Off-Campus Housing & Apartments near The Ohio State University (OSU)

Welcome to off-campus living at The Ohio State University. If you're looking to move off campus this year, you've come to the right place. ForRentUniversity.com® offers advice for college students and parents, plus hundreds of listings of the best apartments near OSU. Want to know what you can expect from student life in Columbus, Ohio? Wondering where OSU students live in Columbus? Read on for all the details in our Ohio State University off-campus guide.

Ohio State is the third largest public university in the United States by enrollment, with nearly 60,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students swarming Columbus each year. Only Texas A&M University and the University of Central Florida top OSU for the number of students. If you’re a Buckeye, you’re never alone – on campus, off campus, and as an alumnus. Whether you live on campus or off, Ohio State offers lots to do (besides study, of course). The university has more than 1,000 clubs and organizations, including roughly 65 fraternities and sororities. And, of course, Ohio State is synonymous with football. Each and every game day, students, alumni, and fans storm the 105,000-capacity Ohio Stadium decked out in scarlet and gray to root the Buckeyes on to victory. Ohio State graduates are among the most dedicated to their school, making OSU more than just a college; it’s a lifestyle.

What’s it like for a student living in Columbus?

Ohio State University is located in the heart of Columbus and conveniently close to attractions like the Scioto Mile, a 175-acre ribbon of parks downtown, and Newport Music Hall, the longest continually operated rock club in America. Students also can take part in some of the city’s most popular events like the Ohio State Fair and Comfest. High Street, which runs north and south through Columbus, serves as the eastern border of OSU’s campus and is the main strip for student-friendly neighborhoods like Short North and the University District. It’s here where you’ll find hip stores, trendy restaurants, bars, cafes, and bookstores. The action isn’t all around OSU, however. The whole city of Columbus is relatively young and hip, labeled an affordable Brooklyn in the Midwest and renowned for fashion, design, microbreweries, and startups. Come to college at Ohio State and you might find yourself sticking around Columbus after graduation.

Staying Safe in Columbus

Ohio State is proactive in ensuring student safety off campus, even offering free walk-throughs with students renting in the University District. The university’s Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services office also offers free safety devices such as light timers and window and door alarms. You’ll find that many apartment communities near Ohio State listed on ForRentUniversity.com have added security features such as controlled or gated access and shuttles. You can sort for those features when you’re browsing apartments.

Getting Around Columbus

If you live in the University District, you’re in luck. Ohio State’s free Campus Area Bus Service runs a route through the neighborhood along Summit Street and North 4th Street. You also can avail yourself of the OSU Safe Ride Program on and immediately around campus. If you live farther from campus, OSU students can ride Central Ohio Transit Authority buses free with their BuckIDs.

University District

The University District essentially surrounds Ohio State’s campus to the east, across and overlapping North High Street. Because it is within walking distance of campus, it is one of the most popular places for off-campus apartments. The University District has the area’s largest population of undergraduate and graduate students, with a diverse housing stock of apartment buildings, large older homes (many split into apartments), townhomes, and half-doubles. The University District is also well known for its great selection of restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, concert venues, and other student-friendly attractions. Centerpieces include Newport Music Hall, mentioned above, and the Gateway Film Center.

Victorian Village

Victorian Village is south of OSU’s campus. Depending on where you live, you may be within walking distance of campus. But even at the farther reaches, you can still reach campus easily by bike or the bus. The main street through here is Neil Avenue, which leads directly into OSU’s campus and the Thompson Library. Victorian Village is composed of old, large Victorian-style homes, apartment buildings, and townhomes. It is well known by OSU students for its variety of entertainment, dining, and festivals. Although the student population in Victorian Village is mixed, this part of Columbus is especially preferred by Ohio State’s graduate students.

Short North

Short North is another popular neighborhood among Ohio State students, located south of campus next to Victorian Village. The main strip for this arts district is North High Street below West 5th Avenue. Students living here love Short North’s eclectic selection of restaurants, specialty shops, art galleries, cafés, and bohemian boutiques. This urban community is artistic, historic, ethnically diverse, and it is home to many of the city’s most popular events like the Gallery Hop and the Columbus Gay Pride Festival. Just below Interstate 670, you’ll also find North Market, which has hosted independent merchants and farmers since 1876.

Riverview and Clintonville

These two neighborhoods sit just north of the OSU campus and the University District on either side of the Olentangy River. The Riverview neighborhood, to the west along Olentangy River Road, is mainly known to Ohio State students because of the 1,900-unit University Village complex of apartments. But there are other apartments to check out here along Riverview Drive. To the east of the river, in Clintonville, you’ll find more apartment complexes along North High Street. The lower end of Clintonville, on High Street across Glen Echo Creek, is full of restaurants, shops, pubs and breweries that extend the action from the University District below.