Housing for graduate students in Columbia is quite affordable compared with other metropolitan areas, and there are several ways to locate appropriate housing.

The University of South Carolina has a Housing Office with useful information. For on-campus housing: http://www.housing.sc.edu and for off-campus housing: http://www.sa.sc.edu/ocss/homepage.htm

A faculty member in the Public History Program is generally available throughout the summer months to assist incoming Public History students arrange graduate assistantships and register for classes, and we are happy to assist with housing questions. Occasionally nice apartments pass from graduate student to graduate student, and the best way to learn about vacancies like these is through the USC Public History discussion list that we maintain. Contact your faculty advisor for this kind of lead.

If you come to Columbia to arrange housing for yourself, let your faculty advisor know in advance, so we can take advantage of the opportunity and arrange for you to have lunch with some of the current students. Your fellow students will have some of the best advice in locating housing (and you can begin making friendships, too).