Meal Plans for Off-Campus Students
It is possible for students living off campus to purchase meals directly from Berklee Dining Services. For more details about this option you should contact the managers of the dining hall at (617) 747-2510, or see the Aramark Dining Services web pages.

Regardless of when you will be looking for a place to live, there are things you can do before coming to Boston. Find a Boston map and begin to orient yourself to the sections of the city and the close outlying areas.

Consider whether you must be within walking distance of the college or whether you are willing to commute. How much housing expense will your budget be able to handle? Do you have friends or relatives in the Boston area who can help you look for a place? Could they provide temporary lodging for you?

If you have access to the Boston Globe (realestate.boston.com/apartments) or Boston Herald, the city's major daily newspapers, look at the rental ads in the classified section to get an idea of what sorts of apartments are available at what costs. The greatest number of listings appear in the Sunday editions. Boston papers can often be found with out-of-town news agents, at your local airport, or on the web at www.boston.com.

If you have internet access, check some of the housing-related web sites in Boston (search for "apartments boston"). We suggest that you not pay a membership fee on any one of the web sites until you've previewed a number of them.

Berklee is located at the intersection of the Back Bay, Fenway, Kenmore, and Park Drive areas. In newspaper listings, most ads for these neighborhoods will appear under the Back Bay or Boston headings, with notation as to which sub-area the apartment is in. More students live in the Fenway, Park Drive and Kenmore sections, where rents are a bit more reasonable, though far from inexpensive. These neighborhoods, as well as part of the area known as the South End, are within walking distance of the college.

Berklee is located close to the Green and Orange "T" lines ( Boston's subway system ) and a significant number of students commute by T from such neighborhoods as Allston, Brighton, and Jamaica Plain (15 minutes to half an hour away). Generally speaking, as you get farther from the college, rents decrease somewhat. If you need a place with more than two bedrooms, require parking, or have children, you are best advised to look away from the center of the city.

Currently, monthly rents for a studio apartment (one room) in the Fenway/Kenmore/Park Drive area range from $850 and up, and the cost of a one bedroom apartment (separate bedroom and living room) ranges from $1100 and up. Obviously, if you share an apartment with one or more other students your costs are reduced - a room in an apt is around $600.

It is common for a landlord to require you to pay your first month's rent, last month's rent, and a security deposit in advance. Your payment will have to be in a readily negotiable form. A personal check, particularly one drawn on an out-of-state bank, likely will not be acceptable. Your best bet is to set up an account at a Boston bank in advance, with your funds deposited in a form in which they will be negotiable right away. A number of banks have branch offices near the college.

Looking for an Apartment, a Room, and Roommate Listings
The best starting points for listings are the newspapers, web sites, bulletin boards at Berklee and other nearby schools, and the listings at the front desk of Berklee's 150 Massachusetts Ave. Building Front Desk. You may also find apartment listings posted on bulletin boards in neighborhood laundromats and sandwich shops. In these, and all situations, proceed carefully.

Real Estate Agents
In looking at apartment rental listings, it is important to note that you will find several types. One is a space being offered by someone who has an apartment and needs a roommate, another is an apartment or room being offered by a building owner (landlord), and a third is a listing placed by a real estate agent. If you use a real estate agent be sure to determine in advance how large a fee the real estate agent charges.

If you can manage to rent directly from a landlord, you may save yourself some money. On the other hand, a good real estate agent may be able to save you time and aggravation: particularly now, when good rentals are hard to find. We can provide a sample list of real estate agents in the area, but the college does not endorse particular landlords or real estate agents.

Be Cautious!
Whether dealing with a real estate agent or building owner, make sure you don't allow yourself to be talked into something you don't really want or can't afford. Try not to take an apartment sight unseen. You could get stuck in an undesirable situation. Take particular note of any conditions such as non-working locks, windows that don't latch properly, or missing/defective smoke detectors, which endanger your safety or security. If the landlord promises to do any work or repairs for you, try to get their promise in writing. When you move in, make note of any unfixed problems or damage in the apartment. It's a good idea to take photographs to document the condition of the apartment when you move in.

For More Information
If you have further questions about off-campus housing, please contact Off-Campus Student Services.