Housing at the University of Illinois

Whether you've come to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana for the excellent engineering program, the beautiful campus or the just the opportunity to go to a Big Ten school, you're going to need to figure out where to live! While you're in college you have the ability to try a lot of different living arrangements, so take advantage of them.

If you're an incoming student, there's a good chance that you'll be landing in a dorm. While exemptions are made for married students, non-traditional students and students living nearby with family, the university prefers that their freshmen live in the dorms for their first year. All dorms have access to a cafeteria, either in the building or less than a block away, so your choice should be based on location or environment.

For instance, Illinois Street Residences is excellent for engineering student due to its proximity to the engineering campus, while the Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall is women-only. Close to Lincoln, you'll find Allen Hall. Allen Hall is the home of the Unit One program, which offers specialized classes for credit within the dorm. For a more relaxed atmosphere, head to the 6PAC, the two residence halls found on Peabody Drive and Gregory Drive. While a bit distant from the main action of campus, Pennsylvania Avenue Residences and Florida Street Residences have a friendly environment and because of the nearby art building is preferred by art students.

Once you've decided to leave the dorms behind, you'll have plenty of housing opportunities to choose from. Think about what you want in terms of neighborhood and environment, as well as proximity to the campus. Also keep in mind that you will to decide on which town you prefer, as the University sits on the line between Champaign and Urbana.

If you prefer to keep within in walking distance of the campus, you'll have plenty of options. For a noisy, exciting time, consider the areas immediately bordering Green St, the main commercial strip of Campustown. Though it can get a bit loud, you'll be surrounded by fellow students and have excellent access to the many restaurants and services found nearby. If you prefer a quieter existence, take a look for housing in Urbana, just east of Lincoln Avenue. This area is a pleasant mix of locals and students and you'll find the atmosphere to be more laid back. Living east of Lincoln will bring you closer to downtown Urbana, Lincoln Square Mall, as well as the entertaining Farmer's Market during the warmer months.

If you're considering living further from campus, you have many choices open to you. Keep in mind how you're planning to get to campus, and if you don't want to walk and have already decided that driving to campus is not for you, make sure your new home is on a bus route. Champaign-Urbana has an excellent bus system and you'll find that the Red and the Green are prefect for travel to and from the University. The sesquicentennial neighborhood of Champaign is a pleasant one, with lower rents than you'll find on campus, beautiful Victorian architecture and access to West Side Park and downtown Champaign.

When you're considering housing, remember that the campus offers the services of the U of I Tenant Union, which can help you with everything from issues with your landlord to finding out information on complaints from previous tenants. Do a bit of research, and you can make sure that your living experience in Champaign-Urbana is a good one!