Summer Experience Grant Common Expenses

Cornell University does not endorse or investigate these resources and encourages students to check thoroughly before paying for any service. We generally discourage the use of Airbnb for housing, due to high rental rates. There are some cases in which it might be a more cost-effective choice, but it is generally in suburban or rural areas and for a short duration of time.


See also: Career Development Toolkit Pages on How do I develop a budget? and How do I prepare to relocate?

Finding housing can be a stressful part of planning your summer experience, but it doesn’t have to be! The below list, while not comprehensive, gives a good starting point for exploring temporary housing opportunities in various cities across the United States.


If you are considering a summer experience in a city not represented in this list, consider contacting universities in that local area, as many open their residence halls (dorms) to visiting students.

A few things to consider as you begin your housing search:
  • What are the up-front costs?
    • You may need to pay a registration fee, deposit or first month/last month rent when signing the lease- make sure you plan ahead and know what you need.
  • Are utilities included? Internet?
  • Are meals included? (some on-campus housing has the option of, or even requires, meal plans)
  • Is it close to local transportation?
  • Are there any amenities? (Laundry on site, parking, gym, etc.)
  • How safe is the area?
    • What security measures exist on the property? (you can use Area Vibes or other online tools to help answer this question)
  • Is the space furnished? Is there a kitchen/ cooking capability?
  • Who provides maintenance?
Nationwide Housing Search Engines
  • Apartment List – Aggregated apartment listings from hundreds of sources across the country.
  • Airbnb
  • Craig’s List – Contains housing listings for various cities throughout the US.
  • Sublet.com – Apartment rentals, sublets, houses, and rooms for rent in majorWhat are the up-front costs?
  • Zumper – Map-based search for home & apartment rentals with real-time updates. Also available on iOS & Android
  • Trulia – Search rooms & apartments for rent by location.
  • Studenthousing.com – Search rooms and apartments designed to support needs of student interns.
  • Studentrent.com– Students created site to ease the process by providing a place for students to easily browse housing options and for property managers to post their current vacancies.
  • Facebook Marketplace – a source for sublets and rentals (Also look at Facebook and search for Sublet groups- you’ll often find a group where students are sharing open spaces/ seeking roommates)
  • Nerd Wallet Cost of Living – a source for researching cost of living options as a jumping off point.

  • If you are travelling to a new city for the summer, it is a good idea to think about transportation options.
  • While some students choose to bring a car, public transportation is often the easiest and least expensive option- especially in larger cities where parking can be pricey.
  • Common forms of public transportation include bus systems and trains (metro, etc.) while other forms include bike share programs and city-specific programs.
  • Transportation varies greatly by city.

Staying in town? – Ithaca, NY Housing

Staying in Town? – Ithaca, NY Transportation

  • Transportation Options
  • TCAT– TCAT is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to get around – especially if you live right in town.
  • Registered Cornell students receive unlimited rides on all TCAT buses after 6 p.m. weekdays, and anytime Saturday and Sunday. Students pay no fare when using their CU ID card at the fare box. **Please note: Students must remain registered for their privileges to remain active.

Atlanta, GA Housing

Atlanta, GA Transportation

Boston, MA Housing

Boston, MA Transportation

Buffalo, NY Housing

Buffalo, NY Transportation

Charlotte, NC Housing

Charlotte, NC Transportation

Chicago, IL Housing

Chicago, IL Transportation

Los Angeles, CA Housing

Los Angeles, CA Transportation

Miami, FL Housing

Miami, FL Transportation

New York, NY Housing

New York, NY Transportation

Philadelphia, PA Housing

Philadelphia, PA Transportation

San Francisco, CA Housing

San Francisco, CA Transportation

Washington, DC Housing

Washington, DC Transportation