One of the most asked questions about coming to Vancouver is “How do I get housing?”
For many students it is easier to apply for on-campus housing and though the wait lists are something like 8 months, it is still worth the effort, especially for family housing, UBC Housing. Sometimes though time runs up on us, or we make changes to our dates that impact availability. To avoid that, it is best to try various other sources. Good options include St. John’s College which is perfect for graduate students, and the other is Green College. Both are residential colleges at UBC that provide graduate students with a graduate student academic experience.
Off-campus housing is another option that can be appealing to incoming students. Admittedly, there are a few challenges being international, these include, not knowing the neighbourhoods, not understanding the transport system, being far away and not being able to view the apartments once they are listed. Add to this the high demand for housing in Vancouver and that some landlords require 2-3 year credit checks.
One place to start is by looking at the Vancouver Neighbourhoods to see how far they are from campus, the price of apartments in various locations and add in how easy it would be to access transit. Sometimes living further away with relatively easy access is better than closer but more expensive. If price is still an issue consider looking at other places like Richmond or Burnaby may also be options. Make sure to look to transit options to make sure you can arrive at UBC within an acceptable time frame.
From far it can be difficult to find housing, and two websites that can help are Craigslist and Alma Mater Society. Things to keep in mind include, 1. Do not send money from far away! 2. Is the room shared or not. 3. Ground floor on a split level house may mean basement suite. 4. Many prospective landlords do ask for a 1 year lease. 5. Have a look at the BC Tenancy Act to be aware of what landlords can ask of you or not.
Conference Housing: Temporary Housing option
While some people are able to connect with people already in Vancouver beforehand and buy some time staying with them while they apartment hunt, sometimes that option is limited. One option that can really help is the conference housing through UBC Conferences. They have budget rooms and deluxe suites to meet most situations and are more economical than hotels. Sometimes they are a convenient options when for example (as happens to many students) classes start on August 26 (or so) but you can’t move in til the end of the month!
