By Roland Fischer
Director of International Admissions
St. Cloud State University

In recent years many Asians are choosing to go to America (Canada or the US) to seek a university undergraduate or graduate degree. No doubt the international student will spend untold hours gleaning bits of information from those who have first-hand knowledge and, perhaps, those who collect hearsay or rumor. Actually, there exists no definitive work detailing all the information of interest to an international student preparing to study in America. From among the vast body of pertinent information relevant to overseas study, let us examine student housing options: on-campus, off-campus, and homestay. It is wise to make an informed choice long before arriving on campus.

Although each university has its own particular circumstances relevant to student housing, some general points can be made. Of on-campus housing, it can be said that the advantages and disadvantages are common to all US universities. For instance, on-campus dormitories are generally more convenient and safer, especially for newcomers to the American culture. Of course, some universities located in large cities have no on-campus dormitories, while some universities located in small towns have very little off-campus housing. Homestay with an American family is not easily obtained at comprehensive universities. However, short courses may be arranged which offer homestay for the duration of the course. This option requires careful screening of volunteer families by US university officials, so there is little risk to the international student.

The risk associated with contracting to rent an apartment or room is somewhat higher, but if several students share housing, the security risk is minimized. The advantages are obvious: cooking facilities, and unsupervised activities. The disadvantages are often less understood or acknowledged: problems associated with transportation, roommates, housekeeping, laundry, noise, neighbors, budgets and landlords. Many international students find that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Although shopping and walking to school or taking a city bus is inconvenient, sometimes extremely inconvenient, many students solve the problem by purchasing an automobile, but the budget is profoundly affected by this move. Cars are relatively cheap, but insurance, gasoline, and repairs are not.

For the first year in a new environment, international students and their anxious parents may wish to contract the university for on-campus housing in a dormitory. This is the usual choice of American parents also, especially for the 18 to 20 year old first year student. Living on-campus is very convenient and often saves money in the long run. A letter to the Housing Director is all that is required to get the cost estimates and options: single/double room, 1,2, or 3 meals a day, and location of the "dorm" room from other classroom buildings. The serious student appreciates the proximity to the library, professors' offices, administration offices, and international student services. All students enjoy the recreational services offered on campus: movies, dances, sports, individual clubs, exercise rooms and swimming pool, to mention only a few activities. Living on-campus frees the student's time to concentrate on study and learning the campus and the lifestyle of American students. What better way to make friends?

Living in a "dorm" also provides a greater degree of security. This may not be a major concern in small towns but in larger towns students must use varying degrees of caution, especially when walking about alone at night. Campuses in America generally have a campus security force for student protection. Of course off-campus housing is serviced by city police departments, who may or may not feel sympathetic to noisy quarrelsome university students.

In many US universities, student "dorm" rooms have access to free cable television, internet services, basic phone for local calls, and mail delivery/message service. While it is the absolute truth that dormitories are often too noisy for serious concentration on lessons, the lessons of life are well-learned in this teeming population of students.

Soon after arrival, students are caught up into groups of like-minded friends who share information and activities together. This is a certain antidote to homesickness and fear of the unknown.

One more feature of the on-campus experience that should be mentioned is the paid-in-advance food service. Most universities offer a large student dining room with three all-you-can-eat meals each day, however, most international students soon find that this option has more meals than they can consume and is even wasteful. If a student cannot attend each and every scheduled meal at the time it is provided, he or she receives no refund. Students are often heard offering their meal tickets to friends and classmates because they do not want to rise at an early hour or, they have a class scheduled for the noon hour. One or two meals usually suffice because other options are readily available. For instance, student union buildings usually have full dining services for students. The only disadvantage of using these services exclusively is that a student's food budget spent at these facilities is uneven and slightly more expensive. Calculated against potential waste, however, a student who is a good money manager may wish to be free of the paid-in-advance meal program.

Lodging with other students in an on-campus dormitory has enough real disadvantages to consider off-campus housing, but parents and first year students might find that the convenience of campus life is a sizable advantage. For young students, the security aspect of living on campus is often the deciding factor for parents.