Temporary Housing

Columbia has negotiated rates with several preferred hotels in New York City.  The preferred hotels are located in upper Manhattan and offer guests a variety of amenities.

Most of the accommodations listed below are meant for students, but there are a few locations and websites where professionals are able to find rooms to rent.

OCHA
The Off-Campus Housing Assistance website is hosted by another department at Columbia and lists rooms to rent. It is best to go to the “Subleases” section listed at the top of the webpage, as this section only has listings from Columbia affiliates (both within Columbia housing and outside of Columbia housing) and is therefore a bit more secure and less likely to have scams posted. A Columbia UNI is required, so in order to get access, email [email protected] with proof of affiliation (offer letter, acceptance to program, etc.) and that department will provide the ability to get behind the firewall.  

Airbnb
Options have become more limited. Fully furnished rooms and apartments.

Chelsea International Hostel
251 West 20th Street (Between 7th & 8th Avenue) 

Furnished Finder
Monthly furnished rentals, both rooms and full apartments, in a variety of locations in and around NYC.  

De Hirsch Residence (Operated by the 92nd Street YM-YWCA) 
1395 Lexington Avenue (at 92nd Street) 
Minimum stay is 30 days and maximum is one year. Residence is limited to students/interns and/or fully employed people.

Educational Housing Services
Dormitory and single room accommodations in facilities located in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Rooms are rented by the semester to students and interns.  Pricing and amenities vary according to location.

4 Stay
Rooms for rent in a variety of locations.

FOUND Study
Fully furnished, single rooms & co-living spaces.

Hosteling International 
891 Amsterdam Avenue (at 103rd Street) 
Kitchen and bath are shared.

Hostel World
Several locations throughout NYC

International House 
500 Riverside Drive (at West 122nd Street) 
Usually cannot be accommodated on short notice. Must apply well in advance. 

International Student Center 
38 West 88th Street (at Central Park West) 
Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance or check possible availability the morning you want to stay. There is a two-week minimum stay.  Kitchen and bath are shared.

Jazz on the Park 
36 West 106th Street (between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue) 

Listings Project
Furnished room and apartments to rent directly from the leaseholder.
Mostly Brooklyn based

Monarch Heights
415 West 120th Street
Furnished shared and full apartment.

Outpost
Rooms to rent and entire apartment sublets in a variety of areas.

Student Apartment Solutions
850 West End Avenue & 315 West 94th Street

Student Housing Works
Several locations in Manhattan

The Towers at CCNY
401 West 130th Street
Single Occupancy Bedrooms in 2 - 4 Bedroom Suites - Academic Year Agreements

Vanderbilt YMCA 
224 East 47th Street (Between 2nd & 3rd Avenues) 

West Side YMCA
5 West 63rd Street (at Central Park West)

Teachers College 
517 West 121st Street
21 guest rooms

Rooms are usually private, furnished rooms with a shared bath, though some have private bathrooms. Cooking facilities are typically not available but may have up to two meals provided. Reservations should be made a few months in advance. 

Centro Maria Residence 
3103 Arlington Avenue, Riverdale (Bronx)
A residence for young working women and students
Refer to the article for more information about Centro Maria Residence
Women-only boarding houses: The low rent NYC housing option you have never heard about
Brick Underground, September 26, 2025

Kolping House 
165 East 88th Street 
Rate includes dinner, Monday-Friday. There is a shared bath.  Make reservations 3 months in advance.  Maximum stay is 3 months. Preference is given to graduate or international students, men and women. 

The Markle
123 West 13th Street
Furnished rooms with private bathrooms for students and professionals. Owned and operated by the Salvation Army. 

St. Joseph Immigrant Home
425 West 44th Street (9th-10th Avenues)
Furnished rooms for students and professional women

St. Agnes Residence
237 West 74th Street
Furnished rooms for students and professional women

St. Mary's Residence
225 East 72nd Street 
Furnished rooms for students and professional women

The Webster Apartments
229 Fuffield Street, Brooklyn
Fully furnished rooms

The two best websites to potentially find an apartment sublet close to Columbia are OCHA and Sabbatical Homes.

OCHA
The Off-Campus Housing Assistance website is hosted by another department at Columbia and lists rooms to rent. It is best to go to the “Subleases” section listed at the top of the webpage, as this section only has listings from Columbia affiliates (both within Columbia housing and outside of Columbia housing) and is therefore a bit more secure and less likely to have scams posted. A Columbia UNI is required, so in order to get access, email [email protected] with proof of affiliation (offer letter, acceptance to program, etc.) and that department will provide the ability to get behind the firewall.

Sabbatical Homes
Homes for sublet by the academic community.

Airbnb
Options have become more limited. Fully furnished rooms to rent and apartments.

Anyplace
Fully furnished apartments

Furnished Finder
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

Furnished Habitat
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

Greyston Rentals
212 West 91st Street
9 - 12-month leases
Can furnish the apartment for an additional fee (+/-$150)

Listings Project
Furnished room and apartments to rent directly from the leaseholder.

Monarch Heights
415 West 120th Street
Shared and full apartment. Furnished.

Outpost
Rooms to rent and entire apartment sublets in a variety of areas.

VRBO
Similar to Airbnb. Marketed primarily as a vacation rental option.

Whitehall Apartments
250 West 100th Street

Most options listed below have a 30 day minimum, though some function like hotels and can be rented for less than 30 days. These options are considered to be “corporate housing” as the product is usually reliable and dates can be very flexible. Pricing varies, but can be very high.

AKA
Luxury apartments in four locations in Manhattan; functions like a hotel.

Astrid Living
Fully furnished apartments in various locations in Manhattan and Jersey City.  

Blue Ground
Fully-furnished apartments. Cost varies depending on building type, size of apartment and location.  

Bridge Suites 
Variety of locations with apartments in rental buildings; fully furnished apartments.

Bristol Plaza
210 East 65th Street 
Luxury fully furnished apartments; functions like a hotel.

Candlewood Suites
339 West 39th Street 
Functions like a hotel; fully-furnished apartments

Chelsmore Apartments
205 West 15th Street
Fully furnished apartments

Churchill Living
Fully furnished apartments in a variety of locations

City Sonnet
Fully furnished apartments in Long Island City.

Corporate Stays  
Short to long-term stays in locations throughout Manhattan, and the world.   

Executive Plaza
150 West 51st Street (7th Avenue)
Fully furnished apartments

Furnished Quarters
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

National Corporate Housing
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

New York Habitat 
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

The Phillips Club
155 West 66th Street 
Luxury fully furnished apartments

Weichert Corporate Housing 
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations in and around NYC

Radio City Apartments
142 West 49th Street (Between Ave. of the Americas and 7th Ave.)
Fully furnished apartments

Sonder
Furnished apartments in a variety of locations

Synergy 
Short-term and extended stay fully furnished apartments.

Taylor Made
Various locations throughout Manhattan.

Team Housing Solutions
Fully-furnished apartments. Cost varies depending on building type, size of apartment and location.  

Urban Furnished
Fully-furnished apartments. Cost varies depending on building type, size of apartment and location.  

Westchester County
66 Main 
66 Main Street, Yonkers, NY, 10701
Furnished units available. Less than a 12-month lease can be negotiated.
It will take approximately 25 minutes to drive to Columbia and less than an hour door-to-door on Metro-North.

IKEA
Purchase furniture directly. When no longer needed, furniture can be donated to a charity. Pick-up is usually free of charge.

Furniture rental companies
Churchill Living
Cort Furniture Rental
Fernish

Furniture and furnishings requirement for a 1-bedroom apartment
Living Room
Sofa Bed
2 End tables
2 table lamps
Coffee table
2 Lounge chairs
Dining table with 4 dining chairs
Rug  - 6 x 8
2 framed artworks

Bedroom
Queen-size bed with bedframe
2 Night tables
2 Table lamps
Dresser with 6 drawers
Table desk
Desk chair
wastebasket
Rug – 6 x 8
2 framed artworks
Bed linens – 3 sets

Kitchen
Dishware for 4
Cutlery for 4
2 serving bowls
Wine and water glasses for 4
Assorted serving and cooking utensils
Assorted pots and pans
Dishtowels - 4
Coffee machine
Garbage can

Bathroom
Bath, hand and washcloth towels for 4
Soap dispenser
Shower curtain
Bathmat

Misc.
Mop
Vacuum
Broom and dust pail
Hangers
Plus, other assorted items