Below is a list of housing resources that will help you locate housing in San Francisco and the Bay Area. These housing options are provided for general information only. ISSO is unable to recommend nor endorse any specific housing option or service.
UCSF Housing Services
1505 4th Street, Suite 101, San Francisco
UCSF Housing Services offers robust resources for international students and scholars. In addition, Housing Services has an off-campus housing list on their website that is updated regularly and can assist you in finding apartments, flats, summer subleases, accommodations to share, and private rooms in homes. You can also call or visit the office Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for more assistance.
UCSF Housing Information Listserv
The UCSF Graduate Division hosts a housing information listserv moderated by members of the Graduate Students' Association, which may help you to find a housing situation on or off campus. This listserv was established in 2014 and is gradually coming into wider use. To subscribe follow these directions exactly:
- Send a one-line email message from the email address you want to use to receive housing information.
- In the "To" field, enter: [email protected]
- Leave the "Subject" field blank! Do not enter any text here.
- In the body of the message, enter: subscribe housing-info yourfirstname yourlastname
(Obviously, substitute in your own first and last names.)
To post a housing or roommate opportunity to the listserv, just send an email with the relevant information to "housing-info [at] listserv [dot] ucsf [dot] edu" and follow the prompts.
Please note: The housing-info listserv is offered as a convenience. UCSF makes no warranties as to any of the housing opportunities publicized on the listserv. The listserv is not sponsored by UCSF Housing Services. And a word of caution: Do not rent housing site unseen. To protect your identity, do not submit to credit or background checks until you have met the landlord or agent in person.
A popular local website to help you with finding roommates, shared housing, rooms in private homes, or your own apartment, flat or house. You can also use Craig’s List to find used furniture and appliances for sale and even items for free!
Airbnb is a good housing option for short term arrangements. You can rent an apartment for a night or a home for a month.
HotPads is a map-based apartment and home rental search engine, listing apartments, homes for rent, real estate, condos and rental houses.
PadMapper plots apartments on a big map and lets you filter for exactly what you want. There are also overlays to help you learn about the different areas.
Housing Dorm/Supplies
Below are online retailers of college dorm room and small apartment supplies such as bedding, linens, towels, cutlery, washroom accessories, etc.