UW Grad Student Housing (Seattle, Tacoma: apartments, for rent, crime) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

niftyshot · 03-19-2010, 08:50 AM

Hey all,

I'm new to the forum so I apologize if this has been answered. I didn't see any good search results regarding housing for UW grad students on the forum.

I have been admitted into UW's MSIM program at their iSchool as an out-of-state student from NC, and I am considering enrolling. I was hoping for some advice/recommendations on housing in an area between the school and downtown to Seattle. I know that in NC, housing is more affordable, and right now my rent (not incl. utilities) is approximately $500 (from $1000 split w/1 roommate) for a 2BR/2BA 1,220 sq. ft. apartment in a nice gated community.

In Seattle, I can guess that I won't live as luxurious, but I was wondering where is a decent place to live for that or cheaper as I will be a Master's student (no stipend like doctoral). I am looking for the area between UW and downtown to more easily travel between school and where ever I live, as well as experience Seattle culture/nightlife. I don't plan on using a car much, and I anticipate on using public transit as my main mode of transportation. Are there safe, affordable housing in an area like this? I anticipate taking out loans, so I'd like to keep costs down if I end up enrolling in UW.

Would on-campus graduate housing be a better option (usually includes utilities)?

Thanks everyone!

scattershot · 03-19-2010, 10:11 AM

Hi there... While I cannot give any advise on housing.. I too am from NC.. Chapel Hill to be exact and was looking at UW for their MSIM program. What type of background are ya coming from? Are ya coming right out of college? I have read that UW has an excellent program and am a huge UW football fanatic.

niftyshot · 03-19-2010, 11:51 AM

I graduated from UNC in '09 with a BS in Information Science from SILS. I know that SILS is #1 in Info Studies, but I'm looking to go somewhere more urban =\.

UW is a top 5 ranked program in both Info Sci and Comp Sci according to US News rankings, which is the major draw for me because I'm thinking of improving my technical skillset as well.

scattershot · 03-25-2010, 09:54 AM

Are ya going to be going full time or night classes.. if night classes .. do ya have a job lined up already?

west seattle gal · 03-29-2010, 09:46 PM

Funny, I went to Chapel Hill also & now live in Seattle. I'm currently a grad student at UW-Seattle. Rent here is outrageous. You will not find "gated community" type living for $1000/month. Instead, you could split $1200 to $1500 in rent for a cool, small urban apt near UW (around 800-1000 square feet). Near campus (it's not on campus) graduate housing can be difficult to get unless you're married with a child, except for Radford Court (Radford Court). Does UW offer you any help with finding apartments for rent?

The closest neighborhoods to campus: University district, Wallingford, and East Lake. Beware of phony posts on craigslist.com (fake addresses or pictures for some). Our newspaper is the Seattle Times (Classified listings for used furniture, antiques, computers, electronics, household items, pets, garage sales, estate sales, services, announcements and much more in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma and the Puget Sound | NWsource).

sadrithmora · 03-29-2010, 11:48 PM

Also from North Carolina, moving to Seattle to be a grad student at UW this July/August! If you haven't visited yet, it would be helpful to learn about the different neighborhoods within Seattle that surround UW.

I'm looking into Wallingford, as it's within walking distance of the school and is accessible to the majority of the area by public transportation. It's also more residential than the U-district, meaning that there will be less commotion (undergrad partying).

Do you have any grad student contacts in your department? If not, I would ask, as they will probably be your best help (being in your exact situation and all).

uclabruins · 03-30-2010, 04:57 PM

I am moving in the fall for grad school there. I am visiting the campus this week so I can post any info I learn.

niftyshot · 04-05-2010, 09:03 AM

Thanks for all the advice! Haven't checked the thread for awhile. I don't know if I'll be going to visit prior to my decision. Is the Stevens building difficult for grad students to get in? I was hoping to get on campus housing in the first year so i can not worry about furniture and get to know the area better. I'll also definitely look into student contacts/ambassadors from the MSIM program.

@scattershot
I will be going for the fulltime day program.

@sadrithmora
Is Wallingford between downtown and UW? Also, how would you rate crime in the area in comparison to NC? Is it like Chapel Hill or more like Durham?

niftyshot · 04-05-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uclabruins

I am moving in the fall for grad school there. I am visiting the campus this week so I can post any info I learn.

@uclabruins
How did the visit go? Could you share your experience? Thanks!

uclabruins · 04-05-2010, 11:14 PM

I just got back from UW today. Current grad students suggested living in Montlake or Greenlake. The university district isnt the best because of the noise and undergrads. I talked with campus housing and their is a wait list for grad student housing. You can add yourself to the list but dont count on getting a place.