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Renting in NYC as an International Student: A Guide

Renting in NYC as an international student is possible without a US credit history or a Social Security number. Landlords mainly want proof that the rent will be paid, so you will need extra documents, a guarantor or guarantor service, or a furnished sublet for your first months while you set things up.

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Central Park in autumn. Photo: Sublet Buddy.

In This Guide 7 sections
  1. What Landlords Ask For
  2. If You Have No US Guarantor
  3. Documents to Have Ready
  4. Your Rights When You Apply
  5. Why a Furnished Sublet Can Be a First Step
  6. Scams to Watch For
  7. Questions

The Short Version

  • Most landlords look for income of about 40 times the monthly rent, or a guarantor who earns about 80 times.
  • A guarantor service can stand in if you do not have a US guarantor, for a fee.
  • A furnished sublet of a few months usually asks for less paperwork than a lease.
  • Never send money for a place you have not seen live.

What Landlords Ask For

A New York landlord is trying to answer one question: will the rent arrive every month. The usual test is income. Many want the tenant to earn about 40 times the monthly rent in a year, so a $2,000 room means $80,000 (2,000 times 40). Students rarely meet that, and nobody expects them to.

The usual fix is a guarantor: someone who signs a promise to pay if you cannot. Landlords commonly want a guarantor to earn about 80 times the monthly rent, and many only accept one who lives in the United States. These are customs, not laws, so they vary by landlord.

If You Have No US Guarantor

  • A guarantor service: a company that acts as your guarantor for a fee, often based on the rent. Not every landlord accepts one, so ask before you apply. Your university’s housing office may list options.
  • Proof of funds: bank statements, a scholarship or funding letter, or a sponsor’s letter showing the year is covered.
  • A roommate who qualifies: when one person on the lease meets the income test, some landlords are satisfied.
  • A sublet or a room in a shared apartment: the person listing decides what they need to see, which is often just identification, proof of enrollment and the first payment.

In New York a security deposit or advance payment generally cannot be more than one month’s rent, and an application fee is capped at $20. If someone asks for several months up front, check the Attorney General’s tenant guide before paying.

Documents to Have Ready

Scan these as PDFs before you start looking. Good rooms go quickly, and a complete application sent the same day helps.

  • Passport and visa.
  • Your I-20 or DS-2019, the form your school issued for your visa.
  • Admission or enrollment letter.
  • Scholarship, stipend or funding letter, if you have one.
  • Recent bank statements, yours or your sponsor’s.
  • A reference from a previous landlord or your school, if you can get one.

Your Rights When You Apply

New York City’s Human Rights Law protects people looking for housing from discrimination based on national origin and immigration status, among other things. According to the NYC Commission on Human Rights, a landlord may not refuse to rent to you, or offer you worse terms, for those reasons.

A landlord can still check that you are able to pay, and can ask for identification. The Commission’s guidance says that accepting only a Social Security number or a passport for a credit check, with no alternative, may be a sign of discrimination. If you think you were turned away because of where you are from, you can contact the Commission through 311.

Why a Furnished Sublet Can Be a First Step

Signing a twelve-month lease from another country, for an apartment you have never stood in, is the hard way to start. A furnished sublet of two to four months gives you a bed and a desk on the day you land and time to open a bank account, meet possible roommates and see neighborhoods in person.

By the time it ends you will have a US phone number, a bank statement and a feel for the trains, and you can apply for a lease with everything in hand. Sublet Buddy lists sublets of 30 days or longer in New York. Wherever you find one, ask the person listing for their landlord’s written approval.

Scams to Watch For

People booking from abroad are a target, because they cannot visit first. The pattern repeats: a price well under the area’s usual rent, an owner who is traveling and cannot show the place, and a request for a deposit by wire or payment app to hold it.

  1. Ask for a live video tour where the person walks through the apartment and shows the view from the window.
  2. Ask who the landlord is and for the written approval of the sublet.
  3. Get the dates, the price and what is included in writing.
  4. Pay only in a way that leaves a record, and only after the steps above.
  5. If you can, ask a friend or classmate already in New York to see it for you.

Questions

Can I rent an apartment in NYC without a Social Security number?

Yes. Many landlords accept other documents, such as a passport, visa, school forms and proof of funds, often with a guarantor or guarantor service. Requirements vary by landlord.

What is a guarantor?

Someone who signs a promise to pay your rent if you cannot. Landlords commonly want a guarantor to earn about 80 times the monthly rent, and many want one based in the United States.

Can a landlord refuse me because I am an international student?

Not because of your national origin or immigration status: New York City’s Human Rights Law prohibits that. A landlord can still apply the same ability-to-pay test to every applicant.

How much money do I need up front?

For a lease, usually the first month’s rent and a security deposit, which in New York generally cannot be more than one month’s rent. A guarantor service adds its own fee.

Is it easier to sublet first?

Often, yes. A furnished sublet of a few months usually needs less paperwork than a lease, and it gives you time to gather US documents before you apply for one.

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Official Sources

Laws, prices and city rules change. Check these pages for the current version before you rely on any summary, including this one.

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<a href="https://www.subletbuddy.com/guides/international-students-renting-nyc">Renting in NYC as an International Student: A Guide</a> (Sublet Buddy Guides)

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, city, building and lease. Check your lease, get your landlord’s written approval before you sublet, and ask a local attorney about your situation.

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