Renting accommodation while studying in the US

Dao Nguyen

I. There are 3 forms of housing for study abroad in the US

1. Homestay (at home): Residential homestay is a form of living with American families and students have a private room in the house. Host families welcome you as a member of the family. Communicating and meeting family friends is the best way to improve your English. Host families are carefully selected and these families provide students with a safe and well-groomed living environment. Students have breakfast and dinner at home.

• Average cost: 170USD – 230USD/week

What should I pay attention to when renting a hostel while studying in the US?

2. Dormitories: Many schools have dormitories on campus or nearby. The rooms are single or shared, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served at the cafeteria. Dormitories are often heavily stocked during the holidays, during which students move into homestays.

• The cost of this type of housing varies depending on the school 5,000 – 7,000USD / year

3. Tenants: Students over the age of 18 may rent a hostel or stay in a hostel with other students.

The cost of this type of house varies widely between cities and towns. Students have to pay for electricity/gas, telephone connection, and food costs along with room rent.

• Rental cost about 150USD – 450USD / week

Read more: Costs renting accommodation at United States

II. What type of accommodation should American students choose?

1. The advantages when choosing a homestay

Each place has its own advantages depending on your circumstances and where you study, but if you have the conditions and confidence to live independently, living with native speakers is a great choice.

Foreign language skills training: Despite having a good foreign language, many teens are still shocked when entering this new environment. One thing that can not be denied when living with native speakers is that your foreign language skills will increase significantly, especially listening and speaking skills. A while living with them, you can talk like “birds sing” for that. They are willing to correct pronunciation, words as well as present you with proverbs that they often use that you have not known. The fastest method to train your foreign language skills.

Many students said: “Most of us live here with native people, they are very friendly and easy to approach. They are very willing to correct pronunciation and teach us many sentences. English of native speakers. The choice of living with native speakers is really useful for you who want to practice foreign language skills!”

Expanding the understanding of culture: For teens who are passionate about learning the customs and culture of the country you are studying, the choice of living with native speakers is also very useful. It is the fastest way you absorb the culture of this country. Their daily life will help you understand some of the style and culture. Weekend meals are the time for you to absorb it. Let's cook traditional dishes with them and listen to interesting stories or celebrate the big festivals of the year with them. That is how to learn and learn the culture in a very effective way.

This way, you will learn more about the life and customs of your countries.

Ming Shu – a international students “On weekends, I used to cook traditional foods with Rebecca's family like Fish & Chips...it was so fun! Not only did I learn how to cook, but I also heard stories about their culture and customs!"

Sharing, learning life experience: In the first days when arriving in a foreign country, it is inevitable to be confused and unfamiliar with the customs and practices. It is a pity if we do not know where to go and what to do in our free time. Living with native speakers, your life experience also increases significantly. From shopping, eating to bargaining. The valuable advice of experienced native speakers will help you. You do not have to fiddle with a map to find a delicious cafe or restaurant. All have the enthusiastic guidance of the native speakers you live with.

Minh Ha – a cheerful international student confided: “When I was in Vietnam, I went to the market with my mother, and she paid me a price. But since I lived with John's family, it's not a problem anymore. Once I followed them shopping, I learned a valuable bargaining experience."

• The essential skills you need to equip in advance when studying abroad

Have a new family: Far from home – the obsession causes a lot of trouble for our teens, right? Why don't you try living with native people. Living with them will make you feel like you are having a second family. Because, their lifestyle is quite friendly and close, they are willing to share your difficulties. And once they have decided to let students live with them, they are very close. These reasons will help teens somewhat relieve homesickness and be happier when I have a second family!

A lot of international students said: “When we were far from home, we missed home, missed Vietnam so much, there were many times to call home crying. But, a month after living with the native people, we felt like a different feeling. A second family, and the nostalgia for relatives also gradually faded."

Make friends with more international students quickly: In addition to meeting people from other countries at school, living with native speakers will help you make friends with international students quickly. Perhaps because the nature of native speakers is quite friendly and close, they are happy to introduce you to neighbors and some other friends.

It's interesting to have a picnic, or a party between friends from other countries, right? Native family will help you do it. Especially for those of you with a little reservation.

Once you have decided to live with native speakers when studying abroad, you need to consult information from the schools you will attend.

Popular homestay types in the US

Standard Homestay

• Suitable for large, confident students who can live relatively independently, but still be cared for in a close family environment
• Choose single room or shared room
• Bedroom with fully equipped study desk
• Two meals a day, seven days a week
• Used Phone

Homestay Plus

• Provides higher levels of support and supervision for younger students
• Required for students under 16 years old
• Choose single room or shared room
• Bedroom with fully equipped study desk
• Two meals a day, seven days a week
• Used Phone
• Beds and pillows are provided by all indigenous families, you just need to bring your towels.

Things American students should keep in mind when staying at homestay

• Use your landlord's phone: If you're calling long distances, you'll have to pay for the service yourself.
• Hygiene: Do not stay in the bathroom for too long, after using the bathroom must be clean.
• Clothes: Wear clothes that suit each task. If you do not know what to wear, ask the host.
• Pay for your own expenses: Pay for your long distance phone calls yourself. Go to the movies, sometimes the host buys you tickets, but sometimes you have to buy them yourself....
• Do n't lend money to friends or even family members and do n't borrow money from anyone.
• Do not speak Vietnamese to other exchange students in front of Americans.
• Do not go out late without the landlord's permission. If you are at school / home late, call the landlord.
• Do n't leave your home without telling the landlord where you're going (during your stay in the US, the landlord is your foster parent, who is responsible for you and it's their job to know where you're going and what you're doing).
• If your landlord doesn't ask you to do chores around the house, offer to help them with dishes, sweeping or vacuuming, dumping garbage, or even cooking. If you enjoy playing the piano, ask if you're bothering anyone.
• Television: If you watch TV with your landlord, do not demand to watch the show you like. If your landlord feels some shows are not suitable for you, do not watch those shows. If the landlord wants to turn off the TV, do not object. Do not watch TV too late, especially on school days.

2. Some notes for students when renting a house in the US to study

Advantages:

Reasonable price: Out-of-home housing is a much more economical option not only for international students but also for native students. Leasing a house with friends or relatives can reduce monthly expenses significantly by cooking together, for example.

Comfortable: Renting a private house is like owning a house for a short period of time. You can use the house at your own discretion without encountering any restrictions. Meetings or joint activities of the Vietnam Association is always an indispensable thing for students. This helps students to relieve some of the nostalgia for relatives and friends in Vietnam. Private houses are ideal places for meetings like this.

Disadvantages:

Surrounding Environment: Because of renting out, your surroundings can not be as good as the environment of the dormitory. Your neighbors are not necessarily students and so making friends with neighbors is not necessarily easy. Students also have the habit of renting houses with friends in the same country to make it easier to talk, which greatly reduces the chances of Communicate in English cho international students.

Housemates: If you do not rent a private apartment but rent it with someone, it is also extremely difficult and important to choose a companion. Inappropriate companionship can greatly affect psychology as well as school and classroom learning.

Additionally, cohousing can lead to minor inadequacies, such as lack of privacy and restricted living time, as well as larger issues, such as theft or fighting.

• Experience renting accommodation, cooking when study abroad

Some notes when choosing a rental:

Do n't pick a house too soon. In case the landlord tells you that you should pay the deposit right away because “there are 5 other tenants who are also listening to this apartment”, it is likely that there is no tenant and he says that just to “collapse" you. At the same time, you also do not take the house too late. Once there is enough time to have an overview of the rental market, then you need to make a decision. In short, do not pressure on signing a contract when there is something left in the house.

Do not choose the most “beautiful" apartment. Think about what you really need from a house that is simply a chair, a shed, a large refrigerator, a desk that matches and especially that the house has more than one bathroom, you should only choose things that are really necessary. too dangerous or because the house has problems. When encountering such a house, ask yourself Besides, do not choose the cheapest. Because the unexpected cheapness may be because the surrounding area is not convenient to live in it and it meets your needs.

Choose a home - sharing partner carefully. A friend who is close to you in the first semester will probably become your enemy in the third semester! Do not live with someone for the simple reason that they are the first friend you meet in the University. Just a clean, friendly and open person is good enough. Avoid dividing your house with your friend who has to go out every night to party to endure! Simply because living with someone who likes to scream at ... 4am will be very difficult, especially when you are focused on studying for exams!

You should also talk to previous tenants. Search forums, Facebook groups and ask around who the landlord and broker are, and who has rented your property before. You can also ask the landlord about the tenants who have left. Once you have information on these people, you need to “investigate” if there is anything wrong with their rent (if there is, it is best to stay away!)

Get used to the neighborhood. You need to check the rental area both day and night. Maybe the road is very normal at 3 pm, but it may be dangerous at 2 am, when you just came home from a party at school. Also you need to pay attention to the distance of the house to the supermarket and the places you will need to visit, and especially to the school. Find out if your home is far from the school, and the distance, the cost of moving to school.

Reading the lease can help you decide if you should take the lease. Once you have decided to take the house, you need to read the contract carefully, and then read it over and over again. Catch the smallest details, ask lots of questions and make sure that your parents, guardian or a certain University counselor has also looked at this contract. Do not let something in the contract be detrimental to you at the end of the school year, when returning the house. You must necessarily keep all written evidence.

Once you're in the house, you'll need to keep handwritten messages (emails) that revolve around inquiries, questions, and answers between you and your landlord.. If they promise to do something (repairing furniture, for example), ask them to write an email to keep the evidence. Finally, in case you have a problem, go to the university or local council for advice. Universities often have a separate advisory board on housing issues for students so you can be assured of the quality of advice. Similarly, the local council is also a place to support you in the worst case.

• Things students need to know when renting a house in the US

3. Advantages and disadvantages of staying in hostels in the USA

Students in the first year of university in the US (freshmen) are often forced to stay in the dormitories of the university. In later years, students can choose to stay in dormitories or rent out. Here are the good and bad points of dormitory stay.

Advantages:

Save Time: It takes only 02 to 20 minutes (depending on the campus of each university) from the campus to class. If you want to save time for class, hostels are the best choice. Some universities in the United States have buses on campus to serve student travel on campus.

Safety for students: Most of the dormitories are under the management of the university. Therefore, students are guaranteed security, which is a favorable condition for student learning. The American people are allowed to own and use weapons, so ensuring safety is extremely important for students.

Easily get to know native speakers: Living in the dormitory is to live in an environment of the same age, the same circumstances, the students are easy to sympathize with each other, share together, exchange with each other life experiences, learning experiences.

Therefore, both indigenous students and international students have many conditions to get to know each other. Moreover, this environment also trains students in a sense of collective living, independent lifestyle, the ability to adapt to all conditions, making it easier for students to integrate later.

Variety of categories: There are many types of dormitories, from private rooms to two-person or four-person rooms. Students have more options but still ensure safety, time savings and the opportunity to live with native students.

• Study abroad United States: Experience when at the hostel

Disadvantages:

The only downside of student hostels that are quite expensive. Average student hostel price Study in the USA usually 1.5 to 3-4 times the amount to spend to rent out houses.

The cost of dormitory will range from $9,000 to $14,000 / year, while the cost of out-of-home housing is only from $4,300-8,500 / year. You can refer to the rental price on the website or consult the school to get reasonable accommodation.

In addition, students can become Resident Assistants. You will stay in the dormitory for free and also have the opportunity to join the student body of the school.

In order to become a Resident Assistant, you need to be active and sociable with people. You also need to prove that you can communicate well and have a good education (depending on the school, there will be different conditions, you should contact the school directly for detailed conditions).

This job is quite simple, including supervising students, contacting the school, the police as soon as something happens and organizing events in the dormitory. However, the number of students to be Resident Assistant is not much (one floor / floor of the dormitory usually only 01 Resident Assistant).

You can refer to Study Planning Course in USA at Academy.vn online training portal to make your study plan as well as living when studying abroad better.

Some US study abroad rental ads in local and school newspapers

In school newspapers and local newspapers, students will find in the classifieds sections rental items: "Unfurnished Apartments", "Furnished Apartments”, "Rooms for Rent", "Rental to Share", or "Sublets”. These promotional items are usually sorted by area.

• Unfurnished: This means you have to buy your own furniture (chairs, tables, beds).
• Furnished: means provided furniture, but the price is usually higher.
• Rooms for rent: usually indoor room with kitchen, bathroom and shared toilet. Usually cheaper price.
• Rental to Share: is an apartment or house that has already been rented, and they find people to share it with. Often you will have your own room, and share other facilities.
• Sublets: is the status of the house being leased, the tenant wants to move before the contract is terminated and they find someone to transfer.

The acronym is often used in newspaper advertisements, but it is difficult to understand. Common acronyms include:

For advice on applying for a U.S. visa, please contact:

Greatlink International Study Abroad Co., Ltd.

Hotline: 0936.77.33.86/0868.81.79.81

Email:  [email protected]       

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