Every fall, Notre Dame sophomores and juniors consider options and sign leases for senior year off-campus housing offerings.
Undergraduate students are required to live on-campus for their first six semesters, with exemptions offered only on a case-by-case basis. The requests are considered by the Office of Residential Life.The cost of on-campus housing for the 2025-2026 academic term, including a meal plan, is $18,438.
The University has an Off-Campus Council to support students in their search, comprised of undergraduate students who live off-campus. The council hosted an informational session Tuesday discussing off-campus housing options. The University also runs a housing-searchwebsitewhich undergraduate and graduate students can utilize to discover housing options and connect with roommates.
Several options for housing exist within the South Bend area, including the Foundry, the 87, Irish Row, Legacy Village, University Edge and the Overlook. Students can also work with Realty Services likeIrish Gold Management to secure a house rather than an apartment.
The Foundry, located directly adjacent to campus on Eddy Street, offers a Planned Unit Development lifestyle featuring apartments above restaurants and shops through mixed-use infrastructure. The Foundry has a swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center, entertainment areas, study areas and garage parking. The website does not list prices for the one, two and three-bedroom units.
Reflecting on her decision to live at The Foundry, Alexandra Odland, a senior, said, “The biggest thing is that it’s in a PUD, so it has a combination of housing and shopping facilities, including Trader Joe’s. The most important thing for me was proximity to the gym and Debart.”
Odland commented on the two recent shootings reported on Eddy Street, stating, “I’ve lived in San Francisco, where I’ve felt unsafe, and Austin, Texas, where people openly carry guns, which was scary to me. There are bits and pieces of every city that will make everyone feel unsafe.”
She also described how living off-campus made her feel connected to the South Bend community, stating, “There is a stereotype that we are separate from South Bend. Yet, South Bend was here first, and Notre Dame is only a small piece of this puzzle.”
The 87 is within walking distance to campus, featuring apartment and townhouse layouts. Its amenities include fully furnished apartments, study spaces, a gym and a golf and sports simulator lounge. Studios start at $1,435 monthly, and one-bedroom apartments start at $1,780 monthly.
Ryan Hall junior Alexis McNally discussed her experience looking for off-campus housing and ultimate choice to live in the 87, stating, “We also looked at Irish Crossing, but we felt like the 87 fit us better. We all get our own bedroom and bathroom as well as a lot of amenities.”
Comparing the cost of living on and off campus, McNally said, “I will be saving money. The rent at the 87 is a little pricey, but I believe food-wise, I honestly have never come close to using my meal swipes in the dining hall. With that alone, I will definitely be saving money.”
Senior Quinn Drescher spoke positively about her experience with the apartments.
Describing her housing search, she said, “We started looking for housing in the fall of my sophomore year, and I remember it was when the 87 first started doing its initial marketing efforts.”
Drescher believes moving off-campus is important to prepare for life post-graduation. “I think it would be pretty startling to go from the dorms to the dining halls to living alone, so I think this is a good stepping stone,” she said.”I definitely have to plan out my eating schedule better and budget time for the grocery store. I have tried to meal prep a little and hold myself responsible. It’s been imperative to maintain a balance between eating habits, school, and social life.”
The University Edge, located north of campus within driving distance, provides another option for off-campus apartments.
University Edge offers a shuttle service to campus and grocery stores, a pool, an outdoor grilling area and a gym. One-bedroom apartments start at $1,350 a month and two-bedroom apartments start at $1,620 per month.
Senior Sarah David discussed her experience at University Edge, stating, “We evaluated The Foundry and the 87. University Edge ended up being the best for us in terms of price point, there’s like a 400-500 [dollar] difference between rent here at UE and the Foundry/87.”
David enjoys living off-campus. “I would say it is more efficient to live on campus, in terms of getting to class and having a meal plan. But that is not an inconvenience to me, as I do not mind driving and cooking,” she said.
Senior Erika Cucala Page chose to live in a house.”I’ve always wanted to be in a house and feel that independence. I felt that living in an apartment would be too dorm-like, and I wanted to feel more like a mature adult,” she said.”Though I loved living on-campus for three years, I just wanted to figure things out on my own. Plus, many of my friends moved off-campus, which made it even more important to be close to them.”
She echoed the sentiment that moving off campus helps prepare for life after Notre Dame. “Part of life and maturing, life is more than just studying. Simple things like laundry and cooking are very time-consuming when you’re used to being in a dorm,” she said.
Neither living in an apartment nor a house matched the needs or goals of juniorJacob Ovenshire.
“I’m going to try to be a residential assistant. I also signed up for the University’s promotion of committing to on-campus living in exchange for a $2,000 deduction from Room and Board,” Ovenshire said, referring tothe Senior Incentive Credit, through which the University offers a $2,000 credit to the first 200 sophomore students who commit to living on campus.