Housing & Life in Seattle

Housing

UW Affiliated Student Residences

• Residence Halls:

  There are nine halls on the UW campus, which house about 5,000 students. Most new students are assigned double or triple rooms. All halls are coeducation which means that men and women live in different rooms, on the same floor or on separate corridors. Rooms are furnished, but do not have bedding or linen. Dining areas are location throughout campus and the Husky Card payment system simplifies the purchasing process.

• Stevens Court:

  Single students who are 20 years or older or returning students can live in four- and six-bedroom furnished apartments at Stevens Court. The apartments have private bedrooms and shared kitchens, livingrooms, bathrooms, and laundry facilities. Stevens Court is usually filled by the beginning of fall quarter by returning students.

• Commodore Duchess Apartments:

  The one-bedroom apartments are primarily for married or same sex domestic partners currently enrolled in classes. Studios are available for single students on a limited basis. The apartments are completely unfurnished.

• Radford Court:

  Unfurnished apartments located three miles northeast of UW are available for single students, couples, and families.

• Family Housing:

  One-, two-, or three-bedroom unfurnished apartments are available for students with families. This popular option offers affordable pricing and an academically- and- family- oriented community.

To pursue any of these options, please visit the Housing and Food Services website.

Off Campus Housing (ASUW/GPSS Student Housing Affairs)

There are many apartments and shared houses available in the area surrounding the University of Washington. Housing can generally be divided into two categories: Shared and Non-shared. Non-Shared might include a one bedroom or a studio (one large room with a separate bathroom) apartment. Shared housing might be a room in a house or part of an apartment where you would share things like the kitchen and bathroom. Some studios in the lower price ranges may have shared bathrooms on the same floor.

• Location, Location, Location

  Seattle is made up of a series of neighborhoods. Neighborhoods close to UW include the University District, Capitol Hill, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Montlake, Ravenna, Laurelhurst, and Eastlake. Buses to UW are easily accessible from these neighborhoods. The further out from the downtown area, the lower your rent will be, but the longer the commute. Using your U-Pass (University Buss Pass received upon registration), the Metro Bus system in Seattle (206/553-3000) is reliable and can get you most places easily.

• Finding a Place

  Once you receive your UW Net ID (usually after registration), you can gain access to the Student Housing Affairs (SHA) listing of rentals in the Seattle area. SHA is a student run program affiliated with the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS). The SHA provides students with a central location where they can gather non-UW (off-campus) owned housing information as well as providing advice about the rights of a renter and references for legal help. The office primarily serves as a clearinghouse for information. Listings are usually received about one month in advance and remain posted for three weeks.

Other local resources for finding housing include:

• The Seattle Times and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Classifieds sections are a good resource. Listed by neighborhood, they come out each day. The early Sunday edition available on Saturday is your best resource with the latest listings.
• Renttech.com is a paid service that offers hundreds of easily searchable listings for housing. You can designate you price range and type of housing, and Renttech.com will email you listings as they become available. This service costs approximately $75 for three months of access.

Transportation

Here are some helpful links for flying into Seattle, locating the University of Washington and getting around the city. Please note that you will not have access to your U-Pass until you check in.

• SeaTac Airport
• From SeaTac Airport to the University of Washington:

  • By taxi: Look for a cab waiting outside of the airport baggage claim area, or call at one of the Traveler's Information Center. Major cab companies in Seattle are Farwest Taxi (206-622-1717), Graytop Cab (206-782-8294), North End Taxi (206-363-3333), and Yellow Cabs (206-622-6500). The fare is about $35-$40 to the University District for any number of people. Driving time is 30-45 minutes, depending on the traffic and number of passengers to be dropped off.

  • By shuttle van: After you get your baggage, follow the signs directing you to ground transportation, located on the 3rd floor of the parking garage. From the baggage claim level, go up one floor via escalator or elevator and walk across the sky bridge to the garage, then go back down to the 3rd floor and follow the signs to the Shuttle Express booth, alongside the ground transportation information center. The fare to the University District is around $25. Driving time is 30-45 minutes, depending on the traffic and number of passengers to be dropped off.

  • By airport express bus: Board the Gray Line Airport Express bus at either end of the airport baggage claim area, where buses leave every half hour from 5:20 AM to 11:20 PM. Get off the bus at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle (5th & Stewart), and transfer to Metro bus #74 or #66 heading northeast, on the southeast corner of 5th & Stewart. Exit the bus at NE 42nd Street and walk east (to your right); the campus is just across 15th Ave NE. One-way fare is $8.50 for Gray Line (tickets can be purchased at the booth next to the boarding area), plus $1.25 or $1.50 for Metro (exact change required), depending on the time of day. Travel time to UW is about 50-60 minutes, depending on your bus connection.

  • By Metro bus: Just outside the baggage claim area, board bus #194 northbound to downtown Seattle (buses leave approximately every half hour). Request a transfer when you pay your fare. Exit the bus in downtown Seattle: when the underground bus tunnel is open (weekdays until 7PM and Saturdays until 6PM), get off at any station in the tunnel; at other times, get off at 3rd Avenue and Union Street on the surface. Transfer to bus #71, #72 or #73 northbound to the University District. Exit the bus at NE 42nd Street and 15th Ave. NE; the campus is directly to your right. The fare is $1.25 or $2.00 (exact change required), depending on the time of day. Travel time to UW is about an hour. For more information, contact Metro Transit.

• Seattle Transit System
• U-Pass
• Find your way with MapQuest
• Campus Map

Health and Safety

• Hall Health
• Safety Tips and Programs for the University of Washington

Husky Card

The Husky Card Account is a convertible debit account all currently enrolled UW students and faculty or staff can establish. Upon checking into the University, you will go get your Identification card and the ID card also functions as your Husky Card, library card and U-Pass. It is accepted all over campus, at University Book Store and various other restaurants on the Ave. It's easy to open and easy to use, just present your Husky Card to the cashier when paying. There are no annual fees or transactions fees, no minimum deposits, and all deposits are 100% refundable.

Life in the Emerald City

http://depts.washington.edu/beahusky/numbers/life.shtml

Student's Guide to Life at the UW

http://www.washington.edu/students/#STDLIFE