
28 Feb Finding Safe & Affordable International Student Housing in Kamloops
If you’re an international student, or know one looking for student housing in Kamloops, you may be wondering how to find a rental that is affordable and safe. International students face several obstacles on the way to securing housing: budget constraints, language barriers, unfamiliarity with the Kamloops area, lack of support, and little or no knowledge about the local rental market.
International students are adventurous people, living in an unfamiliar community far from home and the support of friends and family, yet over 175,000 international students attend BC post-secondary schools each year. With so many students and a nation-wide affordable housing crisis, finding student housing is more challenging than ever before.
Where to Find Student Accommodations in Kamloops
The following are a few resources for finding student housing in Kamloops.
- TRU Residences – Thompson Rivers University housing is in high demand. Space is limited and there are often waiting lists.
- Zumper
- Craigslist
- Rentals.ca
- Padmapper
Beware of Student Housing Scams!
An October 2023 Vancouver Sun news article, “‘Scams and sketchy situations’: Students struggle to find safe housing during B.C. rental crisis” reported that a “Lack of affordable housing leaves B.C. students vulnerable to homelessness, exploitation, scams and unsafe living conditions.” International students are even more vulnerable to exploitation.
Back in 2019, RCMP issued a warning to Kamloops students looking for housing about two common rental scams. In the first, the scammer offers to rent a property they have no connection to. In the second, the scammer rents a property that doesn’t exist. Police stated that scammers almost always ask for money up front, such as a security deposit, and will frequently tell potential targets that they can’t show the property for various reasons, such as being out of town.
In the article, the RCMP recommends that anyone looking for housing do the following:
- Verify the property and owner
- Ask for references
- View the rental, or have someone they trust view if for them, before paying any money
- Ask the person showing the property for identification
Saving Money on Student Housing
If you want to save money while renting, the following are some quick tips:
- Find a housemate and split the costs of rent, utilities and food
- Rent an apartment close to campus to save on travel time and expenses
- Use streaming services instead of Cable TV. Minimize the number of streaming subscriptions or share the cost of streaming services with housemates
- Create a budget and stick to it
- Read about international student work opportunities at Thompson Rivers University.
Read more tips in our article “TRU Apartment Hunting Tips”.
Apartments for International Students at McGill Ridge Apartments
If you’re an international student looking for Thompson Rivers University housing, McGill Ridge Apartments offers modern apartment rentals that are located within walking distance of TRU. Read about McGill Ridge. Apartment amenities include stainless steel appliances, in-suite washer-dryer, storage, Wi-Fi and cable access. Our building’s security features include video surveillance and FOB key access. If you’d like to rent at McGill Ridge, view floor plans & pricing and check apartment availability. One of our rental managers will contact you with next steps.