Our LA location is currently on a temporary hiatus. Please reach out for more information!

Housing In Los Angeles, CA

There are four main options to find a place to stay in the Los Angeles area:

  • Family friend or relative 

  • Homestay

  • Dormitory

  • Find an apartment, home or room to rent

Stay with a family friend or relative
The best option may be to stay with friends or family in the Los Angeles area. If you need help to navigate the public transportation in Los Angeles, contact us.

Homestay
If you don’t have friends or family in the Los Angeles area, we recommend that you stay with a local American host family.

Two local homestay organizations that work with host families are Student International Housing, Universal Student Housing and Homestay Match.

When you choose to stay with a host family,

  • you can practice your English language skills through daily conversations with your host family.

  • you can move immediately into a furnished room, versus having to buy and move furniture yourself.

  • you can enjoy homemade meals daily for an additional fee.

Homestay families can also help you learn about fun activities, transportation, shopping, banking, and other aspects of daily life.

Cost

The cost of a homestay depends on a lot of factors: where you want to live, if you want a private room, and if you’d like home-cooked meals.

Monthly Homestay Rent & Fee for Adults (18 years or older)

Four weeksStudent International HousingUniversal Student Housing
Private room with two meals a day$975$990
Private room without meals$875$875
Shared room with two meals a day$875$905
Shared room without meals$775$820
Securiy Deposit*$250$180
Placement Fee$250$180

Monthly Rent & Fee for Minors (17 years or younger)

For a given four-week period, homestay organizations may charge $100 more for minors than adults (see above table).

Please note:  A F International does not maintain any resident housing or dormitories. AF International assumes no responsibility for student housing or dormitories, assumes no responsibility to find or assist a student in finding housing, and has neither student housing nor dormitories under its control.

Dormitory
MBG Housing
provides shared and private rooms for students. “
LA is a wonderful city for a new beginning it offers a lot of dining, entertainment, landscape & beaches with MBG Housing. If your are looking to move in here we have the perfect shared living place. Our fully furnished apartments feature everything you need in locations that put you in close proximity to your school. Whether you need an apartment all to yourself, or you prefer to share a space, we have you covered. As a student, you deserve a welcoming, safe, well-maintained space to study, to unwind and to enjoy yourself. We are here to provide that space. Many of our apartments feature gyms, sparkling pools, washers/dryers and more. And we offer a cleaning service to keep your rental in great shape no matter how busy your lifestyle. If you are interested in finding a student rental in Los Angeles, please contact us. Our team is standing by to assist you.”  (Excerpt from MBGhousing.com.)

Shared rooms start at $450/month.

Rent an Apartment

Renting your own apartment gives you the option between living by yourself or with one or more roommates. You will most likely need to buy your own furniture and pay some or all of your bills (water, gas, electricity, etc.). You also need to buy your own personal items, bedding, and food if you rent an apartment.

Depending on the owner of the rental property, you may need to prepare the following:

  • Security deposit (usually one month’s rent)

  • First and last month’s rent

  • Application fee

  • Photo id (passport)

  • Bank statement (proof you have the funds to pay for rent during the length of your lease)

  • Guarantor or cosigner with good credit

Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re looking for a place to rent:

  • Since most international students don’t have established credit in the US, it’s not unusual for landlords to ask for more money upfront to rent out an apartment.

  • Be sure to ask the landlord or management company about any concerns you might have such as if you’re allowed to keep a pet, paint walls, and hang up picture frames. You may also want to ask if parking is available.

Rental Resources

There are several different types of places you can rent:

  • Apartment – An apartment in a larger building where you can stay by yourself.

  • Roommate – This usually involves sharing an apartment with someone else. You save money, but have less privacy.

  • House – An entire house that you can stay by yourself.

  • Private room – A private room within a larger house or apartment. You will have privacy within your own room, but will have to share the kitchen, bathroom and other areas.

This list of websites should be helpful for you to find a place to rent. If you have any questions, please call us at (626) 689-9362,  or email us at admissions@afint.com.

Apartment List. The contact person at Apartment List is Sania.  They an actually help you find housing depending on your commute preferences – if by bike or car, how much time you’re willing to spend on your commute. And it’s completely free!

airbnb

Apartments

Hot Pads

MBG Housing

Rad Pad

Rent

Solutions in LA

The Rental Girl

Westside Rentals

Translate »