Transfer Terps- Step 4

While the University of Maryland would like to provide housing for all of its students, it often cannot accommodate all of its new Terps. Thus, it is imperative that you begin your search for off-campus housing immediately. We recommend that you do not wait until your Orientation date to search for housing.

The University’s Off-Campus Housing Services office has many resources to assist you with your housing search, including OCH101, an online searchable database that lists available rental housing in the College Park and surrounding areas; Roommate Finder, another online searchable database which makes finding a roommate easy, and numerous informational resources.

Stop by the office in 1110 Stamp Student Union for personal assistance or visit their website, www.och.umd.edu, for all of their materials and services.

Off-Campus Housing Services recommends the following steps to find housing:

Begin with broad options and narrow down as you go.
Prioritize what type of housing you want to live in.
Develop a financial budget for rent, utilities, food, transportation, entertainment, and emergency costs. The cost of living off campus without a meal plan is about $5,000 per academic year. The cost of living in the residence halls with a meal plan is about $8,000 per academic year. Generally, living in a house with roommates is usually cheaper than living in an apartment on your own.
Consider what types of transportation are available and convenient. Check to see if there is a Shuttle-UM stop close to your place of residence. Many local apartment communities are on the Shuttle-UM routes.
Make appointments with a few landlords and visit their properties before signing a lease.
Check for safety by: Visiting the property at night to see about lighting, parking, and other security considerations and by reading the Local Area Profiles handout (pdf version). You can also go to the Prince George’s County crime mapping website to for detailed crime information for the last three months at: www.goprincegeorgescounty.com/
Signing a lease protects you as a renter. You can get a free sample lease from the office of Undergraduate Student Legal Aid, 1235 Stamp Student Union. You can also contact them by calling 301-314-7756 or on the web at: www.studentorg.umd.edu/legalaid/. Staff can also review a lease to make sure it is legitimate and that there are no abnormal provisions.

Shuttle-UM and Metro
Traveling to UM from off-campus is not as daunting as it may seem. The Department of Transportation Services provides many ways for students to get to the University from the surrounding areas. By visiting transportation.umd.edu you can see all of the commuter, evening and night options for traveling to and from the campus. Currently there are 19 free commuter buses that transport student to and from campus daily including one route which connects the College Park Metro to the main campus.

Parking on Campus
If you plan to park on campus, it is important for you to register for a parking permit. Parking permits are required in most lots where there are not meters. There are also daily pay parking garages and metered lots. Determine how much time you will spend on campus each week and if it is financially smart for you to purchase parking permits or just park in the daily pay parking garages. Annual parking permits cost about $200; semester-only permits cost about $125; short-term garage parking is $2/hour. Keep in mind that tickets for parking without a permit are $75 each! Visit www.transportation.umd.edu for more information on where you can park, specific costs, and registration procedures. Please see Step 9 for more information.

Please contact the Orientation Office at 301-314-8217 or at askorientation@umd.edu if you have any comments, questions or concerns.