Moving to DC

Check out our GHD Housing Resources folder, where we've compiled a few resources to help you navigate the DC housing search process. There you'll find an overview of the various neighborhoods in the DC area, as well as a few resources (both GU-affiliated and non-university affiliated) to help you find the perfect place!  You can also find ideas crowdsourced from the Classes of 2026 and 2027 here, and some other tips below.

• The vast majority of graduate students live off-campus while studying at Georgetown. The only on-campus housing option currently available to graduate students is 55 H St. NW, which is located on the Capitol Campus.

  • 55 H St. NW is an apartment building operated by Georgetown’s Residential Living team. The property offers furnished single bedrooms in 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom apartments in addition to a studio option, all at competitive rates for downtown DC and with all utilities included. 55 H St. enjoys the same security protections offered to undergraduate on-campus housing options: Access to the building requires an active GoCard, and the property is monitored by the Capitol Campus Department of Public Safety. More information on 55 H St., including application requirements, is available at Residential Living’s website.

  • Students can choose their preferred apartment configuration and be paired with other students. Watch a video of students living at 55H who were paired as roommates. 

• Georgetown’s graduate students live across the DC metropolitan region, including neighboring areas of Virginia and Maryland. The university’s Office of Neighborhood Life (ONL) offers support and resources to all Georgetown students who live off-campus and hosts a searchable database of available rental properties in the areas surrounding Georgetown. The search is customizable with filters to fit students’ individual housing and accessibility needs. ONL offers guidance to students seeking housing but will not locate housing for them.

Advice for the Search

• The DC housing market is competitive. For the best chance of securing housing with preferred amenities, ONL recommends students begin their search three to four months in advance of their move-in date. Students starting later than this window will still be able to find area housing but may have to be more flexible in their search. 

• Safety is paramount in the housing search. ONL strongly recommends students meet property managers and tour housing options, in person if possible, before signing a lease or transferring any money. Properties should be evaluated for essential safety features such as fire alarms, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and emergency exits. ONL advises those looking for housing options in DC to verify that their prospective property manager has a valid Basic Business License via the city’s SCOUT database.

• Rental costs are variable and subject to fluctuation, but students seeking apartments in neighborhoods surrounding Georgetown can expect to spend upwards of $1,600/month for a studio and $1,800/month for a one-bedroom apartment. Neighboring areas of Virginia and Maryland may offer housing options at lower price points.

• If you hope to travel internationally for your summer internship, we recommend inquiring about whether or not you are able to add a subletter to your lease for the duration of your internship.

Your Security Deposit:

Your security deposit is an amount of money that your landlord will put in an interest-bearing escrow account until you move-out. This money can only be used to repair any damage you and your housemates caused to the property during your tenancy. Be sure you know all about your security deposit and how much it can legally be. 

Commuting to Campus:

Be sure to factor in commuting time when deciding where to live! Georgetown does not have a Metro stop, and, while Georgetown provides free shuttles to the Rosslyn (Orange and Blue lines) and Dupont Circle (Red Line) Metro stations, there is not a station in the immediate vicinity of the university, and the shuttles do not run regularly during off-peak hours. 

We discourage students from driving to campus, as street parking is zoned and limited to two-hour parking. Parking is VERY strictly enforced in the Georgetown neighborhood. There are on-campus and near-campus garages, but they carry hefty fees, even for students.

The University is accessible via Washington, DC city buses, Circulator buses, and Capital Bikeshare. There are bike racks around campus if you decide to ride your own bike to campus!

Transportation:

• Georgetown operates a network of free shuttle buses, called the Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS), that links the Hilltop and Capitol campuses and connects them with the city’s Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) metro and bus system. Find the full list of GUTS stops and schedules on the Transportation website.

• Students who live in eligible areas of Maryland and Virginia can find local transportation options, such as the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) or Arlington Transit (ART), that will help connect them to the WMATA and GUTS bus systems.

• ONL’s Off-Campus Housing (OCH) website includes a filter for housing close to various transportation options. Students can search for housing close to campus shuttle and/or metro routes.

You may or may not know that the Georgetown neighborhood does not have a Metro (subway) stop. While this does somewhat complicate trips to and from campus, there are a number of alternatives:

• Georgetown University Transportation Shuttles (a.k.a. GUTS Buses): GUTS Buses run on several routes, including to the Rosslyn and Dupont Circle Metro stations, the Georgetown University Law Center, and university offices on Wisconsin Avenue. See the university's Transportation page for more information on GUTS Bus routes and schedules.

• There are several public Metrobus lines that run near the university and can transport students to various parts of the city. 

• If you're interested in a more sustainable transportation option, the university encourages and supports bicycling, and offers discounts on annual Capital Bikeshare memberships.

• Students who are working on campus late into the evening can contact the university's SafeRide shuttle service for a ride home, provided they live in close proximity to the university. If a shuttle is not available, students may request an individual escort from a GUPD officer if they don't feel safe walking home.

See the university's Transportation page for more transit information. Note that we do not recommend trying to park on or near campus, as there are no student rates for parking in campus garages, and parking enforcement is very strict in the Georgetown neighborhood.

Student Housing Resources:

• The Office of Neighborhood Life (ONL)

  • ONL compiles an annual Hoya Neighborhood Living Guide that is tailored to  students living in the neighborhoods immediately surrounding Georgetown’s main campus (Georgetown, Burleith, Foxhall and the Cloisters) and that also includes advice for new DC-area residents. The 2024-25 guide is available online, and the 2025-26 edition will be published later this summer.

  • If students have concerns about a specific property, they can reach out to neighborhoodlife@georgetown.edu for resources and advice.

• Off-Campus Housing

  • Searchable database of available properties

  • The OCH website also includes a roommate matching service. Students seeking a roommate can create a profile on the website that will be visible only to other Georgetown community members using the service.

  • Resources for Living in DC

• Residential Living

  • This office is the point of contact for all current and prospective tenants of 55 H St. NW. Questions about the property should be directed to this office.

• International students can consult International Student & Scholar Services at the Office of Global Services with questions about documentation for housing applications. These students can find rental properties that have experience working with international students by selecting the “Community Features” filter under the “More” tab on Georgetown’s Off Campus Housing (OCH) website.

In recent communications with incoming international students, the Graduate School has suggested the International Student House in Dupont Circle as a possible housing option for this group. The house is run by an organization outside Georgetown but located within walking distance of Georgetown’s GUTS bus stop at Dupont Circle Metro Station. More information is available at the International Student House’s website.

Traveling to and From the DC Area:

There are three airports that service the Washington, DC region:

• Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the most conveniently-located airport to the city, just across the river in northern Virginia. Aside from a few flights to and from Canada each day, flights only go between domestic locations. You can get to and from this airport via the Blue Line of the DC Metro, via cab or Uber.

• Dulles Airport (IAD) is the largest airport in the region, and includes both domestic and international flights. It is located in northern Virginia, outside of the Beltway. You can get to and from this airport via the Silver Line of the DC Metro (which leaves from Rosslyn station), or via rideshare services.

• Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is located in Maryland, and is accessible via MARC train (which leaves from Union Station in DC), or via rideshare services.

You can also travel throughout the region via Amtrak or Acela trains.