Moving to Pittsburgh

The university does not provide on-campus housing for graduate students at Carnegie Mellon. We have surveyed current Heinz students in order to provide you with information about how students found their housing, where they live, how much they pay in rent, transportation they use to and from campus, and more! We have also included advice they thought would be helpful as you plan to move to Pittsburgh.

How many times did current Heinz students visit Pittsburgh before the start of class?

How soon before the start of class did current Heinz students begin to look for housing?

Carnegie Mellon has an office devoted to Community Housing Services (non-university housing). That office maintains a database of vacant apartments. Access to this system is strictly limited to current and admitted students, faculty, staff and alumni. IMPORTANT Note about Login requirements: You must use a valid "cmu.edu" email address to login. If this is the first time you use this system or if you forgot your password, you must check the "Request password" box (leave the password blank) and wait to receive your new or existing password by email. If you have NOT yet received your CMU email information, please email the community housing office to request access. The email must include your Name, Heinz College, Your Program. You can expect to receive access within 7 - 10 days. commhous@andrew.cmu.edu

Stop in at the community housing office as soon as you arrive on campus to look for an apartment. Their staff has additional important information that will assist in you apartment hunt. The Housing Services Office is located in E110 Morewood Gardens and it is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. You can stop in anytime for help or information - there is no need for an appointment. Their phone number is 412-268-4990.

We created a Heinz College Housing Facebook page where current and graduating Heinz College students can list apartments they are looking to sublease or turnover to the next generation of Heinz students. Also, some students are looking for roommates. It is strongly recommended that you join this group. If you find a listing that is of interest to you, then you can communicate directly with the student. Also, if you are looking for a roommate for the upcoming academic year, please feel free to post this information as well. For students arriving to campus early for the QSSP program, many of our current students will sublet their apartment over the summer as they complete internships in other cities. Renting from a student for the summer offers you the opportunity to get to know the neighborhood before signing a year lease. It is our hope that this group will help the apartment hunting process!!

There are 3 commonly used websites that advertise apartment rentals. The websites are helpful for prospective tenants to gather information about properties that are currently available. The listings include amenities, location, directions, options, virtual tours, and rental prices. The websites also publish a monthly magazine which is useful to take along on your property visits.

While Pittsburgh is made up of many diverse communities, many CMU graduate students find that the Squirrel Hill (zipcode 15217) and Shadyside (zipcode 15232) neighborhoods offer competitive properties while being close to public transportation and offering easy access to the CMU campus. The apartment guides are used as a starting point when you begin your search. The guides are not substitutes for a personal visit to the property.

www.padmapper.com This Apartment Guide was reccomended by an incoming Heinz Student! Thank you for your suggestion!

Current Heinz Student Hint: Before renting, check for reviews about your potential landlord/leasing company on the website: Land or Slum.com

57% of Heinz College students have a roommate. How did they find their roommate?

All of the neighborhoods above have their advantages. Shadyside, Squirrel Hill and North Oakland are located very near campus. If you would like the option of a 10 - 20 minute walk to campus you can find many housing options within these neighborhoods in the areas closest to campus. Current students encourage you to also consider that many areas of Shadyside, Squirrel Hill and North Oakland are part of the CMU Shuttle Route and/or CMU Escort Route which can be an added convenience. (SEE more information below under Transportation) The PAT Bus (free with your CMU ID) will serve all neighborhoods with more or less frequency depending upon where in the town you choose an apartment. Other neighborhoods where students live include Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, Morningside, Friendship, and Highland Park. It is important to keep in mind that living in outlying towns may require you to take more than one bus to get to campus.

* It's important to note that most housing options require you pay a security deposit equal to at least one month's rent when you sign the lease. Also, consider what is Included in your rent. Heat is an important item to note because if it is not included, you will have an additional expense during the winter months. If it is included, the property may actually be more affordable than one where heat is not included. This is very important if you are looking to rent a house (as opposed to a smaller apartment)

Current Heinz students were asked if the following amenities are included in their rent

When looking for housing, be sure to ask if the above amenities are included. It is also very important to ask if the electric and/or gas will be in the renter's name. If these are in your name, you will need to contact the provider to set up an account and payment. As there are several gas and electric companies in the area, ask the landlord which company you should call. These companies are NOT open over the weekend- do not be left in the dark! Ask these questions and be sure to call the companies ahead.

It's important to note that many housing options are privately owned and can be found through the options offered above. The list below should not be considered a complete listing. CMU does not endorse the companies below. These were provided by current students and all listings should be investigated accordingly.

Helpful Maps

Current Heinz Student Hint: Before renting, check out the CMU Shuttle and Escort Route (additional information below under transportation)

Transportation

The university operates two separate transportation systems for the convenience and safety of our students - the Shuttle Service and the Escort Service. All vehicles are equipped with yellow strobe lights for easy identification E1-E9.

The Oakland/Shadyside Shuttle services much of the Oakland and Shadyside area. The Oakland/Shadyside shuttle runs three routes, the A, B, and AB routes. All shuttles depart from the Morewood Gardens turnaround (a 3 minute walk from Heinz College, Hamburg Hall) on quarter hour (:15) and three-quarter hour (:45). Current students encourage you to check the shuttle stops when considering housing in these areas. Use of the shuttle is an added conveinence. Learn more

The CMU Escort transports students from 10 designated pick up locations (one stop directly outside of Hamburg Hall/Heinz College) to their residence in Oakland or Shadyside within 1.5 miles of campus. There are 10 designated pick-up locations marked by official university signage bearing the word "ESCORT." Escort leaves Morewood on the hour (:00) and the half-hour (:30). Riders do NOT need to call for a ride, just wait at the designated pick up locations. All students who live on the Shuttle route will be required to use the Shuttle when in operation.
Hours of Operation: Daily 6:30pm – 6:30am [last pick up 6:30am] Learn more

In addition to the CMU shuttle, the Port Authority Transit System (PAT) has buses that make stops at Hamburg Hall. All degree-seeking CMU students will have a logo imprinted on their student ID card that will allow them to ride public transportation for FREE. For more information on the PAT bus system, please visit their website: http://www.portauthority.org/ .

PAT Transit - Airport Flyer. PAT transit runs the 28X Airport Flyer bus route that is a very conveinent way for students traveling to and from the airport. There is a stop located just across Forbes Avenenue from the Heinz College/Hamburg Hall. The bus route is Free with your CMU ID and very cheap fro anyone traveling with you. Save on cab fare to the airport and take the bus! Airport Flyer Schedule

Please note that PAT is implementing some significant changes to public transit routes and schedules starting April 2011. Be sure to check the PAT website on a regular basis for the most updated information.

Megabus.com

Megabus.com is the first, low-cost, express bus service to offer city-to-city travel for as low as $1 via the Internet. Since launching in April 2006, megabus.com has served more than 7 million passengers throughout nearly 50 major cities in the Midwest and Northeast of the USA and Canada.

They utilize luxury single and double decker busses with free wi-fi, at-seat plug ins, panoramic windows and a green alternative way to travel. They provide low-cost and reliable bus services serving nearly 50 cities (including Pittsburgh) from five hubs at New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago and Toronto. This is a great way to travel from Pittsburgh to several destination cities on a very tight budget! Visit megabus at: http://us.megabus.com/

Parking on Campus

48% of current Heinz Students have a car in Pittsburgh. Of these, only 7% have a CMU Parking permit.

"After Hours" Free parking is available directly across from Heinz College/ Hamburg Hall in the Morewood Parking Lot. During the day, it is permit required parking. However, after 4:30pm during weekdays the lot is open and free. It is also open ALL day for free, Saturday and Sunday.

On campus parking permits are valid for 12 months beginning in August each year. Spaces are limited, so we recommend that you apply as early as possible if you will need to drive to the campus. For more information on parking and rates, please visit the Parking Services website.

Unless you purchase a Carnegie Mellon parking permit, parking on campus is extremely limited between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information on "pay as you park", please visit: http://www.cmu.edu/parking/about/index.html.

If you will begin your program in May, parking information is a little different (and this information is not available on the Parking Services website). Summer parking permits are available at a discounted rate. Summer permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The rates for the summer will be posted on the Parking Services’ website as soon as they are announced.

Students who purchase summer parking permits and want to continue to park on campus after the summer must purchase a new permit, at the regular price, if they wish to continue parking on campus during the fall and spring semesters.

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Moving to Pittsburgh

Resourses to help you find the best housing in Pittsburgh

Housing

Helpful Maps

Transportation

Parking on Campus