Comparing Housing Abroad

This week, we look at one of the big questions that pop up when you get that acceptance letter for study abroad: what housing options are there abroad and how do you choose among them? We peers list four of the most common choices that we found abroad and their respective pros and cons.

Homestay

• What is it? A local family that offers housing, a set number of meals, and immersion in the local culture.
• Pros:
  • Daily use of local language
  • Creation of close relationships with family members
  • Easy to set up before arriving abroad
  • Home cooked food and laundry
• Cons:
  • Little to no personal living space
  • Have to follow family rules
  • More difficult to meet students outside of the program
  • Relatively higher cost

University Residence

• What is it? A large house or building geared towards local or international university students. They often have shared living spaces and some division of labor.    
• Pros:
  • Community of international students
  • Constantly meet new people
  • Cheaper alternative, usually furnished
  • Make lifelong friends!
• Cons:
  • Limited and crowded shared space
  • Differing ideas of cleanliness and orderliness
  • Not ideal for foreign language practice
  • Difficult to meet locals

Shared Apartment

• What is it? A shared apartment with two or three roommates is ideal for longer study abroad programs.
• Pros:
  • Personal independence and privacy
  • Flexible rules
  • Live with locals
  • Cheaper than other options
• Cons:
  • Not always furnished
  • Bills and maintenance
  • Difficult to secure from abroad
  • Can be lonely

American Style Dorms

• What is it? Large buildings for student living, where one or two residents have a room with limited access to other amenities.
• Pros:
  • Community of international or American students
  • Best for short term programs
  • Can be arranged from abroad
  • May have meal plan option
• Cons:
  • Shared rooms and lack of privacy
  • Difficult to meet locals
  • Restrictive dorm rules
  • Not common in universities abroad

Hopefully, this post answered some of your questions about housing abroad. If you’re still nervous about traveling and the logistics of travel, come to our weekly Travel 101 information session (Wednesdays at 4 p.m. in MEZ 1.208); we discuss housing, budgeting, plane tickets, visas and much more. See you then!