University residence, shared flat or studio: the options for housing in Beijing while studying, rents, student neighbourhoods and the steps on arrival.
To find housing while studying in Beijing, there are three options: a room in your university's international residence, a shared flat in an apartment in the city, or a studio all to yourself. The residence is the easiest to get from abroad and the least risky for a first year. A shared flat becomes the rule when campus places run short or when you stay several years. The studio offers independence, at a markedly higher price.
The choice comes down to three criteria: the length of your stay, the location of your campus and your budget. Beijing is huge, and most universities are concentrated in the Haidian district, in the north-west, around Wudaokou and Zhongguancun. A lower rent at the other end of the city can cost you more than an hour of commuting a day.
Whichever option you choose, one rule applies to all foreigners: your place of residence must be reported to the police within 24 hours of moving in. This guide compares the three options and gives rent ranges, the neighbourhoods to aim for and the procedures to plan for.
The big Beijing universities have residences for international students. Rooms are often shared, between two, three or four people, and access is reserved for enrolled students. It is the option that spares you from negotiating a lease in Chinese before you have even arrived.
At Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), the plan published in March 2026 for new scholarship students shows how rooms are allocated: on the Beijing campus, third- and fourth-year bachelor's students and language-course students live in four-person rooms, master's students in three- or four-person rooms, and doctoral students in two- or three-person rooms. Some new scholarship students begin their studies on the Hainan campus, in a double room. The university specifies that the actual allocation depends on availability.
If you are aiming for a scholarship, look at what it covers. The Beijing Municipal Government scholarship for international students, presented in January 2026, has three categories: category A covers tuition, housing, a living allowance and health insurance; category B, tuition, housing and insurance; category C, tuition and insurance only. Housing is provided on campus, or, with the institution's agreement, replaced by a monthly or quarterly allowance if you live in the city.
When there is no room left on campus, or after a first year, most students share an apartment. A two-bedroom rents for around 6,000 CNY per month in the most affordable districts, and between 10,000 and 18,000 CNY in central districts such as Dongcheng. Between two people, each person's share therefore comes to around 3,000 CNY per month in an affordable district. Charges (water, electricity, gas, residence management fees) almost always come on top of the rent.
A studio or single room rents from 3,000 to 5,000 CNY per month on the outskirts, and from 6,000 to 10,000 CNY in central districts. A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre, in Chaoyang or Dongcheng, costs 8,000 to 15,000 CNY. As for the trend, the market is calm: according to China Index Academy data reported by Yicai, Beijing rents dipped slightly in August 2026 (-0.03% month on month), while they were rising again in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Beijing is divided into districts (qu). For a student, the right neighbourhood is first of all the one near their campus.
Haidian is home to the major universities, including Peking University and Tsinghua University, as well as the Zhongguancun technology hub. Wudaokou, in the heart of this area, is the usual landing spot for international students: a young atmosphere, plenty of shared flats and rents more affordable than in the centre. It is the first neighbourhood to look at if you study in the north-west of the city.
Chaoyang is home to the embassies, the business district (CBD) and the lively Sanlitun district. There is a wide choice in English, but rents are among the highest in Beijing. Best kept for comfortable budgets or campuses in the east.
Around the Forbidden City, the hutongs and Houhai Lake, these two districts blend traditional houses and modern buildings. The setting is central and lively, and rents are high in the most sought-after areas. They suit you if your campus is in the centre or if you put neighbourhood life first.
Fengtai, in the south-west, is residential and quieter, with rents below the centre and good metro access. On the outskirts (Tongzhou, Changping), a one-bedroom apartment drops to 4,000 to 7,000 CNY per month, but check the commute to your campus carefully before committing.
So expect a large sum at signing: for a room at 3,000 CNY, the deposit and a quarter in advance can exceed 12,000 CNY.
The contract is generally concluded for six or twelve months. Ask for a bilingual version, Chinese and English: only the Chinese version has legal value, so have it reviewed by someone you trust before signing. The lease must state the rent, the payment terms, the deposit, the split of maintenance and the conditions for termination. In a shared flat, check who holds the lease and what happens if one of the flatmates leaves before the end.
Every foreigner must have their place of residence registered at the local police station within 24 hours of moving in. In a university residence, follow the institution's instructions. In an apartment, the procedure is up to you, and the landlord should normally accompany you with the home's documents. Before paying anything, make sure they agree to do so: without this registration, your stay is not in order, and the form is part of the residence permit file. The procedure has to be repeated each time you move.
Plan ahead for the calendar. For the 2026 start of the academic year, Peking University welcomed its new international bachelor's students on 30 August and master's students on 31 August, and Tsinghua University its new bachelor's students on 19 August and master's students on 26 August. Residence bookings close well before: watch for messages from your university's international office as soon as you are admitted. Since 2025, the municipal government has also published a guide for international students, available in ten languages, covering enrolment, insurance, the bank card and the residence permit.
If you are searching for an apartment in the city from France, a Remoters home finder based in Beijing can search for you according to your campus and budget, view homes, check that the landlord will handle the registration, put together your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.
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