The Complete OSU Off-Campus Housing Guide

How the OSU Housing Market Works

Off-campus housing near Ohio State moves on its own calendar, and it starts earlier than most students expect. By the time move-in day arrives in August, the students who will live there the following year are already touring buildings. Search activity around campus climbs every September and October, and the most walkable, best-designed buildings near High Street tend to fill from the inside out: current residents renew first, then the best remaining layouts go to whoever is ready to sign.

Leasing early is not about pressure, it is about selection. The earlier you start, the more floor plans are still open, the easier it is to coordinate with roommates before anyone else claims the layout you wanted, and the more time you have to compare total cost, not just headline rent, across the buildings you're considering.

Leasing Timeline

Understanding Your Options

INTRO Columbus offers 17 floor plans, from studios through six-bedroom layouts, ranging from 477 to 2,012 square feet. Every plan is leased individually, by the bed, and every unit comes fully furnished, so the floor plan decision comes down to how much space and privacy you want, and how many people you're comfortable sharing a home with.

Floor Plan Categories

By-the-Bed Leasing

What "Furnished" Means Here

Every INTRO Columbus apartment arrives fully furnished, so you aren't buying, moving, or assembling a bedroom set before the semester starts. For the specific furniture package and finishes in each floor plan, visit the floor plans page or ask leasing during a tour.

Understanding Your Costs

The rent number on a floor plan page is rarely the full monthly picture. What's included in that number, and what gets billed separately, changes the real cost of living in a building more than most students expect. Before you compare two apartments, compare total monthly cost, not just the headline rent.

What's Included in Rent at INTRO Columbus

Sample Monthly Budget

Application & Move-In Costs

Application fees, administrative fees, security deposits, and any guarantor waiver program fee all vary and are set at the time of leasing. Contact leasing for the current amounts before you apply.

Base Rent vs. Total Monthly Cost

Base rent is the listed price for your floor plan only. Total monthly cost is base rent plus utilities billed by usage, any required fees like trash service, and anything else you choose to add, like parking.

How to Qualify

INTRO Columbus offers more than one way to qualify for a lease, so students at different stages, with different financial situations, can find a pathway that works. Each option below is a neutral business criterion, available to any applicant who meets it.

US Guarantor

A co-signer who is a US resident with a Social Security number can guarantee your lease, subject to standard credit and income screening.

Self-Qualification

If you have your own qualifying income and credit history, you can apply without a guarantor, subject to the same credit and income standards.

Security Deposit

You can qualify by paying a security deposit at signing instead of using a guarantor. The deposit is refundable, subject to a move-out inspection. Ask leasing for the current deposit amount.

Guarantor Waiver Program

A third-party waiver program lets you qualify without a US guarantor and without a traditional security deposit, for a monthly program fee. This pathway is built around one objective criterion: no US credit history or Social Security number is required to use it, and it's available to any applicant who chooses it, not limited to any particular group. A passport or visa document is accepted as ID, and leases can typically be signed remotely.

Your Neighborhood

INTRO Columbus sits at 1497 N High St, right along the High Street corridor that runs through Ohio State's University District, near the 15th Avenue gateway into campus. It's a stretch of the city that's been rebuilding around student life for years, from the University Square South redevelopment at 15th and High to the long-established restaurants, coffee shops, and late-night spots that line High Street north and south.

Getting to Campus

Dining & Coffee

High Street is dense with options within a short walk or bus ride, including Buckeye Donuts, Condado Tacos, and Local Cantina, along with the cafes and quick-service spots clustered around campus. Northstar Cafe on North High Street is a popular sit-down option a bit farther north.

Groceries

Target's Ohio State location on High Street carries a full grocery assortment along with pharmacy and everyday essentials. Kroger's North High Street location is accessible by CABS or COTA for a larger weekly grocery run.

Entertainment

Gateway Film Center and Newport Music Hall are both within the campus area for movies and live music, and the Short North Arts District, just south on High Street, adds galleries, boutiques, and its monthly Gallery Hop.

Healthcare

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is within reach of campus for hospital-level care, and Wilce Student Health Center at 1875 Millikin Rd handles day-to-day student health needs, from primary care to immunizations, for all enrolled students.

Life at INTRO Columbus

INTRO Columbus is built from mass timber, with 10-foot ceilings and large windows in every unit, a biophilic design approach that brings natural light and material warmth into everyday student life, rather than concentrating wellness into a single amenity space. It's a different way of thinking about a student building: the architecture itself is doing some of the work most communities ask a gym or a lounge to do alone.

Every Apartment Includes

Fully furnished living, 10-foot ceilings, and large windows in every unit, along with internet included in rent. INTRO Columbus is also pet friendly, so bringing a pet along doesn't mean ruling the building out.

Services & Leasing

For a full look at community spaces and current amenities, visit the floor plans page or schedule a tour.

Reading Your Lease

A lease is a legally binding document, and the terms inside it matter more than most students expect until something goes wrong. Ohio State's Student Legal Services offers free lease reviews to enrolled students, and it's worth using that resource before you sign anything.

Core Lease Terms

Questions to Ask Before Signing

1. Move-in date and key pickup: when and how you'll get access to your unit.
2. First rent due date: when your first payment is actually due.
3. What's included: confirm internet, and how electric, water/sewer, and trash are billed.
4. Early termination penalty: what it costs to break the lease if plans change.
5. Subletting rules: whether you can hand off your bedroom mid-lease.
6. Deposit return timeline: how and when you get your deposit back.
7. Guest and noise policy: what's allowed in shared common areas.
8. Renewal deadline: the date you need to decide by if you want to stay another year.
9. Maintenance response time: how quickly repair requests are typically handled.
10. Parking cost and pet policy: current rates and any pet fees.

Move-In Checklist

Because INTRO Columbus is fully furnished, your move-in list is shorter than a typical off-campus move. Here's what to bring, and what to do on day one.

What to Bring

Day One

1. Document your unit's condition: photos of every room protect your security deposit.
2. Set up the resident portal: for rent payments and maintenance requests.
3. Connect to internet: it's included in rent, so this should be immediate.
4. Test appliances and report issues: flag anything within 24 hours of move-in.
5. Pick up access cards or fobs: from the leasing office.
6. Locate emergency exits: know your way out before you need to.

How to Apply

1. Schedule a tour: in person or virtually.
2. Choose a floor plan: from the 17 studio through 6-bedroom layouts.
3. Select a qualification method: guarantor, self-qualify, deposit, or the waiver program.
4. Submit your application online: through the leasing office.
5. Sign your lease: digitally, with remote signing available.
6. Pay any required upfront fees: confirm current amounts with leasing.
7. Receive your move-in confirmation: and start planning your move.

Leasing Contact

Quick Reference

Key Dates

Useful University Resources