UofSC Off-Campus Housing: Where Students Live

Off-campus housing is where most University of South Carolina students live after freshman year, in a Greek house, an apartment near campus or a rented house in a nearby neighborhood. Here is how it works, what it costs and how far each option sits from class, with notes from Max, our Campus Lead in Columbia. Our private tours of USC and Columbia can walk the streets where upperclassmen rent.

Where do University of South Carolina students live after freshman year?

Most University of South Carolina students live off campus after freshman year: 69% of undergraduates lived off campus or commuted in fall 2025, according to the university's Common Data Set. Max describes the move as a sophomore-year step. The four main options:

• A fraternity or sorority house in Greek Village. "A lot of people sophomore year live in the fraternity house," Max says, and fraternities require at least two semesters in the house. Our guide to Greek life and rush at USC covers who gets a room.
• An apartment near campus. Max says apartments "span around the entire campus" but "favor one side," the side near the fraternity houses.
• An apartment downtown. Downtown, past the State House, has "some popular apartments," in Max's words, and the university's off-campus office lists it as close to campus.
• A rented house. Students rent houses in University Hill, Hollywood-Rose Hill, Olympia, Shandon and Wales Garden, according to the Post and Courier in October 2025.

How do off-campus leases work near USC?

Off-campus leases near USC work in five steps, according to the university's Off-Campus Living office:

1. Line up a co-signer. Landlords usually want income of "at least three times your monthly rent," or a co-signer who meets it. A parent can be the guarantor.
2. Confirm what the rent covers. Some rents include utilities and internet, others only the unit, so ask before you compare prices.
3. Sign for 12 months. "Most apartments require a 12-month lease," and some communities offer shorter terms. Some let a new tenant take over a lease, usually for a transfer fee.
4. Pay the up-front costs. Plan to cover the first month's rent, fees and deposits yourself. Financial aid can pay for housing, but refunds may arrive after the bills.
5. Get the deposit back. Landlords must return a security deposit within 30 days of move-out or your request, whichever is later, with a written list of any damages they keep it for.

How much does student housing near USC cost?

Student housing near USC costs about $1,100 a month per student on average, according to the rental site UHomes as reported by Carolina News and Reporter in November 2025. New buildings run higher: a complex at Huger and Assembly Streets that opens to students in fall 2026 listed four-bedroom rent from $1,275 per person.

Distance moves the price. "Often, the closer you live to campus, the higher the rent will be," the university's Off-Campus Living office says.

A chapter house is the other trade-off. Max chose an apartment over his fraternity house, though the house "would have been cheaper and closer to my classes." House costs are set by each chapter and listed per semester in the Fraternity and Sorority Life guidebook. Rents change every year, so treat these as November 2025 numbers.

How far are student apartments from the USC campus?

Student apartments near USC range from a minute's walk to a 20 to 30 minute walk from the fraternity houses, in Max's description. One complex is "literally a minute" from them, he says, and others sit a 20 to 30 minute walk away.

Greek Village itself is 12 to 15 minutes on foot from the Thomas Cooper Library fountain, by OpenStreetMap walking times, so an apartment near the fraternity houses puts a student on the south side of campus.

Farther out, the Off-Campus Living office's find housing page puts West Columbia, across the Gervais Street bridge, at a 5 to 10 minute drive, and Cayce a short drive over a bridge. Budget for gas and parking if your student lives that far out. Our one-day Columbia visit plan covers parking near campus.

What should we check before signing a lease near USC?

Before signing a lease near USC, check the full monthly cost, the commute and the neighborhood, using the university's renter checklist:

• What the rent includes, whether a utility cap applies, and what happens if the bill goes over it.
• The commute: gas, parking and whether the complex runs a campus shuttle.
• Furniture: whether the unit comes furnished, and whether that costs extra.
• Safety: the area's crime map, checked against the local police agency's own numbers.
• The occupancy rule: the City of Columbia allows no more than three unrelated people in a single-family home.
• The Greek house option: for a fraternity or sorority member, compare the apartment with living in, as Max did.

A private tour with a current USC student can include the neighborhoods upperclassmen rent in, for $150 per family.

Frequently asked questions

Do USC freshmen have to live on campus?

Yes, USC freshmen have to live on campus: "All first-year students at the University of South Carolina are required to live on campus," according to University Housing. Students can file an appeal to live off campus, per the Off-Campus Living office. In fall 2025, 96% of first-years lived in college housing.

Can four friends rent a house together in Columbia?

No, four unrelated friends cannot rent a single-family house together in Columbia. A City of Columbia ordinance limits single-family homes to no more than three unrelated people, whoever owns the property, according to the university's Off-Campus Living office. The office asks renters to confirm a house complies before signing.

Where do USC students find apartment listings?

USC students find apartment listings on Garnet Living, the Daily Gamecock's searchable list of student-friendly housing, and on the Off-Campus Living message board, which students log into with their network ID to find roommates and sublets. The office answers questions at 803-777-3366.