Getting Settled at Michigan
Whether you are moving out of the dorms into your own apartment, or are new to Ann Arbor and searching for off-campus housing for the first time, issues related to your living situation can be stressful.
- Housing: Many graduate students are coming from out of state or out of the country and need assistance finding a place to live. Your concerns may include finding housing close to classes, keeping housing costs in check, locating in a peaceful neighborhood, or researching the area’s school system if you have children. The U-M housing website has information on graduate, family, and off-campus housing, and staff is available to assist you your questions.
- Roommates: If you lived with a roommate in undergraduate school, you are no doubt aware of the stress that can surface. Talking with your roommate about mutual expectations and developing strategies to compromise and share responsibilities can help to avoid conflict in the future. If you and your roommate need help mediating a conflict, you can talk with an advisor at the Office of Housing, or visit the Office of Student Conflict Resolution (OSCR) website. They can also help to resolve conflicts with landlords or neighbors.
- Become a part of U-M Graduate Housing: A staff position within U-M graduate housing, such as a Community Assistant, might be another housing alternative to pursue. To learn more about becoming a live-in staff member in U-M graduate housing, click here.
- Finding What You Need: Many graduate students arrive on campus just before the academic semester begins and have little time to explore their new home town. Attending orientations and talking with current graduate students is a helpful way to discover Ann Arbor and the U-M campus. The Campus Information Center’s “Life at Michigan” website provides an enormous amount of information about living in Ann Arbor, covering everything from where to register to vote, to where to find grocery stores, to where to rent movies, to where to find the U-M football schedule.
- Coming Prepared: Before arriving on campus, complete this checklist to help you prepare.
