Columbia Law School prioritizes housing for all first-year students who (1) apply for housing by May 1 of the year they matriculate and (2) maintain continuous academic residence at the Law School for the three years of the J.D. program. A majority of students, once housing is secured, will live on campus for the entire three years at Columbia.
Columbia Residential manages on-campus leasing for all graduate students. Graduate student housing is located within a 10-block radius of campus and maintained by a dedicated staff of live-in superintendents and university facility staff. A majority of the buildings are pre-war elevator buildings and maintain the charm of Manhattan’s West Side.
Within the umbrella of graduate housing, law students may apply to live in either general graduate housing or Law-preferred housing. While a specific assignment is not guaranteed, it is important to understand the differences between them when expressing housing preferences.
The primary difference between general graduate housing and Law-preferred housing is that in general housing, you could be living with students from one or more of the 13 graduate schools at Columbia. In Law-preferred housing, you would be living with a majority of your peers from the Law School.
Amenities in both types of housing vary by building. Please use the chart below to compare amenities in select law-specific buildings.
|
|
Lenfest Hall *Law-preferred |
Lionsgate *Law-preferred |
400 Block of W. 115th St. *Columbia Residential Graduate Student Housing |
420 W. 116th St. *Columbia Residential Graduate Student Housing |
The Arbor *Columbia Residential Graduate Student Housing |
Columbia Residential Graduate Student Housing |
International House |
|
Address |
425 W. 121st St. |
520 W. 112th St. |
403, 411, 415, and 419 W. 115th St. |
420 W. 116th St. |
3260 Henry Hudson Pkwy E. |
Various addresses between 110th St. and 125th St. |
500 Riverside Drive |
|
Distance to Law School |
5 blocks |
4 blocks |
1 block |
0 blocks |
Shuttle Service Provided |
<10 blocks |
8 blocks |
|
Rent* |
$2,450-3,350 |
$1,500-3,900 |
$1,450-2,500 |
$1,800-3,150 |
$1,200-3,250 |
$1,150-3,700 |
$1,500-2,400 |
|
Tenants in Building |
208 |
48 |
236 |
66 |
229 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Shared Apartment with Private Room |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
Studio |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
|
Couples/Family Housing |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
Utilities Included |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
Elevator |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Varies by Building |
Y |
|
Washer and Dryer in Unit |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
|
Laundry Room |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
Furnished |
Y |
Variable by Unit |
Variable by Unit |
Variable by Unit |
Variable by Unit |
Variable by Unit |
Y |
*All rates listed in the above chart are for the 2022-2023 leasing period. Rates for the 2023-2024 lease year will be available in late April to early May.