Brief summaries of the different housing options available for grad students at the University of Toronto can be found here. For more information about housing at the University of Toronto, as well as workshops and educational resources for renters, consult the University of Toronto Housing website.

U of T Residence

Graduate House, located at 60 Harbord Street, is an on-campus residence reserved exclusively for graduate students, providing a more quiet, mature, and study-friendly atmosphere. Space is limited, so interested candidates are advised to apply as early as possible.

Affiliated and Independent Residences

Though not managed by the University of Toronto, these residences accept applications from all U of T students as well as students from other post-secondary institutions and, in some cases, the general public. The residences vary in location, facilities, and cost; see each of their individual websites for more details.

Student Family Housing

If you live with common-law partner or spouse and/or have custody of one or two children, you can qualify for U of T’s Student Family Housing. This is probably the cheapest and most ideally located high-rise deal in Toronto. To obtain a unit for September you may need to put yourself on a waiting list quite early. However, units are often available mid-year, so it’s worth checking back in a couple of months if you’re unable to be admitted straight away.

University of Toronto Off-Campus Housing Finder

University of Toronto Housing maintains an extensive and frequently updated database for U of T students to search for off-campus rental housing. Some of these rentals are specifically targeted toward university students and may be set up “dorm-style,” while others are open to the general public. You can search the database by keyword, price range, or number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and you can also search for fellow U of T student roommates by signing in with your UTORid.

Other Resources

Most of our students end up finding housing outside off-campus, either through word-of-mouth, classified ads, or neighbourhood exploration. The benefits of renting outside of the university include far greater choice in price, accommodation, location, and style, as well as greater stability: students are not obligated to leave once their academic tenure ends.

Plenty of rental listings can be found on sites like Craigslist, Kijiji, and View-it, but you could also consider reaching out to other grad students for recommendations of apartments in their area. Finally, if you’re able to do so, consider visiting Toronto before your session begins to simply walk, bike, or drive around your preferred neighbourhood(s) looking for rental signs. Some of the happiest tenants have found their housing this way. Just to be on the cautious side, you may want to peruse the Toronto Bedbug Registry or Google the address (and property management company, if applicable) before making any final decisions.

Co-operative Housing

You can find information about co-operative housing from the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto. Though you may have to wait some time before a space becomes available, co-operative housing is often a cheaper alternative than typical rental costs in Toronto. See their website for open waiting lists.