Free guides for international students
Practical, updated guides — written for international students who've never rented in the US before. All free, no signup needed.
City Guide
Chicago international student housing guide (2026)
The complete 2026 guide to off-campus housing in Chicago for international students at UChicago, IIT, UIC, DePaul, and Loyola. Neighborhoods, prices, leases, scams to avoid.
18 min read · Updated May 2026
University Guide
UChicago Fall 2026 housing timeline (admit → move in)
Month-by-month checklist for UChicago grad students: when to start searching, when leases drop, when to fly in for viewings, when to sign. Tuned for the Fall 2026 admit cycle.
8 min read · Updated May 2026
University Guide
IIT Chicago housing for Indian students (2026)
Where Indian grad students at IIT Chicago actually live: Lake Meadows, Bronzeville, South Loop. Costs, commute, food, cultural community, and how to find roommates.
11 min read · Updated May 2026
Community
WeChat housing groups for UChicago students (verified list, 2026)
The actual WeChat groups Chinese UChicago students use to find housing, sublets, roommates, and furniture. Updated for the Fall 2026 admit cycle.
6 min read · Updated May 2026
How-To
How to rent a US apartment with no credit history (2026 guide)
Every legal workaround for international students with no US credit. Guarantor services compared, landlord scripts that work, prepayment options, and how to get an SSN later.
12 min read · Updated May 2026
How-To
Visa, SSN, bank, phone — your first 30 days in the US (2026)
The exact order to do everything when you land in the US as an international student. Visa stamping, I-94, SSN, bank account, phone plan, lease signing.
9 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
International student monthly budget calculator (US, 2026)
Calculate your real cost of living as an international grad student in any US city. Rent + food + transit + insurance + visa fees + everything else.
4 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
Roommate rent split calculator (equal or income-weighted)
Split rent fairly with roommates — equal split or income-weighted. Avoid the post-move-in awkward conversation about who pays what.
3 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
US rent in your home currency — instant converter (2026)
Translate US rent into INR, CNY, KRW, JPY, EUR, GBP, and 16 more currencies. Plus the cheapest ways to actually move money to the US.
4 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
US cost of living comparison for grad students (2026)
Side-by-side monthly costs for international grad students across Chicago, NYC, Boston, Bay Area, LA, Pittsburgh, and Seattle. Same stipend, very different lifestyle.
5 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
Lease deadline tracker — never miss a move-out or renewal date
Generate the complete calendar of every date that matters in your US lease. Renewal notices, security deposit return windows by state.
4 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
Apartment viewing checklist (printable, 2026)
Forty things every international student should check before signing a US lease. Print it, tick the boxes, never get scammed. Replaces 2025 PDF version.
5 min read · Updated May 2026
Tool
First-month US apartment shopping list (printable, 2026)
The minimum survival kit for your first 7 days in a new US apartment — sleep, kitchen, cleaning, furniture. With realistic budgets ($400 used to $2,500 new).
5 min read · Updated May 2026
Illinois + Chicago renter rights for international students (2026)
Security deposit law, habitability standards, eviction process, and where to get free legal help in Illinois and Chicago RLTO coverage areas.
7 min read · Updated May 2026
New York renter rights for international students (HSTPA, 2026)
NYC rent stabilization, security deposit caps, broker fees, eviction protections. Everything Columbia and NYU international students need to know.
7 min read · Updated May 2026
California renter rights for international students (AB 1482, 2026)
Statewide rent cap, just-cause eviction, security deposit (now 1 month), local rules in Berkeley, Oakland, SF, LA. For Stanford, UCB, UCLA, USC students.
8 min read · Updated May 2026
Massachusetts renter rights for international students (2026)
MA security deposit law (the strictest in the US), Sanitary Code, eviction process, and where to get free help in Cambridge and Boston.
7 min read · Updated May 2026