Apartments Near UW

Neighborhoods

At the University of Washington, many students live in on-campus dorms for at least the first year of college. After the first year, students will typically rent an off-campus apartment or home with a roommate, as the cost of living in the Seattle area, particularly in the University District, can be expensive. The University District is the most common and popular area for students to seek off-campus housing, due to its proximity to UW as well as its access to both bus and light rail services to several spots throughout Seattle and its surrounding area.

Along with The University District, there are many other favored neighborhoods, such as Bryant, Ravenna, Roosevelt, and Wedgewood, which feature all kinds of options for off-campus housing near University of Washington and usually has lower rental prices than the University District.

Northgate, which is north of the campus, has both shopping and public transit. Montlake and Capitol Hill are both popular choices for students to reside in as well, as these neighborhoods are both peaceful and have a variety of housing options.

Dining

When people usually think about food scenes on the west coast, cities like Los Angeles or Portland come to mind, but the restaurant and food scene in Seattle is not something to sleep on. Students at the University of Washington can expect a wide variety of cuisine throughout the area, ranging from popular restaurants with an Asian influence to regular comfort food places like Chipotle. Restaurant favorites on and around the UW campus include Qdoba, Chipotle, Jimmy Johns, and Hawaiian BBQ. You will also want to check out Ruzen Mongolian Grill, E.J. Burger, Than Vi, and Thai Tom

Like any other college that is grounded in a large, metropolitan city, at the University of Washington, there is a lively bar scene, with a variety of establishments that cater to the students in the area, offering drink specials and other discounts. Check out Cowgirls Inc, Earl’s, College Inn Pub, and Fourno’s Greek Restaurant and Bar for a good time.

Transportation

An important element to being in college is transportation and accessibility to campus. Since the University of Washington is in Seattle, there are no shortages of transportation services, and you can always find a way to get on or around campus. There are several different modes of transportation that students can take advantage of, and most either walk, bike, or use public transit (bus/light rail).

Public Transit: Most UW students have a U-PASS, which is a transportation pass that gives students unlimited rides on regional buses, commuter trains, light rail, and water taxes. The pass also gives students access to discounts on vanpools, carpools, and other offers. The pass is automatically put onto the Husky Card (the student ID all UW students have).

Biking: The University of Washington has many resources to help students who ride bikes, such as secured places to park, different routes, and even special discounts for renting bikes.

Parking

As stated earlier, most students either walk, bike, or use public transit to travel to and from campus, but that does not mean there is not a sect of students that commute with their car. For students who drive to and from the UW campus, there are daytime and evening parking permits available for purchase, as well as motorcycle permits. Parking prices usually vary depending on the number of days in the quarter, but the daytime price is typically around $6.75 and evening price around $2.80 (valid between 4 pm -8 am). All student parking permits are issued quarterly and must be purchased and renewed each quarter.

Safety

The University of Washington takes the safety of its students very seriously, offering several different resources to ensure their protection and assistance if a problem arises. SafeCampus is UW’s violence-prevention and response program, which provides guidance and safety plans specific to a student’s situation. As a student, you could call SafeCampus to get help on several issues, like inappropriate behavior from a student or staff member, verbal/online threats, sexual assault/harassment, relationship violence, or concerting behaviors in another person. SafeCampus is available 24/7 to students, staff, and faculty members. UW also has its own police department, medical center, and campus hotline.

Shopping

Less than two miles from UW, there is University Village, a hub for shopping and dining. Students can enjoy stopping by several different stores in the outdoor shopping center, ranging from boutiques to fashion and furniture retailers. A handful of the stores located around UW and in University Village include Gap, J. Crew, H&M, Sephora, and Apple.