Academic Year 2007-2008
The only guide for grad students written by
grad students!
INDEX
Housing
Transportation Getting to BU,
Getting around
Personal Finances
Healthcare Health Plans,
Healthcare facilities, Dental Care
Miscellaneous IDs, Setting up email, Office Space, Books
and Supplies, Links, Dates and deadlines …
2001-2007 Authors/Editors: Amanda Schermer, Graham Bustard, Om Deshmukh, Ted
Bach, Kevin Mullen, Attila Priplata, Lauren Black, Steve Meyers, Seth Newburg,
Elissa Beekman, Alvin Khan, Jessica McDonald, Sol Azouz
To help you make a smooth transition to graduate studies at
This survival guide is a work in progress. As you survive (and hopefully thrive) at BU, please remember this guide and make note of things you would have liked to have known. Please feel free to pass along comments and suggestions to help us improve this guide. You can do so by sending email to sage@bu.edu. You may wish to contact your fellow graduate students for further advice. If you are an engineering student, you can contact SAGE (Student Association of Graduate Engineers) via email sage@bu.edu, or on the web at http://people.bu.edu/sage.
Throughout the academic year, both SAGE and GSO sponsor a
number of social activities designed to mix and mingle graduate students. These
activities are a great way to make new friends here in
For your convenience, a current web version of this guide
has been made available at http://people.bu.edu/sage/survival/.
Contents:
·
Temporary Housing - Where do you stay while searching for an apartment!
·
Free Permanent Housing - Ways of getting free housing.
·
·
Tips for finding roommates and apartments
·
Hints - Tips for finding the right apartment and a partial checklist of
things to look for in an apartment.
·
Locations - Areas of
·
BU Housing Resources - BU offices that may be of help in finding an
apartment.
·
Apartment Listings - Where to view and post electronic listings for
apartments, roommates or sublets.
Temporary Housing:
First of all: Where do you
stay while searching for an apartment?
·
·
Anthony's Town House 1085
·
Beacon Inn
·
Beacon Street Guest House 1047
·
·
The Eliot 370
·
Buckminster Hotel 645
International Students can
also contact their regional associations at BU http://bu.edu/sao
to see if they have any arrangement for temporary stays.
Free Permanent Housing
There are Resident Assistant
positions through the Office of Residence Life which provide free room (board
sometimes included) in exchange for 20 hours per week of dormitory counseling
duties. The Office of Residence Life will provide a job description and
application. Note that some fellowship contracts restrict outside employment
(contact your department office to see if your fellowship is restrictive).
Housing in
·
Studio Apartments $850--$1050
·
1 Bedroom Apartments $1300 - $1500
·
2 Bedroom Apartments $1600 - $1800
·
3 Bedroom Apartments $1900 - $2800
·
4+ Bedroom Apartments $500 - $550 per bedroom
Rents usually change up to
10% from year to year. Keep in mind how
much you'll earn during the year when determining what kind of apartment you
can afford. With taxes and bills, most graduate students need to share
apartments.
The
Tips for finding roommates and/or apartments:
1.
The Off-Campus Housing Office is located
in the George Sherman Union (contact the Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Housing, 4th floor),
2.
Students looking for housing nearby the
BU Medical Campus may want to contact the Office of Housing Resources on the BU
Medical Campus,
3.
Browse local papers (Globe and Herald)
have a section in their classified ads for Apartments and Apartments to share.
They have on-line services as well for apartments.
4.
Look for posted signs on the bulletin
boards and/or subway stops around campus from people looking for roommates.
5.
visit the following sites :
a) www.boston.com/apartments - apartment and realtor listings
b) www.buapts.com - apartment
and realtor listings
c) www.bostonapartments.com/ - apartment listings, roommates
wanted
d) boston.craigslist.org/ - apartment listings,
roommates wanted
Hints and suggestions
If you've never lived
off-campus before, we hope these hints will be of some help.
Work out your budget carefully
To secure an apartment, most realtors will want the
first and last months' rent, a deposit (equal to one month's rent) and a fee
(usually equal to a month's rent). That adds up to a lot of money.
You can get an apartment without the realty fee but
you have to search around for landlords and realtors that provide their
services free (usually this means the landlord pays the realtor or searches for
tenants themselves). One way to do this is to find a neighborhood you like, go
around to each building and write down the owner/management's name and phone
number, and then call them all. By avoiding the realtor middleman, you might
save a whole month's rent (the fee).
You get what you pay for
There are very few genuine bargains. If something is very cheap, be very suspicious. See what is included in the rent (gas, water, electricity …).
Landlords
There can be some very bad ones, speak to the current residents if at all possible.
Get your own apartment first.
Then fill it with people. There are many more students than apartments, so if you can secure an apartment you like, and if you can afford the deposit, then it might be worth taking a gamble that you can fill the extra rooms.
Realtors
There are some good ones. But there are some very bad ones who will try to coerce you into renting an apartment you don't want. Beware. Be prepared to bargain. Also be sure to tell them you are a graduate student. Most realtors will show graduate students and professionals better places. Take the T to the area you might want to live in, and you will find a realtor who covers that territory.
Keep your aims realistic
You probably won't get the place of your dreams first time around, so it's better to get the first "reasonable" place rather than end up with nothing.
Go house hunting with a friend
It's a lot less pressure, and you can get a second opinion you trust on the place.
Check list of things to look
for in an apartment
Location -- access to public
transportation (subway green lines and bus lines that go to
Parking -- Can you get a residential parking sticker, or are guaranteed
parking spaces available?
If you are bringing a car this is an important topic
since this city is known for it's stolen car statistics (car alarm and other
deterrents are advisable). Residential stickers are free, but you are not
guaranteed a space near your house. Residential stickers also require your car
to be registered and insured in
Grocery Store -- close enough to walk or will you have to take a cab?
Laundry and Dry Cleaners -- laundry in building?
Maintenance – Is there someone on call? Do you have a Superintendent on site?
Rent -- what utilities does it
include (heat, electricity, gas) Figure into price if you will need a T pass
each month. Note: it is illegal for the landlord to charge you for water
itself, but you will usually pay to heat the water.
Crime -- Inquire about the area,
be sure to ask someone other than the landlord and realtor, just to be safe.
The local police department should be helpful.
Food
-- are there any restaurants or convenience stores nearby? What hours are they
open?
Locations
Allston/Brighton
Cheap and cheerful, this is where many BU students
live. Accessible by the T Green Line (B-branch) along
Lower Allston, north of the Mass. Pike is much
quieter, with lots of houses, but more difficult to get to BU from--little
public transport. Reasonably safe.
An affluent town, which is adjacent to BU. Known for
its good school system, hence rents are significantly higher than other areas.
Stretches out along the T Green Line (C-branch), which runs down
Summit Ave/Cleveland Circle/further out on
Fenway
Just south of BU. The Fenway is the neighborhood
adjacent to
On the edge of BU, excellent public transportation, but very noisy especially when there's a baseball game. Prices vary, reasonable apartments can be expensive. Fairly safe.
South End
South of Newbury Street and north of the
The other side of the river from BU, home to Harvard
and MIT.
Central Square. Lots of character,
although MIT students want to live there, so rents can be high. Catch the 47
bus to BU, around 10 min, or 30-45 min walk. Fairly Safe.
Harvard Square. It's hard to find an
apartment near Harvard Square.
Porter Square. Further out there are some
apartments, if you really feel you need the distance from BU. But a long way
in. Rents are still fairly high too. Safe.
Commuting from
While a car seems to be a must for those who might
think about living in this town situated next to
Square is right at the end of the 57 bus route.
It's cheaper than
Expensive. Exclusive. About 30-60 minutes on the T Green Line (D-branch). Where all the professors live. Safe.
Old and beautiful, but very expensive, one of the
most sought-after areas in
Jamaica Plain
Quite far away from BU (60 minutes from
Roxbury,
Not very popular areas, very cheap, can be unsafe in some areas. Many students and medical students live in Mission Hill.
Not to be confused with the South End, an area beyond South Station. Large Irish Community. Inconvenient for BU (60+ min by T Red and Green lines). Can be unsafe. Expensive.
North End
Large Italian Community, close to the center of
Convenient for the Airport, but not for BU (60 min by T Blue and Green lines). Cheap, reasonably safe
Beacon Hill
The area features 19th and 20th
century brownstones, cobblestone streets, old fashioned narrow alleyways, and
sidewalks lined with gas streetlamps.
Near the Charles/MGH T stop on the Red Line, about 30 minute T ride to
BU. Expensive.
BU Housing Offices
Office
of Rental Properties,
There are two main differences between the ORP and a
private realtor. First, the ORP does not advertise outside of the university.
As a result, primarily university students live in these BU units, although
non-students are allowed to rent from them. Second, the ORP does not charge a
finder’s fee like many private realtors. As a result, the ORP does not provide
additional discounts for students; they view the lack of a finder’s fee as
"the discount".
They have 807 units. Most are rooms ($600 and up),
studios ($1000 and up), 1-bedroom apartments ($1,200 and up), and 2-bedroom
apartments ($1700 and up), prices are per month. They ask for a security deposit equal to one
month's rent, a $50 key deposit, and the first month's rent. Leases last for one year. They will
help you find a
new tenant if you have to leave early. Leases start at various times, though most start on Sept.
1. There is no roommate finding service. Apartments are primarily located on
Since
Fall 2004
Many
first year students choose to live in 580 Comm. Ave. for their first year in
order to minimize the hassle of looking.
Many also move out in the summer after they have acquainted themselves
with the city. No dogs or cats are
allowed, but you can probably get away with a caged rodent. Underground parking is available at an
additional exorbitant fee. This website
should have floor plans and pricing information: http://www.bu.edu/orpm/580commave/index.html
Public Transportation from
Airport to BU:
Take the free Airport Shuttle bus from your Airport terminal to the AIRPORT
stop of the Blue Line subway. (Visit www.massport.com
to find out the schedule details of the shuttle and flight arrivals.) Take the
INBOUND subway ("T") to Government Center and change there for the Green
Line going OUTBOUND get on a B trolley toward Boston College. Get off at the
Boston University East stop. The "T" drivers don't always announce
the stops, so don't hesitate to ask the driver to announce your stop. The
Public Transportation from
South Station to BU: If you are arriving to South Station by Bus or Train, take the Red
line INBOUND to Park Street and change there for the Green Line going OUTBOUND
get on a B trolley toward Boston College. Get off at the Boston University East
stop. The "T" drivers don't always announce the stops, so don't hesitate
to ask the driver to announce your stop. The
Public Transportation to
Airport: If
you live near the Red line, a good way to get to Logan Airport is to take the
Red line to South Station where you can get on the Silver line (bus route) that
will take you to the airport terminals.
Public Transportation in
The BU Shuttle bus: “The BUS” (which is free!) has a route that includes
Commonwealth Avenue, starting at Harry Agganis Way, through Charles River
Campus and to the Medical Campus. The schedule is available by calling 617-353-7287
or from the Campus Information Center in the GSU (George Sherman Union 775
Commonwealth Avenue). The schedule is generally every 30 minutes and can be
faster than the T. The BUS does not run on weekends or holidays. http://www.bu.edu/thebus
The Escort Service: This student-run program designed and established to promote and improve the safety
on campus. You
can call for a shuttle or someone to walk with you anywhere you need to go on
the Charles River Campus. The service runs from 8 PM to 2 AM Sunday through
Thursday, 8 PM to 3 AM Friday and Saturday and during exams. The number for this service is on the back of
your BU ID card 617-353-4877.
Parking On Campus: DON'T PLAN ON IT!!! Parking
on campus is hard to find and expensive! Your best bet is to find housing that
allows you to take public transportation to school. If you still need parking,
Parking Services on the second floor of the George Sherman Union handles
requests for parking stickers (necessary to park in BU owned lots on campus,
but even these spots aren't guaranteed). There are parking meters on the
street, but they allow at most 4 hours at a time. Both temporary and semester
parking passes are available.
Bicycles: Many students ride their
bicycles to campus when the weather is nice. There are many bicycles stolen
every year from campus, so you MUST lock your bike! Believe it or not, but
thieves in
Zip Car: A convenient service if
you only need to use a car infrequently.
You can sign up online and rent cars by the hour at reasonable
rates. Zip Cars are available in most
neighborhoods in Boston and Cambridge.
The terms of service can be very strict, be sure you know and follow the
rules. http://www.zipcar.com/
South Station: If you want to get out of
Boston without using a car, there is a bus terminal and a train station at
South Station. The bus is an inexpensive
way to travel to New York City.
The city of
·
Estimated Expenses in Boston
What you will pay in
Estimates
of total basic living expenses vary according to one's definition of
"basic." Estimates of the cost of living in the
Here is a breakdown of
estimated living expenses from
Living Expenses:
·
University Fees $350
·
Community Service and Program Fee $15 per semester
·
·
Housing and Food $11,305
·
Books and Supplies $1,084 (grad students)
·
Personal (Clothing, Miscellaneous) $3,900
·
Health Insurance: $1,412 for the full year, $974 if starting in spring. Health insurance is covered by the university
if you are a research assistant or teaching fellow.
Total living expenses
$18,156
Entertainment expenses such
as movies, concerts, and bar-hopping are not included in "Personal",
so if you plan on having any fun at all in Boston budget some more in that
category. The cost of owning a car is not included in miscellaneous. As for
clothing during the winter you'll need a warm coat, and appropriate footwear
for slush and snow.
Food is generally expensive
in
Bank Accounts
In August
and September representatives from the big banks (Bank of America and Citizen’s)
will cover the BU campus, and at it will seem that these are the only two banks
in town. They'll offer you a key chain. Take their gifts but be cautious before
signing up for an account. It's worth taking the time to figure out the best
place to put your money, because monthly fees can really add up. Banks worth
looking at include Cambridge Trust and Asian American Bank. Check out local
banks in your neighborhood. Keep in mind
that at any bank, as long as you are a student, you should never have to pay a
monthly fee.
Many students have been
happy using internet based banks:
NetBank, ING Direct, Fidelity Investments
Direct Deposit
If you ask, BU will direct
deposit your monthly stipend into your bank account. The paperwork is straight-forward and once
completed direct deposit is the fastest and most reliable way to receive your
funding.
Emergency Loans
In cases
where a graduate student already has a source of funding, typically a
fellowship, assistantship, or loan, but has not yet received these funds, and
yet there is a real need for money right away, that student can sometimes get
short term emergency funds.
Students in the College of
Arts and Sciences should refer to the GSO page at http://people.bu.edu/gso/FAR/ for
information regarding emergency loans.
College of Engineering
students receiving grant or loan money in excess of their tuition and fees may
be able to obtain a cash advance if their funds are delayed, but not before
classes begin. Students should contact the Financial Aid Manager, 617-353-9772,
after the first day of the semester.
Students on Research or
Teaching Fellowships are paid the end of each month, beginning in September.
Students should arrive on campus with funds to cover their first month's
expenses. In case a paycheck is delayed, the student's department payroll
personnel should be able to arrange for a payroll advance.
This site is designed to
inform graduate students about their healthcare options. We make no guarantees
about information listed on this site. Dates are listed with some information
since plans and costs change over time. We have made an effort to report all
plans accurately. However, health plans are complicated and may change. For the
most up-to-date information on healthcare please check out the GSO’s healthcare
information web page at: