Prospective International Students

Apartments

One of most popular housing options at Foothill College is local apartments or single-family homes. Many students also choose to live with roommates in apartments or houses to reduce housing costs.  

Generally, housing costs in the Bay Area are more expensive than other parts of the country, but are similar in cost to many large cities in the United States and around the world.

How to Find an Apartment

Here are some suggestions for finding an apartment:

• Join our closed “Foothill International Students” facebook page where you can communicate with current or other new students who are looking for roommates
• Orientation is also a good time to meet other students who are looking to share housing
• Consult housing websites, local newspapers and magazines.  Please note that if you find a rental on a website we recommend that you visit the complex in person before signing a lease and do not pay a deposit by money order or wire transfer.

Things to Consider When Looking for an Apartment

• Is the apartment close to the bus stop? You can find out if an apartment is close to a bus stop online by using this trip planner. Type in the address of the apartment, Foothill's address (12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022), and the time you want to arrive at Foothill.
• Is the apartment near the college? Apartments that are close to Foothill College are often more expensive than apartments further away. The following cities are listed from the closest to Foothill to the farthest away: Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Cupertino, and San Jose.

Do I Need a Car?

Most international students do not have a car, especially since all Foothill students are provided a bus pass.

The VTA SmartPass provides all Foothill students unlimited rides on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses and light rail within Santa Clara county. 

Foothill is currently served by two bus routes (#40 and #52). 

Learn how to get your SmartPass.

Apartments in San Jose

Students who have or plan to own a car can look for apartments in the San Jose area.

If you plan to rely on bus transportation, we do not recommend looking for an apartment in San Jose since it is too far to travel by bus to Foothill College.