Your student is about to choose their first apartment. Here's what you need to know.

Years 1 and 2: On-campus is required

WashU now requires freshmen and sophomores to live on campus. For incoming first-years, students rank housing preferences across six types: modern or traditional, and single, double, or triple. Modern dorms tend to be newer builds with suite-style bathrooms. Traditional halls have the classic corridor layout with communal bathrooms. Neither is better — it depends entirely on your student's personality.

Rising sophomores rank the same preferences, with one extra choice: South 40 or the Village (WashU's primary housing area for sophomores and juniors).

If your student wants real opinions before they rank, Proximity's on-campus hub lets them filter by room type and read verified reviews from students who've actually lived in those specific dorms. Find it at useproximity.org/CampusHub.

Junior year: when the decision gets real

Sophomores rank preferences for specific dorms for junior year. But with WashU enrollment at its second-highest point in school history, more juniors are getting pushed out of their first choice spots in the Village. Many are choosing to go off-campus. And the finances often make a compelling case.

WashU charges up to $19,500 per year for on-campus housing, a number that has jumped 15% in just three years. Off-campus students consistently report paying $800 to $1,000 per month, which works out to $9,600 to $12,000 annually. The gap can be $7,000 or more per year.

The four types of off-campus housing near WashU

Not all off-campus housing is the same. Here's how it breaks down:

Units by the loop are smaller buildings on streets like Washington, Kingsbury, and Waterman. Walkable, social, close to restaurants and other students. They feel like a real home. The buildings are older, so landlord quality varies. Peer reviews matter most here.

Purpose-built Delmar Loop apartments are usually furnished, often with amenities like gyms, study rooms, pools, and rooftop decks. Most have per-bedroom leasing. This is typically the most expensive option.

Neighborhood complexes are managed properties in areas like the Central West End and Clayton. Often the nicest apartments, with in-unit laundry and stronger management. They're farther from campus and the social scene, so transportation matters. Students without cars will want to confirm shuttle access before signing.

Scattered houses are independent rentals on quieter residential streets. Yards, porches, brick, real character. The most space for the price. Landlord vetting is especially important here, in addition to transportation.

The part most students skip

Here's what the housing search actually looks like for most WashU students. Zillow, Apartments.com, WashU ARS, a private landlord site, Facebook groups, some word of mouth, and then a lease signed without ever hearing from anyone who's actually lived in that apartment. We surveyed 500+ WashU students on how they find housing, and no single platform or method came close to being dominant.

That gap — between finding a listing and knowing what you're signing into — is what Proximity was built to close. Verified student reviews of WashU dorms and off-campus apartments, pre-vetted listings tailored to WashU students, and a free personalized housing match for students who want help narrowing it down.

Better apartments. Honest reviews. No guesswork.

Get the free housing match at useproximity.org/matchmaking, or browse verified reviews at useproximity.org.