Los Angeles (L.A.) is all about location, location, location! The second-largest city in America covers a large, sprawling area of about 500 square miles. In a dynamic city where location is everything, choosing the right area is critical for students to make the best of their stay.
Knowing that convenience is at a premium most of the student accommodation we offer in Los Angeles is in or close to the heart of the thriving metropolis. We listmore than 60student housing properties in some of the premier neighbourhoods in L.A. such as Downtown, Westwood and Santa Monica.
Make the world’s entertainment capital your home in fully furnished modern student apartments located within close proximity to universities and many of the city’s iconic attractions.
To learn more about our offerings in L.A. don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Los Angeles at a glance
Often known by its initials L.A., Los Angeles (Spanish for 'The Angels') is a sprawling metropolis in Southern California, United States of America (USA).
At about 1,300km2 in size and with a population of 3.8 million, it’s the largest city in California and the third most populous city in North America, after only Mexico City and New York City.
L.A. is also a global city, ranking 1st in the 2019 Schroders Global Cities Index and 7th in the Kearney Global Cities Report.
Hollywood
The setting of so many movies and television programmes, L.A. is home to the Hollywood film industry and is often touted as the ‘Creative Capital of the World.’
Immortalized on the big screen, the iconic letters of the Hollywood sign symbolize the global centre of the film industry. This small neighbourhood started its journey of becoming the world’s show business capital in the early 1900s. Now, three of the largest film companies in the world are based there.
Hollywood is the home of movie stars and continues to be where budding actors come for the chance to get their big break. One in every six residents in L.A. works in a creative industry, most in Hollywood.
Hollywood Boulevard is also home to the famous Walk of Fame.
Generally, there are more artists, writers, filmmakers, actors, dancers, and musicians living and working in L.A. than in any other city. But there’s way more to ‘La La Land’ than just entertainment. L.A. is also a higher education super-power and a sports mecca with rich ethnic diversity, a thriving cultural scene, diverse cuisine, hip nightlife, and great weather.
Perfect weather
Los Angeles traffic is notoriously unreliable. But if there’s one thing you can definitely count on in L.A., it’s the weather.
The city’s Mediterranean climate guarantees sunshine pretty much year-round. This makes it easier to enjoy the city’s world-renowned beauty spots such as the San Gabriel Mountains to the north, Topanga State Park in the west or any of its famous beaches like Santa Monica, Malibu or Venice Beach, and the massive Angeles National Forest that covers over 650,000 acres.
Surfing, hiking and climbing are all popular pastimes for ‘Angelenos’ (L.A. residents).
Museums
L.A. has more museums per capita than any other city in the world including the world-renowned Natural History Museum and Getty Museum, as well as the lesser-known Museum of Neon Art and the Museum of Jurassic Technology.
A sports City
Los Angeles is one of the biggest sports cities in the Unites States. It has 11 top level professional teams, including two each in NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL as well as two teams in the MLS and one in the WNBA. If you’re a sports fan you’ll have lots of opportunities to join thousands of fans to cheer on some of the world’s most famous sports teams.
Student life in Los Angeles
L.A is for the curious mind. The city is replete with amusement, offering curious students a whole lot to get enthralled. Regardless of your personal preferences and budget, you’ll always have plenty of leisure activities and hotspots to choose from. There are stretches of beaches, swathes of museums, entertainment hotspots and shopping malls all across the city.
Saving money as a student in Los Angeles
Like New York, Los Angeles has many things to attract international students, but a wonderful experience won’t always come cheap. L.A. is ranked the 8th most expensive city to live in according to CNN Travel’s 2020 rankings.
As it is for the locals, it’s almost impossible for international students to escape the high living costs of L.A. But thankfully you don't need to always dine in the best restaurants and attend the hottest events in town to enjoy the allure of the city.
From public beaches to free museums and concerts, there are loads of cheaper options to keep students enthralled. You can get to see some of the best upcoming local bands and touring artists at The Echo, get cheap tickets for shows at the non-profit The Bootleg theatre, take part in the Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk or visit an old Western movie set.
Where to study in Los Angeles?
L.A. may be best known for entertainment, consistent sunshine, alluring beaches, and great nightclubs, but with three universities ranked within the world’s top 150, it’s also one of the top cities in the world to receive a stellar education.
The city has a wealth of public and private four-year universities and community colleges, as well as online colleges.Here are some of L.A.’s best places for higher learning:
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
QS Global World Ranking #35
One of L.A.s leading and America’s most prestigious universities, the university offers more than 125 majors and 80 minors to its 45,000 students. The most popular fields include Business economics, Biology, Psychology, Political science, Economics, and Psychobiology.
UCLA ranks among the top 10 universities in the world for several areas of study including:
·English language and literature
·Electrical and electronic engineering
·Biological sciences
·Medicine
·Psychology
·Chemistry
·Mathematics
·Communication and media studies
·Anthropology
·Archaeology
The University of Southern California (USC)
QS Global World Ranking #129
USC, L.A.’s first private university, opened its doors to students in 1880. The oldest private research university in the West is renowned for being a world-class research university.
USC has 21 schools and has received national acclaim in the fields of communication and multimedia technologies. The university also has one of the most successful and prestigious collegiate athletic programs in the world. Trojan athletes have won almost 300 medals in the history of the Olympic Games, which is more than several countries.
It also has more Oscar-winning alumni than any other institution, including Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, and Robert Zemeckis.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
QS Global World Ranking #5
Caltech is undoubtedly one of the best universities in the world. It’s internationally regarded as one of the world’s best places to study science and engineering.
Located 20 minutes outside of downtown L.A., Caltech was founded in 1891. It offers 24 majors and six minors, as well as postgraduate courses in the faculties of:
·Biology and biological engineering
·Chemistry and chemical engineering
·Engineering and applied science
·Geological and planetary sciences
·Humanities and social sciences
·Physics
·Mathematics and astronomy
The university also offers excellent opportunities for the study and performance of music, theatre, and visual arts.
With just over 2,000 students enrolled, Caltech might be on the small side for an elite university, but its faculty and alumni have won 34 Nobel Prizes.
Frequently asked questions about student apartments in Los Angeles
How do I apply for LA student housing on Student.com?
Applying for our student housing in Los Angeles is very simple. After selecting the property you’d like to live in, you can book the room or flat for your desired dates after clicking “Book Now.”
We’ll ask you to leave your contact details so that one of our booking consultants can call you to take you through the next steps, all the way to signing your contract.
Student.com won’t charge you anything for this. You’ll only need to pay the rent to your chosen landlord.
Can you arrange a viewing for me?
Yes. If you’d like to see a property before moving in, get in touch with us. One of our booking consultants will get it sorted for you.
What are the different types of student accommodation you offer?
We currently offer three different types of rooms for our student housing in Los Angeles.
AShared Roomhas two or more people sleeping in the same bedroom and sharing other living spaces with occupants of other rooms.
In aPrivate Room, you’ll have a bedroom all to yourself. Depending on the property, your bathroom might be private or shared, while all other living spaces are shared with tenants from other rooms.
In anEntire Place, you won’t have to share any living spaces or amenities with anyone as your bedroom and all the other facilities in your flat will be just for you. This includes a private bathroom and usually a small kitchenette for cooking meals.
What bills are included in the rent?
This will depend on the property you rent. However, most of our student properties in L.A. include bills in the rent, but make sure to check if this is the case with the property you’ve chosen.
Do I need a visa to study in the USA?
Yes. If you’re not a citizen of the USA, you’ll need to obtain a student visa issued by a US embassy or consulate in your home country. Find out morehere.
FAQs
What to do if you cant find student housing? ›
It's best to contact your university accommodation department as soon as possible, as they'll be able to tell you more about their housing allocation process and explain their situation regarding room availability.
Can you rent a student house without being a student? ›Can non students live in student housing? Put simply, if you aren't a part time or full time student, you won't be able to live in the university halls of residence or any student accommodation.
How much does a student need to live in Los Angeles? ›...
Cost Of Living in Los Angeles.
| Los Angeles monthly living cost calculator | Cost |
|---|---|
| For a couple: | $5001 |
| For a family of 3: | $5128 |
- Damp. Credit: ADragan - Shutterstock. ...
- Pest problems. Infestations are another big problem in student houses. ...
- The location of the property. ...
- Security and safety. ...
- Electric appliances and white goods. ...
- The water supply. ...
- Furnishings and fittings. ...
- Check that the house is well-insulated.
Of those polled who did not rent to students, the reasons why they were deterred included the potential for too much damage, preferring to rent to professionals, the need for constant redecorating after students, and the problems caused by too many parties and anti-social behaviour.
Why do landlords not rent to students? ›The most common reasons for this are that landlords in the UK are worried about damage being caused to the property and that students are more untrustworthy than other renters. But while student renting may conjure up images of '80s sitcom The Young Ones, today's students are a little bit different.
Do students need to prove right to rent? ›No. Halls of Residence are exempt from right to rent checks. This is the case for both Halls of Residence owned by universities and colleges and private organisations.
How does student renting work? ›Sign a tenancy agreement. Pay a five week deposit* and the first rental instalment, which is often a month's rent** Provide a minimum of three months' worth of bank statements. Provide confirmation of their course enrolment and both their term time and home addresses.
How do I find students to move in with? ›- friends from halls.
- friends from clubs and societies.
- friends from your course.
- university's social media channels.
Popular locations like Westwood, West LA, Santa Monica, Palms and Culver City are just the tip of the iceberg for great student-living areas. However, because properties frequently come and go off the market, StudentRoomStay is here to help!
How much does a college student need a month to live? ›
According to the College Board, the average college student spends approximately $2,270 per month on living expenses.
How much should I save before moving to LA? ›Generally speaking, you should save about $20,000 to move to LA. There's a lot of variance in this number, so we'll break this down into cost subcategories so you can more accurately calculate how much you want to save: Moving costs. First apartment costs.
What is expensive for student housing? ›If you opt to stay at an on-campus accommodation or a university hall, then your rent would average around £210 - £240 per week, with some universities charging slightly more than that. Depending on where you choose to live in London, rents in the city could go up to £500.
Why do landlords prefer students? ›High yields – There's often more students living in a house than there would be in a regular tenancy. Intelligence – Students by nature are intelligent (there are exceptions). This means any issues tend to be resolved relatively simply with open communication.
When should I look for student housing? ›Private student halls tend to open up for sale for the next academic year around October or November time and often start advertising plenty of great offers and the lowest rates. You'll already know the city you'll be staying in by then so will have a good idea of where you'd ideally like to live.
How can a student find housing in NYC? ›- student.com.
- myspacenyc.com.
- streeteasy.com.
- NYC's Craigslist.
- apartmentlist.com.
- junehomes.com.
- theblueground.com.
- rentable.co.
Student loans can be used to pay for room and board, which includes both on- and off-campus housing. So the short answer is yes, students can use money from their loans to pay monthly rent for apartments and other forms of residence away from campus.
How many college students experience housing insecurity? ›A spring 2017 survey found that 84% of students, approximately 41,858 individuals, experienced at least one form of housing insecurity or homelessness, and 30% of students reported experiencing homelessness in the past year.
Can you drop out of student housing? ›be in writing, and. give your landlord at least 28 days' notice, or, if the tenancy or licence period is longer, for example, you pay rent every calendar month, the notice must be for the same period, and. expire on the last day or the first day of a complete period of the tenancy or licence.