Accommodations
Exchange students have the option to live in the Purdue Residence Halls or Apartments/Cooperative Housing. For Purdue
Residence Halls students will apply online. Finding an apartment or a
cooperative house requires some time and patience to search for what is
available.
Residence
Halls

Students apply online after they are
admitted. A nonrefundable processing fee is charged. Students should apply
early or by the stated deadline since residence halls are in great demand. The
housing contract is valid for the academic year. An exchange student at Purdue
just for the fall semester can notify the residence hall’s main office after
arrival to terminate in December. Spring semester or calendar year students
will have housing contracts just for the spring semester. Once a housing
contract is signed, students cannot get out of it and must pay. The campus
housing charges will begin the day students check-in during orientation.
Students pay their room and board fees directly to the bursar’s office
according to the payment schedule chosen by the student on the housing
contract. Residence halls are within walking distance
of the academic buildings, offer meal plans so students do not have to cook, do
not require additional payment for utilities, and offers countless
opportunities to meet new people and participate in hall activities. Students
living in residence halls are subject to residence halls rules and regulations,
sometimes limited space, and may have to share a bedroom. Most residence halls
also do not have kitchen facilities. Several housing choices are
offered with each room being furnished with beds, desks, chairs, lamp, and
closet.
Cooperative Housing
Students who want to experience group living at a more reasonable
price can pursue the Cooperative Housing option. There are five houses for men and seven houses for women.
All twelve houses operate on the principles of cooperative living with all
residents working together to manage each house for the benefit of each other.
Cooperative housing is the least expensive housing system at Purdue. Each house
has between 15 and 50 members who share responsibilities such as cleaning and
preparing meals. Vacancies are occasionally available and exchange students can
apply as boarders to any of the cooperative housing units.
Apartments
There are numerous flats/apartments and rental houses near the
Purdue University campus and within the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette.
Students can search for apartments that have short-term individual leases at
the following websites:
Exchange students should search to sublease an apartment for the
semester. Many apartments in the Lafayette area have a 9 or 12 month lease.
When subleasing, you merely take over another student's lease. Try to find an
apartment or rental unit that is within walking distance of the Purdue campus. Try
to find an apartment that is already furnished.