We recommend arranging temporary housing for when you arrive. 

Short-Term Homestay

The Friendship Foundation for International Students offers a short-term homestay program to welcome new international students to our community by providing short-term hospitality, settling-in support and a safe place to stay before students move into their permanent housing. The maximum amount of time you can request to stay with a host family is one week. This program is free to newly admitted international students.

Hotels & Short-Term Rentals 

Students may also look for a hotel or Airbnb for a short-term stay while they look for permanent housing. Eugene's tourism website has a resource to find hotels and lodging. 

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Eugene Neighborhoods

Being a graduate student means you will spend a lot of time on campus. You may want to be within walking/ biking distance and want to feel safe getting to and from where you live. The neighborhoods directly around campus are a good place to start your housing search, with each having their pros and cons. 

Closest to Campus

• Fairmount: southeast of campus, residential/business, close to shops, restaurants, and parks
• South Eugene: south of campus, quieter neighborhood, close shops, cafes, and parks
• West University: west of campus, part of downtown, close to shops and restaurants, mostly apartments, and condos
• Downtown: northwest of campus, close to shops and restaurants, mostly apartments, and condos 

Near Campus

• College Hill: southwest of campus, residential/business, close to shops, restaurants, and parks
• Jefferson-Westside: west of campus, quieter residential
• Whittaker: northwest of campus, residential/business, close to restaurants, and parks
• Friendly: southwest of campus: quieter neighborhood, close to shops, and parks
• Amazon: west of downtown, residential
• Harlow: north of campus, across the Willamette River

Springfield Neighborhoods

While Springfield is technically a different city, there are neighborhoods popular with students as housing can be more affordable than Eugene. Some neighborhoods are within a 15-minute bike ride to the UO main campus along the river bike path, on the EmX bus line or a short drive away. 

Location & Transportation

Biking

Eugene is one of the best cities in the US for biking and has an extensive network of dedicated and shared bike paths. Check out our Biking in the US Resources for more information!

Public Transit

UO students have access to a free bus pass. Lane Transit District (LTD) uses Umo to validate fare and riders will need to show a valid pass in the Umo App or use a Touchpass tap card. Check out our Public Transit Resources for more information!

Getting Around 

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UO Housing

UO Housing includes apartments and houses owned and managed by the University. University Apartments and Family Housing offers on-campus or near campus apartments & housing options specifically designed for graduate students or students with families. These housing neighborhoods are often supported by community spaces, parking, playgrounds, access to childcare and other facilities.

UO Off-Campus Housing

UO Off-Campus Housing is a university-operated directory of private, off-campus student housing options only accessible to UO students. Listings are up to date and from verified landlords and property management companies. Make sure to change the campus location to” UO Campus” in order to find rentals nearby our UO Eugene campus. 

UO Roommate Matching

In partnership with Apartments.com, UO Housing has an online forum for students to find roommates. Sign on with your Duck ID, register under the Roommates tab, and add your roommate profile. When you get to the Education tab, choose "UO Campus" and save your settings. 

Dean of Students
Off-Campus Housing Resources 

UO Dean of Students Office offers a range of resources and support for students. Check out their website to check them out!

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Housing in the U.S. often comes with utilities to keep the apartment comfortable and functioning. These include water, sewer, electricity, gas, garbage, recycling and sometimes even internet and cable TV subscriptions. Your landlord should include a description of all basic utilities covered in the lease agreement. Depending on the lease agreement, you may be responsible for setting some of them up yourself.

Water & Electricity

It is common that water is included, however most rentals will require that you set up and pay your own bill for electricity. 

• Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB)
  • Moving Resources: start, stop or move your services
  • Residential Thermostat Program: rebates on smart thermostats to help reduce energy costs
  • Lane County Energy Programs: utility assistance subsidies based off of household income

Garbage & Recycling

Some property management companies (including UO Housing) cover garbage and recycling in their rental fees. In some cases, they will be accounted for in a flat-rate utility fee. However, some will require that you set up accounts for garbage and recycling removal. Unless specified by your landlord, you will need to select a garbage and recycling service.  

• APEX Eugene
  • Residential Services: includes garbage/trash, recycling, yard, and food waste
  • Service Set Up: schedule the start of your service
  • Collection Calendar: find out what day you can expect your pickup based on your address
• SaniPac
  • Residential Services: includes garbage/trash, recycling, yard, and compost (food waste)
  • Service Set Up: schedule the start of your service based on your household needs and address
  • Pickup Schedule: find out what day you can expect your pickup based on your address

Gas

It is common that natural gas is included, however some rentals will require that you set up and pay your own bill.

•  NW Natural
  • Residential Services: get natural gas to your home and information on equipment and appliances
  • Moving Resources: start, stop, or transfer your services

Internet

• UO Housing: The University of Oregon provides both wireless and wired internet for University Housing residents. (All residents living in off-campus university apartments have access to the Internet at no extra cost, but must provide their own router if they want wireless. For the router to connect to the Internet, it must be registered.)
  • UO Housing: Apartment Router Setup
• Off-Campus: If you are not renting from a university property, Xfinity is the most prevalent internet service provider in Eugene. You can build packages based on your preferred internet speed and the number of devices you own that require internet connectivity. Additionally, Xfinity provides options for combined cable TV and internet packages if desired. 

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