Studying in Seattle offers students a wide range of academic and work opportunities, as well as the chance to live in a city that embraces the arts, cultural diversity, and is known for being intellectually open.

Call one of the most dynamic cities in the United States home by booking off-campus student housing with Student.com. We offer student apartments in the buzzing University District close to some of the city’s theatres, cinemas, and iconic coffeehouses, as well as the University of Washington campus.

Our student housing options in Seattle offer modern, unfurnished and furnished apartments that come with the necessary student amenities.

Need help with booking one of our student apartments? Do not hesitate to call us or type your query through live chat on our website.

Get to know Seattle

Seattle is a seaport city that is located in the state of Washington, United States.

It is the largest metropolis in the Pacific Northwest and is one of the biggest and most affluent urban centres in the United States.

Seattle is a dynamic city that is at the forefront of scientific, medical, and technological research and innovation. It is where Starbucks originated and is the city that also brought you Bill Gates, Pearl Jam, Nordstrom, and the Museum of Pop Culture.

It's also where many of the great 1990s films and TV shows, including Sleepless in Seattle, Singles, and Frasier, were set.

Seattle is a bustling city that buzzes around the clock with industrial, commercial, and cultural activity. Its waters are often filled with oceangoing ships, its rail lines with transcontinental freight and passenger trains, its skies with commercial and cargo airliners, and streets with automobiles of every description.

Home to a diverse range of industries with multinational corporations and emerging new businesses, the city continues to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship.

Although Seattle is renowned as a city on the cutting edge, and a commercial, industrial and financial centre, it’s also an eclectic city that is bursting with creative spirit.

An arts and culture epicentre

Seattle is a great city for arts, sports, and culture. A regional centre for classical performing arts, the city boasts dozens of museums, galleries, and large arenas.

Learn about Seattle’s long and storied music history at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) or experience the centre for world-class visual arts in the Pacific Northwest by visiting the Seattle Art Museum downtown.

The artsy, bohemian neighbourhood of Fremont features art, public murals, and sculptures, and is fun and quirky with eclectic eateries, local shopping, and unique landmarks.

Natural beauty

The dynamic urban enclave is nestled between Lake Washington to the east, and Puget Sound to the west. Surrounded by areas filled with lush natural greenery, Seattle is called the ‘Emerald City’ for a reason.

Known for water recreation and sight-seeing cruises, the city’s mild climate offers many opportunities for outdoor activities throughout the year.

Student life in Seattle

From trendy coffee shops to concerts, thrilling sporting events, world-class attractions, and a thriving arts and culture scene to stunning natural beauty, there are many reasons to love living and learning in Seattle.

Show off your vocal skills at a karaoke club, admire priceless works of art, shop at indie boutiques and designer fashion stores, explore the city’s diverse neighbourhoods, and enjoy the adventure of its naturally beautiful landscape.

Filled with entertainment

Get a feel of Seattle’s strong live music culture at venues like Neptune Theatre, and the Kraken Lounge.

Broadway Avenue is a hip street with many interesting shops, fancy restaurants, and cool areas to hang out. The Capitol Hill neighbourhood, adjacent to the University of Washington campus, is filled with eclectic venues and is home to a thriving fringe theatre scene. Walk to the Balagan Theater, Theater Schmeater, ReAct, or the Annex Theater.

Make sure to check out the largest film festival in North America, the International Film Festival, which brings more than 250 films from 50 countries to the city each spring.

Ripe for adventure

With so much natural beauty, the ‘Emerald City’ is filled with plenty of opportunities for adventure. Take a whale watching tour along the Pacific coastline, or paddle, boat, sail, and fish on some of the most welcoming waters in America.

Prefer to relax? Kerry Park, a half-hectare green space on the slope of Queen Anne Hill, offers stunning panoramic skyline views of the city, especially at night. Plus, the glaciers of North Cascades National Park, the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park, and the majesty of Mount Rainier National Park, are all within a few hours’ drive from the city.

Strong coffee culture

If you are a coffee fiend, you will definitely enjoy Seattle's mix of big brand cafés and independent coffee houses.

Fuelled by caffeine, Seattle is the birthplace of modern coffee culture. The home of Starbucks has one of the greatest concentrations of coffeehouses in any city in the U.S.

From brands such as Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, and Caffe Vita, boutique roaster Victrola Coffee, and Cloud City Coffee, to neighbourhood hangouts Bauhaus Coffee and Books, each café has its own flavour.

And with more bookstores per capita than any other city in the USA and coffee in or near each one, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sip some tasty coffee while enjoying a good book.

Where to study in Seattle?

Top universities in Seattle

• The University of Washington
• Seattle Central Community College
• Seattle University
• North Seattle Community College
• City University of Seattle
• South Seattle Community College
• Seattle Pacific University

Seattle has two ranked universities featured in the 2022 QS World University Rankings, the University of Washington and Seattle University.

The University of Washington

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington (UW) is one of the largest and most prestigious universities on the west coast of the US.

It’s also one of the world’s preeminent public universities placing inside the top 100 in the 2022 Times Higher Education (29th) and QS World University Rankings (85th) respectively.

UW’s 700-acre park-like main campus, which borders two lakes in Seattle, is home to 16 schools and colleges offering courses ranging from undergraduate to doctoral level. The university also has campuses in Bothell and Tacoma that offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

UW ranks highly in QS’s Subject Rankings, placing 2nd for its Undergraduate programs and 16th for Postgraduate programs. Its medical school, which offers training in dentistry, medicine, and public health, is highly respected and serves medical centres across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

Known informally as ‘U-Dub,’ the university has produced several Nobel laureates with eight Pulitzer Prize winners among its alumni. Other notable “Huskies” include martial arts legend Bruce Lee, MySpace founder Chris DeWolfe, and actor Jim Caviezel.

Seattle University

Founded in 1891, Seattle University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit Catholic university.

Its 50-acre campus is located in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighbourhood, the vibrant entertainment and counter-culture haven. More than 7,000 students are enrolled in 64 undergraduate, 28 graduate, and 22 graduate certificate programs throughout its nine schools and colleges.

The Albers School of Business and Economics, which regularly features among the best business schools on the western end of America, and the College of Arts and Sciences are among the schools.

The university’s downtown campus is equipped with a number of notable features and buildings, including the award-winning Chapel of St. Ignatius, the Centennial Fountain, and the historic Piggot Hall.

Seattle University has a rich sports history. The Redhawks have produced several basketball stars, including NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor. Its basketball team is among only a handful of teams to have beaten the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.

Frequently asked questions about student apartments in Seattle

How do I apply for off-campus housing in Seattle on Student.com?

Applying for off-campus housing in Seattle on Student.com is easy.

After finding a property you want to rent, go to the property page by clicking ‘View rooms’. On the property page you’ll need to choose the type of room you’d like to live in. After making your choice, click ‘Book Now’ or ‘Enquire’. You’ll be asked to leave your contact details and one of our booking consultants will shortly be in contact with you to answer any questions you may still have and to help you complete the booking process.

What are the different types of rooms you offer?

We offer three different types of rooms in Seattle:

Shared Room – in this room type you’ll share a bedroom with a roommate. The bathroom and kitchen are also shared.

Private Room – this room type offers a private bedroom. Depending on the property, your bathroom may be either private or shared. Other facilities are shared with other students.

Entire Place – as the name suggests, you’ll get a fully self-contained property all to yourself. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette and won’t have to share any of these facilities with anybody else.

Are bills included in the rent?

Some of the properties we list include all or some of the bills, while others don’t have any bills included. A bit under half of all the properties we currently list in Seattle have all bills included in the rent.

You can check on the property page which bills, if any, are included in the property you’re interested in booking. You can also use the filters on this page to only look at properties with bills included.

Do you list fully furnished apartments?

Yes. Most of the apartments we list in Seattle are rented fully furnished. This is not the case with all apartments though, so make sure you check on the property page if the place you’re interested in is rented furnished or not.

Can I also book summer housing on Student.com?

Yes, you can book to stay in your housing during the summer as well.