Student housing

 Students have many options when choosing where to live during their stay in Morgantown. Extensive off-campus housing is readily available in the form of rental apartments.

 Students who are interested in participating in authentic American family life should consider our International Homestay Program.

Apartments

 There are a number of apartments and rented houses in Morgantown. You can choose to rent an apartment for yourself or share with one or more roommates. The rental fee depends on the number of people who live in the apartment. If you decide on renting an apartment, you should plan to pay a minimum of $250.00 plus utilities (water, telephone, gas, cable) for a room in a house or an apartment. If you want to live alone, the price could be double or more. Some apartments include utilities in the rental fee. For more information it is recommended that you consult the apartment lists in E.Moore Hall where the Office for International Students and Scholars is located. You can also access housing information on the off-campus housing website at http://www.wvu.edu/~studlife/off-camp.htm

Housing

 The WVU Intensive English Program works with local agents to locate host families for students who prefer to live in a home environment. There are a limited number of families with guest rooms available, so there is no guarantee that a home will be found, but usually a homestay can be arranged.

 Homestays are generally arranged for one semester and can be renewed by mutual agreement between the family and the student.

Host families and students will follow these guidelines:

 The host family will provide:

·         private room with study table or desk

·         bed linens and towels

·         access to washer and dryer

·         reasonable use of the telephone for making and receiving local calls

·         breakfast and dinner (either meals with the family or food purchased and made available for the

·         student to prepar his/her own meals)

·         transportation to the university if home is not within walking distance or near the PRT or local bus stop

 The student will be responsible for:

      • $200.00 (US funds) one-time home location fee to local agent for finding a home. This is due when the arrangement is finalized and the student moves in. If the student needs to leave the home, every effort will be made to find another home. A $100.00 refund will be made if no suitable replacement home is found.
      • room and board charge starting at $450.00 per month, per person, payable to the host family monthly
      • lunch, snack food, and personal items such as shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
      • daily transportation by walking, city bus, or PRT to campus, and after school activities
      • cleaning his/her own room and washing his/her own clothes and linens
      • informing the host family if they will miss a meal, come home late (after 11:00pm), or be out of town
      • obtaining a phone card for long-distance calls
      • having health insurance for the entire duration of the homestay
      • contacting the local agent in case of any problems or concerns in the home
      • sign a contract for a semester or agreed upon time


 We do have a few homes where the students buy and cook their own food in the hosts' kitchen. The monthly charge for these homes is slightly less. Please inquire if you want more information about this option.

 For further information, contact Karen Allen, our homestay coordinator, at:

Karen Allen/Homestay Coordinator
Box 6297
Morgantown, WV 26506-6297
Phone: 304-293-3604 x 1102
Fax: 304-293-8642
Email: Karen.allen@mail.wvu.edu