University of California - Irvine - Off-Campus Housing

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

With the cost of living in Irvine reportedly among the highest in the nation, off-campus housing even remotely close to campus is going to cost more than just a pretty penny. However, off-campus apartments are very high quality and very desirable. Apparently, the people at IAC (Irvine Apartment Communities, the company that runs most of the nearby apartment complexes) set the bar high for the price of living in safe, sweet luxury. The price of living in the dorms isn’t much better, since the University still takes an arm and a leg for those blasted meal plans freshman year.

Fear not, however. Hope lies within apartments in neighboring cities, such as Huntington Beach, where the cost of living is cheaper, if only marginally. Splitting the room cost with a former dorm buddy will make rent more affordable, so scrape up some friends and some cash while apartment hunting. Also, take into consideration the fact that driving back and forth to campus every day will add more to your cost of living, and once you get to campus, you’ll have to find a parking space. But, overall, living off campus can work, and if you have the resources to find and pay for a good place, you can’t beat the independence.

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Students Speak Out

UCIDP says: University of California - Irvine 2013 Biological and Biomedical Sciences

It's pretty easy to get housing... It's pretty easy to get housing after freshman year, and most are within walking distance. It is worth it just for the independence. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 29, 2009 Report

UCIAL says: University of California - Irvine 2013 Social Sciences

It is very convenient, and there... It is very convenient, and there is plenty of housing close to campus. However, the prices are pretty high, but then again, we are in Irvine—everything in Irvine is pretty pricey. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 14, 2009 Report

UCISL1 says: University of California - Irvine 2015 Social Sciences

Second-year students have... Second-year students have guaranteed housing, which are apartments called Vista del Campo and Vista del Campo Norte. The apartments there are great—they're fully furnished and have amenities. After your second year, the apartments close to campus can get a bit pricey. It's easy to find an apartment as long as you do it a little ahead of the crowd. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 10, 2009 Report

UCISJ says: University of California - Irvine 2015 Social Sciences

There are lots of places to live... There are lots of places to live nearby that are a bit pricey, so try to live in Vista del Campo for second-year housing. But some students commute from home, and some people get great deals on Newport Beach properties since they are not there for the peak summer months. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 08, 2009 Report

UCIJL says: University of California - Irvine 2015 Engineering

Off-campus housing is abundant but... Off-campus housing is abundant but sort of pricey. Start looking early. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 08, 2009 Report

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Tracey Xuan Nguyen
Hometown: Hawthorne, CA
Major: Business Economics

The first time Tracey went rock climbing on a real rock she was able to climb all the way to the top, but not before scraping her whole left arm along the jagged wall and swearing like a sailor every time her foot slipped!

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