Off-Campus Housing

While the majority of Barnard students do live on-campus, some students may choose to commute from home or find an apartment off-campus.

Columbia's Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA) office assists Barnard & Columbia students in their search for rental housing in non-College-owned buildings located in the metropolitan area. OCHA manages a database of available rooms and apartments known as the Housing Registry and provides information on the rental real estate market in New York City. In addition, OCHA offers one-on-one housing search counseling and is supported in these efforts by our cooperative relationships with two New York City real estate/relocation agencies. OCHA is located at 401 West 119th Street (between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive) and can be called at 212-854-2773.

Students who choose to live off-campus are packaged as a "commuter" instead of as a "residential" student by the Financial Aid office (which can result in up to $11,000 less available aid). Students who are thinking of living off-campus are strongly encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss how it could affect their financial aid package.

Please also note that students receive a guarantee of housing only if they continue to live on-campus. Students who choose to move off-campus will no longer be eligible to participate in Room Selection (i.e. pick a room in the Housing Lottery, live in CU Greek housing, apply for a Special Interest Community, apply for a Disability Housing Accommodation, or be a RA- or ODS pull-in).  Students who wish to move back onto campus may only apply for housing through the Non-Guaranteed Wait List.

Housing options like The Bayit and International House are not considered part of undergraduate housing nor part of the Barnard/Columbia Housing Exchange. Students who move into these locations would cease to be eligible for participation in Room Selection and would loose their guarantee of housing for future semesters. Additionally, students who choose to live in these locations would be classified by the Barnard Financial Aid office as living off-campus and could eligible for less financial aid. If you have any questions about choosing to live in a location that is not coordinated through the Barnard/Columbia Housing Exchange, please speak to both Residential Life & Housing and the Financial Aid office.