Which neighbourhoods are closest to NYU and Columbia?

For NYU, the East Village, Lower East Side and Greenwich Village, with Williamsburg and Bushwick as cheaper options on the L. For Columbia, Morningside Heights, Harlem, the Upper West Side and Washington Heights.

Can a student sublet for one semester legally?

Yes. A sublet of thirty days or more is legal when the leaseholder has the right to sublet, and a room with the host present is fine at any length.

Student sublets in NYC

Students need housing that matches a semester, not a twelve-month lease. SubletNY lists furnished rooms and apartments from leaseholders who are away for a term, a summer or a study-abroad year, in the neighbourhoods closest to the big campuses.

Guide reviewed October 28, 2026.

What sublets cost across New York City right now

Fewer than 5 owner-posted listings in New York City carry a monthly price, so no median is quoted yet.

Fewer than 5 listings in New York City state a fixed end date, so a typical stay length is not quoted yet.

Sublets available from mid-August

Open this search with filters

Nothing fits these exact dates yet. New sublets post every week; a search alert will tell you the day one does.

Set up a search alert

Semester timing

Fall sublets post from late June and fill through August; spring sublets post in November and December for a January start. Summer-session housing follows the intern calendar, with most listings posting in April and May.

Many leaseholders prefer a student for a term-length sublet because the dates are predictable. Say which programme and dates you are on when you message.

Neighbourhoods by campus

NYU and The New School: the East Village, Lower East Side, Greenwich Village and, for a cheaper option, Williamsburg and Bushwick on the L. Columbia and Barnard: Morningside Heights, Harlem and the Upper West Side on the 1, or Washington Heights further up the A. Fordham Lincoln Center: Hell's Kitchen and the Upper West Side. Hunter and the CUNY campuses on the east side: the Upper East Side, East Harlem and Astoria across the river.

A room in a shared apartment is the norm for students; the price gap to a studio is large in every one of these neighbourhoods.

Paperwork and safety

Get the dates, rent, deposit and what is included in writing, even for a single term. Pay a deposit only after you have seen the place in person or on a live video call with the leaseholder.

Sublets of thirty days or more are legal in New York City when the leaseholder has the right to sublet; a room with the host present is fine at any length. Ask whether the building requires a sublet notice to the landlord for longer stays.

Other guides

Guides

Common questions

When do student sublets in New York post?: Fall sublets post from late June and fill through August; spring sublets post in November and December. Summer housing posts mostly in April and May.
Which neighbourhoods are closest to NYU and Columbia?: For NYU, the East Village, Lower East Side and Greenwich Village, with Williamsburg and Bushwick as cheaper options on the L. For Columbia, Morningside Heights, Harlem, the Upper West Side and Washington Heights.
Can a student sublet for one semester legally?: Yes. A sublet of thirty days or more is legal when the leaseholder has the right to sublet, and a room with the host present is fine at any length.