Off-Campus Housing

Although we cannot find housing for you, we can provide resources to assist you in your search. Start with the information below, and contact us if you need additional assistance.

• Shop around and compare prices. Consider all costs, not just rent. Some housing includes rent, furniture, electricity, and other services/utilities in one price. Other rentals may just charge rent, and you have to pay for furniture, electricity, and other costs separately.
• Think about how far away from campus you want to live and how you are going to get to classes.  Living far from campus may require you to purchase a car.
• Consider finding a furnished rental that has all utilities already set up for your first rental. This can help your move to Bowling Green go more smoothly.
• Check the deposit policy to see if it is refundable.
• Check the lease duration. If you are not going to be in Bowling Green for 1 year, consider subleasing an apartment.
• Ask questions of former and current tenants if possible.
• Get everything you agree upon in writing.
• Read the entire lease before you sign it.
• Be sure that you understand all the terms of the contract you sign. Be aware that when your name is on the apartment lease, you can be held fully responsible for the rent if your roommate does not pay his or her full share.
• Do not sign a lease until you have inspected the apartment, house, or room in person. You will probably not be able to inspect the property in person if you are arranging your housing while you are still outside the United States, but keep this in mind for future housing.
• Do not sign a lease if you do not agree with all of the terms. Try to negotiate until you can come to an understanding.
• Keep in mind that some apartment landlords will require a large deposit in advance if you do not have a Social Security number. On-campus housing does not have this requirement.

You may see some of these abbreviations as you browse rental listings:

• AC: air conditioning
• Avail: available
• BA: bathroom
• blks: blocks
• BR: bedroom
• DR: dining room
• DW: dishwasher
• frplc: fireplace
• furn: furnished
• gar: garage
• incl: included
• kit: kitchen
• lg: large
• /mo: per month
• pd: paid
• util: utilities (gas, water, electric)
• w/: with
• W/D: washer and dryer

Renter’s insurance covers the value of the belongings you keep in your rental property in case of theft, fire, or other damage. We recommend that you purchase it. Most major insurance providers in the United States offer renter’s insurance.

In the U.S., public schools that children attend are based on the school district where they reside.  Before you decide where to live, we recommend that you verify the school district, research its educational programs, and consider whether you will send your child to public or private school.

The Warren County Public School district serves more than 15,000 students that speak more than 55 different languages. All of them provide free education for children in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade, regardless of citizenship status. Bowling Green also has many private schools. Learn about Bowling Green schools.

If you arrive at a time when you cannot move into your housing (for example, if you arrive on campus before move-in day) you will need to stay at a hotel. There are over 30 hotels in Bowling Green. To find a hotel, you may visit http://www.visitbgky.com/stay/

Additionally, the newly opened Hyatt Place is the official hotel of WKU and is within walking distance of campus. To receive a discounted rate follow the instructions below:

If booking by phone or at the hotel: use the corporate code WKUU

If booking online directly at the Hyatt website: click on Special Rates when booking and use Corporate Rate #20850. The discounted rate will automatically generate.