Tacoma's Museum of Glass and loft apartments down the street

Off-Campus Housing

Living in Tacoma, WA

Tacoma is a mid-sized city of about 220,000 people and a total area population of about 260,000 when you include the nearby smaller cities of University Place and Fircrest. TCC sits at an intersection of these three cities.

It is important to know that Tacoma Community College does not currently have a residence hall or other on-campus housing. TCC does offer a homestay program that is managed by the International Programs Office. Students who do not live in homestay either make arrangements with local friends or family or they rent an apartment, home or condominium on their own.

Airport Transfer

There are many options available for students who are arriving on a different day or plan to arrange their own transportation. The best options for transportation from the airport are generally ride share such as uber or lyft; although, there are many taxi services as well. Depending on where you are staying, there may be a shuttle available. The website for the SeaTac airport has some good information and links to different options:

App Based Rideshare Info Taxi Service Info Door to Door Shuttle Info

Off-Campus Housing Search

Apartments and other Housing Resources in Tacoma

It is important to remember that TCC International Programs is not an agent or property manager. We do not place students into local apartments, homes or condominiums. We cannot act on your behalf. We are happy to provide resources and answer questions, but students need to contact local landlords directly. Other considerations:
- Leases are legal contracts so you must be at least 18 years old to apply on your own.
- Most places will charge an application fee for every adult who wants to live there. These range from $50-100 per person.
- Most leases will require at least a 6 month commitment. Some few will accept month-to-month, but often charge higher rent.
- You will usually need to proof of income that is 2.5-3x the monthly rent (some will accept the financial documents from your I-20). Many may ask for a co-signer (such as parent) with higher income.
- You will need to pay a deposit. These can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but a portion will be refundable when you move out.
- Having an established credit record is often required, but some places will waive this and charge a higher deposit.
- Most rentals will also be unfurnished. There are some furnished options but they are less common and more expensive; although usually still more affordable than a hotel.
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Below are some of apartments within walking distance of TCC where international students have lived in the past without needing a co-signer. The COVID pandemic changed many things, and especially the rental housing market. Policies at these apartments may not be the same as before. TCC does not endorse any of these properties or guarantee that your application will be accepted.
There are large number of search tools for housing. Some properties will advertise on all of them, while others may only use one or two. Most of the listings you find here are from property management companies or professionally managed apartments. Almost all of these apartments and houses will be un-furnished but some of the search tools will allow you to filter furnished options
Craigslist is a community search site. You will find many listings here that do not appear on other sites. This includes private owners who may have a 2^nd home to rent or even just a spare room in their home. This can be a great resource to find less expensive options and, In many cases, single rooms may already be furnished as well. It is very important to use some caution on this site though. Some postings may be scams attempting to steal money, information, or even lure people in person.
- Craiglist individual rooms and roommates wanted
- Craigslist apartments and houses for rent
In addition to traditional apartments, vacation rentals and sites that cater to traveling workers are also great places for students to look. These rentals are all fully furnished and offer shorter rental periods which is good for students who cannot commit to long lease contracts. They are a little more expensive, but many do offer discounts for long stays and they are usually much better options than a hotel.
- Airbnb® | Tacoma - Vacation Rentals & Places to Stay - Washington - Airbnb
- Travel nurse housing/furnished rentals in Tacoma Washington (furnishedfinder.com)
Tacoma is a college town with multiple schools (not just TCC) so there are often other college and university students in the same situation, but also many who are not students. It can be hard to find them though. Some sites are just based on the city while others are more specific to each school.

These are city based networks open to anyone, not just students. The basic search is by city, but you can also narrow results down using filters like budget, gender, age, etc.
- Roommates.com | Find the Perfect Roommate with the official roommate finder
- Tacoma Pierce County WA Roommates | Roomies.com
This is specifically for students seeking college roommates. It is sorted by school so if you do sign up with TCC as your school, you should also search under University of Washington, Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, and Bates Technical College. Pierce College and Clover Park Technical College are also close by in Lakewood.
- Find College Roommates in Washington | Roomsurf
TCC and many other local schools and community service providers also partner with Associated Ministries in an adult homeshare program. This is like homestay, but is a community service for all adults in the area having trouble finding their own housing. Unlike social roommate sites, both home seekers and home providers must be screened and pass certain evaluations.
- Adult Home Sharing Program - Associated Ministries

Have questions?

International Housing
Tacoma Community College
Building 11, 2nd Floor
Phone/Fax: 253-566-5190
Email: international_housing@tacomacc.edu

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