Housing Options for International Students at New York Tech Vancouver

Finding suitable housing as an international student is an essential part of your experience at New York Tech Vancouver. We understand the importance of providing support in this aspect, and we are committed to helping you find suitable accommodation. Here are some housing options we recommend:

• Family and Friends: Reach out to any family members or friends in Vancouver who may be able to offer you accommodation. Living with someone you know can provide a sense of familiarity and support during your time as a student.
• The GEC (Global Education City): Consider the GEC, the largest off-campus student housing provider in Vancouver. They offer a range of housing options specifically designed for students. GEC Living has 1,000 beds in five buildings across Metro Vancouver, and they are planning to add approximately 260 more beds to their portfolio. You can check the availability of housing units at Vancouver GEC by visiting their official website at https://gecliving.com/ or by contacting their Student Services Office for more information.
• Van Sweet Home: specializes in finding students a property in size, location, and price you want. They help you find accommodation without needing to be in Canada – this means, you can begin finding your new home before you get here! They will help go to the homes for you, as well as once you arrive, they will even help with walking you through basic housing “need-to-knows” and tips, like hydro, electricity, hot water, internet, etc.
• VanMates also helps in finding housing solutions for international students. They offer varied housing solutions incuding co-living, homestay, and special housing. Find out more through their website
• Canada Homestay Network is a program management firm in Canada. You will be matched with a host based on your background, interests, lifestyle, and educational goals.
• Rental Platforms: Explore rental platforms that cater to the needs of students. Here are some platforms we recommend:
  • Liv.Rent: liv.rent is a Vancouver-based all-in-one rental platform that offers a modern and enjoyable rental hunting experience.
  • Places4Students: This platform has partnered with over 190 campuses and schools across North America, making it a highly suggested rental website for students. Places4Students ensures a safe and convenient search for off-campus housing accommodations, with rare instances of fraud or scam attempts.
  • OCH101: OCH101 is an online rental platform that assists colleges, universities, and local landlords in managing off-campus housing. It offers a larger variety of school listings compared to Places4Students.
  • Zumper: Zumper is another popular online rental platform in Vancouver. It provides a wide range of housing options for long-term, monthly, and vacation rentals.
  • Facebook Marketplace: While Facebook Marketplace can be useful for finding shared accommodations, we advise caution when dealing with unknown individuals to avoid potential scam arrangements.
• New York Tech Vancouver’s Facebook Group is an informal social media group not run by staff or faculty, and is completely student-run, to help students find housing opportunities (ex. a lease to take over/sublet, potential roommates, etc).
• Cypress Accommodations Cypress Accommodations operates numerous student residences in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Contact adm@cypressaccommodations.com for more details.

In addition to these rental platforms, you may also find helpful Facebook groups focused on housing in Vancouver. Here are a few groups you might consider joining:

• Vancouver Housing, Rooms, Apartments, Sublets
• Vancouver – Rent apartments Houses Rooms
• Vancouver apartments/houses for rent/rentals/roommates/room share/liv.rent
• Housing and Sublets in Vancouver (rentals)

Some basic tips for renting:

• View the rental unit or apartment before you transfer or give the landlord any money
• Pay using a cheque or money order. If you pay by cash, request a receipt
• Be careful of housing scams
• Try to find accommodation based on its proximity to public transit

Some additional information on renting in Vancouver can be found here: https://tenants.bc.ca

For any newcomers to Canada, we would advise NOT to attempt to sign a lease to rent your own place right away. Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who try to steal people’s money, and newly arriving international students tend to be in a higher risk category. Even if you would prefer to rent your own place, we strongly encourage you to choose a reputable short-term accommodation option such as those listed above for at least your first few months to allow you time to familiarize yourself with the local area and to view any property before signing a lease.

We hope these housing options and platforms will assist you in finding a comfortable and suitable place to live while studying at New York Tech Vancouver. Remember, our Student Services Office is always ready to support you in your housing search and answer any questions you may have.