What is an 'International Student Friendly' Property?
The International Student Friendly search filter is a resource designed to simplify the housing search for international students and connect them with properties that meet the criteria outlined below.
International students may not have a credit history in Canada or have a guarantor who is based in Canada. An international student-friendly property accepts alternatives that allow international students to demonstrate they can pay for housing.
If you are an international student-friendly property, please read the implications of using this feature below.
How Can Properties Accommodate International Students?
Financial Aid
Financial aid may be given to students for the year to utilize for living expenses. We request that you allow them to use this as income and proof that they can pay for housing.
Credit Score
Int’l students may not have a Canadian credit score, so we request that you seek other evidence that they can pay for housing.
Government Photo ID
If you request a Government photo ID, make sure to fulfill the obligations outlined by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) when collecting, using or disclosing personal information.
You should obtain consent and explain the reasons for collecting personal information such as a copy of a Passport or Study Permit.
References
International students may not have references from previous landlords in the country. We recommend that you should accept and contact international references.
Other Things to Keep in Mind
- In our experience, international student-friendly properties bypassed the credit check and required the last month of rent and a refundable key deposit to reserve a room and sign a lease.
- It is illegal to ask for multiple months of rent upfront.
If you can accommodate international students in the rental application process and comply with the above, please follow the instructions below to add the “International Student Friendly” amenity to your listing.
Note: If a landlord is misrepresenting themselves as International Student Friendly, the Off-Campus Partners site can remove this applied filter from the listing.
How to Add the 'International Student Friendly' Amenity to Your Listing
- Sign into your account
- Go to Edit My Listings
- Find the listing you want to update and click Edit (to the right of the listing's title).
- Navigate to the Amenities & Details tab on the left-hand side.
- Scroll down to the Community Features section:
- Select International Student Friendly.
- Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Need Help?
If you’d like assistance adding this amenity to your listing, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team at 1-877-895-1234 or send us an email.