House hunting: how to find an off-campus apartment while you study in Rome

Although JCU Housing is an excellent option because of its proximity to campus, beautiful courtyards, study rooms, and state-of-the-art fitness center, many students opt for off-campus apartments.

There are two ways to find apartments: either through an agency, or by searching online classifieds. The main differences are that agencies require an additional fee, which is set to a month’s worth of rent, and often require longer terms of stay (6 to 24 months). Feel free to roam around Trastevere if you would rather use an agency—there are several near Piazza della Scala and Piazza Santa Maria. Whichever route you choose, you can find an apartment that suits your needs. Here are some tips on finding an off-campus apartment!

Consult Websites and Agencies Online

Off-campus apartments are easy to find online. JCU’s Facebook page and closed Facebook groups (like the JCU Undergrad group) are great places to post about apartments and find potential roommates while studying at university in Rome.

Here are some of the websites and agencies often used by JCU alumni and current students*:

• Wanted in Rome is fully in English and targets expats specifically. The layout is pretty straightforward: simply hover your mouse on Classifieds (toward the left on the site’s menu) and then click on “accommodation vacant in town” or “rooms and flat shares”.
• You can also use Craigslist, where you click on “housing” to view available apartments and rooms. As you would with Craigslist in any city, be careful to avoid posts that appear fraudulent!
• EasyStanza is an Italian website that allows you to create a profile to browse available rooms and post your own classifieds. Simply scroll down the bottom to change the language by choosing a different country!
• Trovit is used by many locals and is entirely in Italian. However, you may simply copy paste the link in Google Translate and browse at ease. In order to find an apartment, click on “Houses for Rent” in the drop-down menu and then type the area in which you wish to find the apartment.
• Tecno Casa is also an Italian website. Simply follow the same method used for Trovit and click on “Rent” from the drop-down menu and fill out the search boxes.
• Lastly, Porta Portese is an agency which advertises online and is useful for those with some knowledge of Italian. Use the same method used in the previous websites and browse over to “Real Estate.”

Learn How Much Apartments Cost While You Study in Rome

Apartment prices range, depending on the area you choose while you study in Rome. The closest neighborhoods to JCU are Trastevere, Monteverde, Campo de’ Fiori, Vaticano, Navona, Prati, Piramide, and Testaccio. Less expensive apartments can be found in other areas—as long as you don’t mind a longer commute!

Single apartments in these areas typically range from €800 to €1400, while two-bedroom apartments go from €1000 to €2500, and large apartments from €1500 to €3000. Remember to negotiate with the seller, and be clear about your stay—many will not rent if they know you will leave in a few months. Deposits range between a month and two month’s rent (by law they may ask up to three). Be sure to keep the apartment clean and neat—any excuse is valid for the owner to keep your deposit!

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*These websites are not endorsed by John Cabot University. These websites are the most commonly used search engines by people looking for apartments in Rome.