Study abroad6 min read
Renting off campus in the US as an international student with no credit history
The Draimo team
Short answer
You can rent in the US without a credit score or Social Security number. Landlords usually ask instead for proof of funds such as your I-20, a US co-signer, a paid guarantor service, or several months of rent upfront. Leases often run 12 months. Security deposit limits depend on the state, from one month's rent in California to no cap at all in some states. Your university's off-campus housing office is the safest place to start.
Try it in Draimo
Ask about renting near your university
- I am an F-1 student with no credit history. How do I rent an apartment near my university?
- What is the maximum security deposit a landlord can charge in my state, and when must it be returned?
- University lookup
- For more than a hundred top universities, Draimo reads the official website of the one you are aiming for and shows you the page.
- Every plan
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- Attach a PDF, Word file, slides or a photo and ask about it.
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- Searches the live web, reads the pages, and cites every one. Use it to compare universities or read a government page.
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- Paid plans
On campus or off
Many US universities require first-year undergraduates to live on campus, and most offer residence halls to new students. Graduate students more often rent nearby. Most universities run an off-campus housing office or listing site, which is the safest place to find a landlord who has rented to students before.
Ask Draimo whether your university requires first-year students to live on campus and what its residence halls cost. It reads your university's housing pages and links the one it used.
Renting without a credit history
US landlords normally check a credit score, which you do not have yet. They have several other ways to say yes:
- Proof of funds: your I-20, a bank statement or a scholarship letter.
- A co-signer who lives in the US and has good credit.
- A guarantor service, which acts as your co-signer for a fee, often close to one month's rent.
- Paying several months of rent upfront. Ask for it in the lease, with a receipt.
Before you sign a lease
- Check the lease length: most run 12 months, which may not match a nine-month academic year.
- Look up your state's security deposit limit and how many days the landlord has to return it.
- Ask which utilities are included and whether renters insurance is required.
- Never send money before viewing the home, in person or by live video, and signing a lease.
Where Draimo helps
Attach the lease and ask Draimo what it commits you to: the length, the early termination fee, and what the deposit covers. Ask what your state's deposit rules are, and with Agent Mode on a monthly plan Draimo reads the current state pages and cites them. For your first weeks in the US, see our F-1 arrival guide.
Questions people ask
- Can international students rent an apartment in the US without a credit score?
- Yes. Landlords usually accept proof of funds, a US co-signer, a guarantor service, or rent paid in advance instead.
- Do I need a Social Security number to rent in the US?
- No. Most landlords accept a passport, visa and I-20 in its place, often with a co-signer or rent in advance.
- How much is a security deposit in the US?
- It depends on the state. Some cap it at one or two months' rent, and some set no limit.
Sources we checked
- UC Santa Cruz: renting as an international student
- California Courts: security deposits
- Study in the States: F-1 postsecondary
Checked 30 September 2026. Dates and amounts change every year. Draimo reads the current pages when you ask.
Understand your lease before you sign it.
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