Off-Campus Houses for Rent near The University of Texas, Dallas (UTD)

Welcome to off-campus living at UT Dallas! If you've just been accepted and you're planning on moving here, congratulations on getting in. If you're already here but you're planning to move off-campus into Richardson, Texas, you've come to the right place. ForRentUniversity.com® offers thousands of listings to help you find the best apartments near UT Dallas. But just as important as finding an apartment is learning about the people you'll be interacting with. How is student life in Richardson and Dallas? Where are the best neighborhoods for UT Dallas students to live? Read on for the details in our UT Dallas off-campus guide.

With more than 300 student organizations and 26 Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, you'll never lack for something to do at UT Dallas. Clubs and teams here are as varied as the students: UT Dallas runs an award-winning competitive chess club, a champion rugby team, and a consistently top-performing team for the National Mediation Tournament, a pre-law competition. The university also has a thriving student media system, with four main publications that cover news, music, talk, sports, and opinion. Turning to sports, UT Dallas has a large varsity athletics group. The Comets, which have a unique mascot in the form of a buff blue-skinned man named Temoc, have been around since the early 1980s. UT Dallas even has its own list of traditions, from rubbing the head on a sculpture of the school's founder to an all-out party known as Springapalooza. One thing's for sure – you're not going to be bored here!

UT Dallas is located in Richardson in the University Village neighborhood, within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. (University Village is also the name of a large university-run complex of apartments.) The university has had a substantial impact on Richardson and its surroundings, especially in recent years, because of the sheer number of graduates from the university. Richardson is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Dallas and less than an hour from Fort Worth, making it a great middle ground for people who want the experience of living in a big city without the potential drawbacks. People are heavily involved in the school for the most part – "serious about their academics, but not too serious" – so you'll more than likely see your fellow students out and about. Lots of students spend a significant amount of their time in Dallas, taking advantage of the Big D's culture, particularly the amazing restaurants. Note that Richardson is a fairly small city in land size; it's surrounded by part of Dallas to the west and Plano, Texas, to the north. So, when looking for an off-campus apartment near UT Dallas, you might be as likely to find a place in Dallas and Plano as you are in Richardson itself.

Staying Safe in Richardson

No matter who you are, it's daunting to move to a new place. Whether you're moving out of your parents' house and you're living on your own for the first time or you're just moving off campus, it's strange to adjust to a whole new place. Adjusting also means making sure you're safe, which is something your whole family might worry about. Don't worry too much, though. Richardson is a very safe city. In addition, UT Dallas has a full police department that patrols the campus to keep students safe. Police also focus on things like a 24/7 safety escort service, VIN etching for vehicles, and maintaining over 40 emergency call boxes around campus. You can even join the effort by signing up for the student patrol, which patrols from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. ForRentUniversity.com also lets you sort apartments near UT Dallas for safety features. Whether you need a shuttle from your apartment to the campus or you'd prefer a parking lot in your apartment complex, you can find apartments with those safety features through ForRentUniversity.com.

Market Center, Plano

Market Center is a shopping area, along Coit Road just north of the President George Bush Turnpike and south of West Plano Parkway. Though Market Center is in Plano, it's just about a 5-minute drive from the UT Dallas campus. Along Coit Road, you'll find apartments, a grocery, a gym, and big-box stores. Restaurants are plentiful in Market Center, making it easy to have a night out, whether you want a quiet cup of coffee or a juicy steak.

Far North Dallas

If you follow Coit Road south from Plano into Dallas, you're in Far North Dallas. You'll find apartments and lots of shopping along Coit Road between Frankford Road and Campbell Road. Within Far North Dallas is Highlands North, which is a beautiful neighborhood with homes largely built in the mid- to late-1970s. Highlights of the neighborhood include the Twin Lakes, which are gorgeous places to just sit and relax. If that's not enough to awaken the nature lover in you, consider that about 60 ducks live in each of the Twin Lakes, and neighborhood volunteers rescue and care for injured and vulnerable ducks.

Richardson

Given its relatively small size, Richardson is basically a neighborhood and city in one, with UT Dallas in its northwest corner. Of prime interest to UT Dallas students are West Renner Road, to the north of the campus, and West Campbell Road, to the south of campus. Apartments, restaurants, and shopping line both roads. Along Campbell Road, you'll find Guitars & Growlers for live music, trivia, and beer; and Off Campus Books, which serves UT Dallas students.