Congratulations on accepting your summer experience offer! The catch? Now you have to figure out where to live! Below are some resources and websites to help you find housing during your summer internship in another city:
University housing: Many universities offer summer housing options for interns, even if you aren’t a student at that particular school. Check the housing department website of universities in the city where your internship is located. They might have a dedicated program for interns, or you could inquire about vacancies in their dorms. Pro tip: Some colleges and universities run these offerings through their conference and events offices, so be sure to include those key words in your search parameters if your initial search isn’t getting a lot of results. Generative AI can also be extremely helpful in identifying the colleges and universities in a city or area.
- Boston: Tufts offers summer housing and charges by the night. Emmanuel College offers summer internship housing in Saint Julie Hall, and charges per week.
- New York: New York University charges by summer session. The City College of New York offers housing at an apartment-style residence, and charges per night. St. John’s University offers affordable, convenient housing in Queens, NY.
- Washington, D.C.: George Washington University charges by week. American University offers housing in several dormitories and charges per week.
- Third Party websites with more comprehensive lists of university offerings: For the Boston area, try: the Intern Housing Hub. For New York, see: the Intern Housing Hub. For D.C., try the National Academy of Social Insurance
Intern housing websites: There are websites that specialize in finding housing for interns. These websites often connect you with apartments, sublets, or rooms in shared houses specifically for interns. Try searching for “[city name] intern housing” to find some options.
- Kopa.co: Find monthly rentals and roommates by city.
- EHS Educational Services (NYC): Sort by borough or price.
- Intern Housing NYC: Community living with individual rooms. The flat fee includes: utilities, WiFi, furniture, appliances, kitchen supplies, regular cleaning and anything else you would need upon moving into a new place.
- FoundStudy: Provides student housing in dense urban cities such as New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Providence, and San Francisco.
- Washington Intern Housing Network (WIHN): Fully furnished intern and student housing.
- Washington Intern Student Housing (WISH): Includes a community/mentor model.
Social media groups: Look for Facebook groups for interns in the city or for your specific company’s intern program. These groups can be a great way to connect with other interns who might be looking for roommates or subletting their place.
Apartment listing websites: General apartment listing websites like Apartments.com or Zillow can also be a good resource but be sure to filter your search for short-term rentals or sublets, as most leases are for a full year.
Your internship company: Some companies offer housing assistance to their interns. Check with your HR department or internship coordinator to see if they have any resources or recommendations.
Going to be abroad? Check out student accommodations through Amber Student.
Here are some additional tips for finding housing:
- Start your search early: Housing can get competitive, especially in popular cities. The earlier you start looking, the more options you’ll have.
- Consider your budget: Factor in the cost of rent, utilities, transportation, and food when determining how much you can afford to spend on housing.
- Think about location: Decide how close you want to live to your internship and what kind of neighborhood you’d like to live in.
- Be safe: When considering a place to live, be sure to meet the landlord or roommate in person and do your research on the neighborhood.
Disclaimer: Harvard University and the Mignone Center for Career Success do not endorse any of the sites listed above specifically. This is simply a list of resources that can be considered when searching for living accommodations for the summer. Other resources include the Harvard Summer Housing website managed by Harvard College Housing.
