimes. You might want to invest in an umbrella, or a raincoat with a hood and dress in layers.

Temporary and Short Term Housing

If you need a place to live until you settle down long-term, there are plenty of hotels near CityU in Bellevue. Most hotels offer a shuttle from the airport or taxi service.

Hostelling International offers the lowest room rates, but keep in mind a) there's no shuttle service, b) you'll be sharing a room with other people in a dorm-like setting, and c) the hostel is located in downtown Seattle, so you'll need to transfer buses to get to the Bellevue campus.

When you're exploring long-term housing arrangements in the Seattle area, consider a homestay. It's a great way to experience American culture firsthand while you live with a local family. An agency will help place you with a family. You'll pay a fee to the agency when you're placed, then pay your family directly each month. The agency will also arrange to have you picked up from the airport when you arrive. Be sure to plan ahead: It can take up to a month to process a homestay application.