University of Kansas Student Housing: A Comprehensive Guide
Choosing where to live is a significant part of the college experience. At the University of Kansas (KU), students have a variety of on- and off-campus housing options to consider. This article provides a detailed overview of these options, helping students make informed decisions based on their preferences, budget, and lifestyle.
On-Campus Housing
KU offers a range of on-campus living arrangements, including residence halls, scholarship halls, and apartments. Each type provides a unique environment and varying levels of cost and amenities. On-campus housing offers the convenience of proximity to classes, campus resources, and student life activities. Additionally, it fosters a sense of community and provides access to support staff.
Residence Halls
Residence halls are a popular choice for many students, especially freshmen, seeking to immerse themselves in campus life. KU has ten residence halls, each with its own distinct character. Living in a residence hall requires a KU dining plan, adding to the overall cost but providing convenient access to meals.
Room Types and Rates: Residence halls offer various room configurations, including single, double, and suite-style rooms. Rates vary depending on the room type and hall. For the academic year, rates range from approximately $6,696 to $10,814 per person for a double room, and $7,908 to $10,814 for a single room. Some halls, like GSP (Gertrude Sellards Pearson), offer small single rooms at a lower rate.
Amenities and Features: Residence halls provide a range of amenities, including:
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- All utilities included in the rate.
- Access to professional and student staff for support.
- Connection to student services, such as academic support, health care, and safety resources.
- Optional special interest communities for students in engineering, honors, ROTC, and more.
Specific Residence Halls:
- Corbin Hall: Offers single, double, and triple rooms.
- Gertrude Sellards Pearson (GSP): Features single, double, and four-person split rooms.
- Ellsworth Hall: Provides single, double, and suite options, some with private baths.
- Hashinger Hall: Offers single and double rooms, some with sinks.
- Lewis Hall: Includes double and four-person suites with baths.
- Templin Hall: Features single, double, and four-person suites with baths.
- Oswald Hall: Offers double rooms and four-person suites with baths.
- Self Hall: Provides double rooms and four-person suites with baths.
- Naismith Hall: Features single and double rooms.
- Downs Hall: Offers various suite configurations, including two-person with private bedrooms and four-person suites with multiple bathrooms.
Scholarship Halls
For students seeking the most affordable on-campus housing, scholarship halls offer a unique living experience. Residents of scholarship halls contribute to the community by sharing cooking and cleaning responsibilities, which significantly reduces the cost of living.
Cost and Responsibilities: The cost of living in a scholarship hall is lower than residence halls or apartments because residents share responsibilities. Adding in required food expenses, the cost of living in a KU scholarship hall will come out to $791 or $845 a month, depending on the floor plan.
Hall Types: KU has twelve scholarship halls, including eight traditional halls (Battenfeld, Douthart, Stephenson, Grace Pearson, Sellards, Pearson, Miller, and Watkins) and four suite-style halls (K.K. Amini, Margaret Amini, Krehbiel, and Rieger). Miller and Watkins have seven-person kitchens, while the other traditional halls have all-hall kitchens and dining.
Dining: Dining costs for Miller and Watkins Halls vary, as each seven-person kitchen determines its own food budget. Other scholarship halls include a dining plan in their rates.
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Room Types: Scholarship halls typically feature shared bedrooms for two, three, or four students. The average square footage of shared suites at K.K. Amini, Margaret Amini, Krehbiel, and Rieger is 460 square feet, while the average offering at the other eight halls is 195 square feet.
Apartments
KU offers on-campus apartments for students seeking a more independent living experience. These apartments come with kitchens and living spaces, allowing students to cook their own meals and have more privacy. Dining plans are optional for apartment residents.
Apartment Complexes: The four university-owned apartment complexes are Jayhawker Towers, Stouffer Place Apartments, McCarthy Hall and the newer The Stouffer and are located on KU’s campus.
Room Types and Rates: Apartments offer various configurations, including two-person and four-person options. Rates vary depending on the complex and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Two-person apartments with private bedrooms at Jayhawker Towers will cost each roommate $1,019 a month for the length of the school year. The same living arrangement at the Stouffer, Hawker or McCarthy on-campus apartments costs $1,317 a month. Four students in two shared bedrooms at Jayhawker Towers can pay $591 a month.
Amenities: Apartments typically include a living room, full kitchen, and bathroom. Some apartments offer private bedrooms and bathrooms.
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Off-Campus Housing
Lawrence offers a wide range of off-campus housing options, including apartments, rental houses, and other properties. Off-campus living provides more independence and a variety of living environments.
Helix 24
Helix 24 is an off-campus apartment complex located close to the center of KU life. It offers two- and three-bedroom apartments that are fully furnished and include amenities such as a 24-hour gym, business center, shuttle to the University of Kansas, and a resort-style pool. Front-door trash pick up is available as a premium add-on. Helix 24 covers all your bases for a comfortable and convenient college experience. In their 2 and 3 bedroom floorplans, Helix 24 has walk-in closets, in-unit washers and dryers, in suite bathrooms and high-speed WiFi provided.
Private Apartments in Lawrence
Off-campus apartments generally offer more space to residents at a wide range of price points. An analysis of the most affordable leases at 25 Lawrence apartment complexes found that the average floor plan is 693 square feet. The average rental rate for those offerings is $910 a month on top of the utility bills or fees that most management companies expect residents to pay for separately.
Affordable Options: Hawks Pointe offers options as low as $500 a month, including all utility costs. A dorm-style four-person suite provides 200 square feet of space. At The Landing Lawrence, three roommates can pay $590 a month each, plus electricity, for a 987-square-foot floor plan. The Red Hawk and Bluejay Apartments offer private 530-square-foot suites for $650 a month plus water costs.
Other Options: Park 25 Apartments, HERE Kansas, The Links at Kansas, Village Square Apartments, Fieldhouse Apartments, and Autumn & August Place Apartments are other relatively affordable off-campus options. Park 25 offers 500-square-foot private suites starting at $775 a month and rolls the cost of utilities into rent.
Considerations for Off-Campus Living
Lease Terms: Most private apartment leases last a year and are advertised at their monthly rental price. Comparing prices can be challenging because on-campus leases last 10 months and are marketed to students at the total sum they pay over two semesters.
Utilities: University-owned options cover the cost of all utility bills, while most off-campus apartments require tenants to pay for utilities like electricity, water, and gas separately from rent.
Location and Transportation: Consider the proximity to campus, as well as access to transportation. Some apartments offer shuttle services to KU.
Additional Resources and Tips
- KU Housing & Residence Life: Provides resources and information about on-campus housing options.
- Off-Campus Marketplace: KU Housing & Residence Life provides an Off-Campus Marketplace for KU students to explore housing options within the Lawrence community.
- Secure Housing Early: Many options are filled in the spring and early summer.
- Consult Current Students: Reach out to current graduate students in your department or your graduate support staff for places to start looking that are close to campus or include a KU shuttle.
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