Unsure of where to look but in need of new housing in Tokyo? Not to worry! Not by yourself! The same situation also applied to numerous other overseas students! Finding a suitable home or apartment in a secure area for a fair rent with respectable roommates is difficult. For young students traveling abroad for the first time, safety is crucial.
To assist you in finding a fantastic place to stay while you pursue your education abroad, we have produced a list of advice from previous students.
Here is a comprehensive guide to accommodation for international students. So, continue reading to hasten the process of finding a Student Accommodation Tokyo to stay!
Research Online
City Guides
Finding out about the city should be the first step in your investigation. You can achieve this using city guides and Google Maps. These manuals are available for each city to which you are relocating. Your search for an apartment will start with this.
At your university, you can also get housing guides. Not all institutions provide it, but if there are several in the same city, you can use a guide from a nearby university.
University housing guides are helpful but infrequently updated. Please confirm a few details in those tutorials.
Another extensive network is that of transportation. Finding out how far housing is from the school, the best method to get there, and how long it takes is crucial.
Groups on social media
Numerous colleges have communities for international students on Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, etc. After being admitted, you can join those groups and ask queries there. Current students are helpful and fairly active. There are other postings where you can look for roommates (more on this below). You can get advice on safe neighborhoods, transport options, anticipated rent, and other topics.
On your route to school, as well as throughout your neighborhood, make sure everything is safe.
Platforms for Recommended Accommodation Searching
Due to their residence status, landlords frequently turn down international students. This severely limits the housing possibilities available to international students. Additionally, it makes the task of locating a suitable lodging particularly difficult. To help you find housing in Tokyo more easily, you can speak with a number of other international students who have been successful in finding housing in Tokyo and ask them for website recommendations that search for housing.
Housing options
For international students, there are a few accommodation alternatives available:
- Buy
The least likely (or viable) for you to choose is this course of action. Purchasing a flat can be expensive, and you might have to pay the full cost up front because, as an international student without credit, you won’t be eligible for a mortgage.
- Rent
For many overseas students, this is a good choice, but it necessitates a co-signer or a sizable down payment (up to 12 months’ worth of rent). Depending on how you came across the flat, you might also be required to pay broker costs.
- Sublet
This is less expensive than renting a home. Simply put, it involves signing on to someone else’s lease or leasing from someone who is already an apartment renter. It calls for much smaller up-front deposits. The deposits for the first and last months are still due. Sublets typically have shorter terms; thus, before signing any sublease agreements, confirm the length of the lease.
Roommates
For international students looking for off-campus housing, this is the most affordable choice. There are times when numerous students share a room. There are older people who may still have a spot in their apartments. You can discover places that are closer to the school and the rent is typically affordable.
Examine your potential roommates to see if you get along with them. Before you sign the lease, make sure to understand their preferences, timetable, and fit.
Begin early
Starting your search early and taking your time can help you find a flat more quickly (just as we advise with any form of international student vehicle loan). You’ll have an advantage over other students searching for apartments around the time that college begins thanks to this. The competition also rises as the graduating class searches for flats to move into upon starting new employment.
Tokyo’s cost of living
Japan, a nation already renowned for its high cost of living, has the highest cost of living in Tokyo. For graduate students at UTokyo, the average monthly cost (tuition fees excluded) is JPY 190,457 for students living with family members and JPY 137,061 for single students. The average cost of living will be JPY 38,893 (for a single student) or JPY 53,361 (for a family), with rent coming in at JPY 58,227 for a single student and JPY 69,179 for a family.
However, because of the disparity in food availability in Japan, overseas students typically spend more on food (JPY 40,000 or more). Living costs are 1.5 times higher for international students living with their families than for those living alone.