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• About Us
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• Important Information
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• Go to Residence Life

Residency Requirement

All freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus unless they are married, over 21, or living with parent(s) within a commutable distance of 25 miles or less.

The following material has been adapted from the Willamette University College of Law publication Moving to Salem. Please do some independent investigation to identify the apartment that meets your needs. The material provided on off-campus housing is only informational in nature and the groups listed are not affiliated with the Office of Residential Services and/or Willamette University.

Moving to Salem

[ download the ENTIRE Moving to Salem Guide ]

As you make your transition to living in Salem, you will find an easy pace of life and a relatively low cost of living. Here you are able to focus your energies on graduate school and benefit from a relaxed and uncomplicated life outside of the classroom.

The character of our city is an interesting blend of influences. Salem is Oregon’s capital city and has the state’s third-largest population. Yet, within a matter of 20 minutes you can go from the downtown shopping area to rolling acres of vineyards west of the Willamette River. Salem is also about an hour’s drive from the Cascade Mountains, the Oregon Coast and the city of Portland. You will have a wide choice of activities.

Information for Those Moving or Living Off Campus

Moving off campus can be an exciting yet stressful time. These documents were produced to help answer some of the questions you may have about living off campus. There may also be some other resources out there that you may not know of in Salem! (All are in Adobe PDF format and can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free utility available here.)

Being a Good Neighbor

When you and your friends sign a lease, you've taken a major step as an independent adult. With those privileges also come responsibilities. Willamette University encourages you to be a good neighbor in whichever area of Salem that you choose to live. Your actions help ensure Willamette students maintain a good reputation in our larger community. [ Continue reading "How to be a good neighbor" ]

A Word on International Students

Unlike U.S. students, international students do not have absolute freedom since the U.S. government requires an international student to fulfill certain requirements to maintain a student status. This includes factors like always being a full-time student, attending class regularly, and following certain immigration procedures when traveling. In general, these requirements are not a burden for students. However, these rules can seem severe when students get into trouble. [ Continue reading "International Students" ]

Safe Parties

There's a reason it's called throwing a party — a host has to be ready to catch some curve balls and juggle the unexpected when it comes to staging an event that's fun, entertaining and safe for everyone. [ Continue reading "Safe Parties" ]

Tenants Rights

As a tenant in Oregon, you have rights and responsibilities. To avoid problems, it is important that you know what these rights and responsibilities are to protect yourself. [ Continue reading "Tenants Rights" ]

Living Next to Bush Elementary

Some important information for those who live and interact in the Bush Elementary School area. [ Continue reading "Living Next to Bush Elementary" ]

How to Look for Housing

The newspaper is your best resource. The Statesman Journal is Salem’s daily newspaper. The Sunday edition features the greatest number of rental announcements. Houses, apartments, townhouses and duplexes are listed by category and by geographic area.

The Oregonian is Portland’s daily newspaper and it includes rental announcements for Portland and the city’s suburban areas. It includes a very limited list of Salem rentals.

Property Management Companies

Contacting property management companies that manage rentals is the next best way to locate rentals. Here is a partial list. Some charge a fee for their listings.

Ned Baker Real Estate Inc.

2339 State St.
Salem, OR 97301
503-364-6797 or 1-877-893-6797
[ nedbaker.com ]

Shelter Management

3625 River Rd. N., Suite 125
Keizer, OR 97303
503-585-6176
[ smiproperty.com ]

Mid Valley Management

358 Superior St., #101
Salem, OR 97301
503-585-5605

Eldred Realty

1860 Hawthorne Ave., NE
Salem, OR
503-581-3549

Key Management Company

7585 State St.
Salem, OR 97301
503-581-9317

EZ Rent Now

503-390-1228
[ ezrentnow.com ]

Campus Bulletin Boards

A few rental announcements are posted on the bulletin boards located on the ground floor of the University Center, in the lower level of the College of Law near the locker area and Atkinson's 1st floor student lounge.

Graduate Apartments on Campus

Because the majority of the University’s 2,400 students are undergraduates who live on campus, a separate off-campus housing office does not exist. However, a limited number of apartments are available in the University Apartments and Haseldorf Apartments for graduate students. Contact Residential Services for more information (503.370.6880 or housing@willamette.edu). Leases are available in June.

Graduate Students Looking for a Roommate

If you are interested in sharing an apartment or house, please email the admission offices listed below. We will do our best to put you in contact with other interested students.

College of Law

law-admission@willamette.edu

Atkinson Graduate School of Management

agsm-admission@willamette.edu

School of Education

mat-admission@willamette.edu

Selected Salem Area Apartments

Salem has a varied selection of rental housing, some very close to campus and others within a 15 or 20 minute drive. You are advised to make your housing arrangements in June or July to avoid a last minute rush.

The following list offers information about distance from campus, and other attributes of area apartment complexes. Apartments described in detail are those where many students have lived. Distances to school are reasonably accurate, as are rents and deposits, but all features may not be included.

[ View Salem-area Apartment Listings by downloading the ENTIRE Moving to Salem Guide ]