Preparing for an exchange semester in the US, there's one problem that's bigger than people expect.
Getting a dorm.
It's easy to assume that exchange students are automatically guaranteed a dorm spot, but depending on the school, dorm space can be limited enough that visiting or exchange students aren't guaranteed housing. When I first came to the US, there were so many housing-related terms I simply didn't know.
What's a sublease, what does 2B2B mean, is it even okay to find housing on Facebook — I had to look all of it up one piece at a time.
But if you don't get a dorm, there's no need to panic.
There are more ways to find off-campus housing in the US than most people expect.
1. Start with your school's official Housing page
The first thing to check is always your school's official Housing page.
Even if the regular application period is over, it's worth checking whether there's a waitlist or a window when new spots open up.
As the semester gets closer, some students cancel or change their plans, freeing up spots.
Some schools also list Off-Campus Housing resources separately, so it's worth checking those out if this is your first time finding housing on your own.
2. Search "[School name] + Housing" on Facebook
If the dorm doesn't work out, Facebook is usually the first place I'd look.
Around US college towns, there are a huge number of student-run Housing and Sublease groups.
Try searching your school's name plus "Housing" or "Sublease" — things like "Georgia Tech Housing," "Georgia Tech Sublease," "UT Austin Housing," or "UT Austin Sublease."
Students graduating or leaving town for a semester often list the room they're vacating.
This is especially useful for exchange students, since you often need housing for just a semester or a few months rather than a full year's lease.
That said, since these are person-to-person deals, be careful of listings that are unusually cheap or that ask for money before signing any paperwork.
3. Check your school's Korean Student Association too
This one is especially useful if you're a Korean exchange student.
Most US universities have a Korean Student Association, and depending on the school, they run their own websites, message boards, Instagram, or Facebook pages.
For example, you might find UTKSA at UT Austin or GTKSA at Georgia Tech — search your school's name plus "KSA" or "Korean Student Association."
These communities often have posts from Korean students looking to sublease their place or find a roommate.
Beyond housing, you can also pick up used furniture, cars, and general campus-life tips — so if you're heading to the US for the first time, it's worth checking whether your school has a Korean Student Association before you leave.
4. Look directly at student apartments near campus
Another option is looking directly at student apartments near your school.
Search "Student Housing" or "Student Apartment" around your campus on Google Maps, and you'll usually find more options than you'd expect.
A few terms can be confusing the first time you see them.
Things like 1x1, 2x2, and 4x4.
Generally, 2x2 means 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and 4x4 means 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.
Student apartments are often set up so each person has their own room while sharing the living room and kitchen with roommates.
So if a listing says $1,000, make sure whether that's the rent for the whole unit or just for one room.
In the US, student apartments are sometimes priced per bed or per person rather than per unit.
5. If you're only there for a semester, a sublease works well
As an exchange student, you'll run into the word "sublease" a lot.
Simply put, it's when someone who already has a lease rents their room or apartment back out to someone else for a set period.
Say a student signed a 12-month lease but is heading to a different city for a spring internship.
The room sits empty for a few months, but rent still has to be paid — so they look for someone to live there in their place.
For exchange students, this kind of listing can actually be a great fit.
US apartments often require 12-month leases, while exchange students frequently only need housing for a single semester.
Just make sure to confirm that the building officially allows subleasing, exactly when the lease period ends, and who the deposit is paid to.
Don't stress too much if you don't get a dorm
Dorms feel like the safest, easiest option at first, so missing out can feel stressful.
But US college towns actually offer plenty of alternatives beyond dorms — student apartments, off-campus housing, and subleases among them.
To sum it up, I'd recommend checking in this order: your school's Housing page → student apartments near campus → Facebook Housing/Sublease groups → your Korean Student Association community.
Rather than waiting until right before you leave, once your exchange program and school are confirmed, it's worth checking rent prices and apartment names in the area early.
In the next post, we'll go deeper into exactly what a sublease is and what terms like 1B1B, 2B2B, and 4B4B mean.