Housing

We understand that finding a great place to live is an important part of your experience in America, so take a careful look at the housing options below. Once you find your place, we know you'll love living in the beautiful Bay Area just as much as we do!

BINDI'S SUCCESS STORY: From SVIEP to INTERIOR DESIGN MAJOR at CAÑADA COLLEGE

"SVIEP is the best environment to learn English as a second language. I graduated from the SVIEP in 2017. I am pursuing Interior Design degree at Cañada College and planning to transfer to 4-year institution now. The instructors and coordinators are intelligent and welcoming. Back in that time, [I was] delighted and grateful to feel the progress that I made by myself every day. They [SVIEP] have small classes for the students, so you can get a lot of attention out of the classes which I really enjoyed...You won’t regret to study in SVIEP. They’re the best."

Bindi Lee 李思蓉

Like most Community College-based Intensive English Programs, SVIEP does not have on-campus dormitories and does not directly arrange housing for students. However, SVIEP does provide information regarding private and independently-owned housing options (see below) and recommends that students stay in homestays.

Homestay

International Student Placement (ISP) has successfully placed thousands of international students with host families in the San Francisco Bay Area. They place each student in a living situation where they will feel comfortable and secure. ISP hosts are personally interviewed in their home, screened, and selected for the program. Host homes are located within a reasonable distance to the student's school, typically within a 5-mile radius. Hosts are a variety of families and come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds that matches the interest and needs of international students. ISP provides support during the student's stay, and airport pick up (for a fee). Click here for Homestay information , and here for Homestay Application.

Short-term Temporary Housing

Cañada College is located 15 minutes from downtown Redwood City and is accessible by SamTrans Bus #274. View a listing of hotels located in downtown Redwood City .
The Cañada College Housing Board allows students and community members to list available rooms for rent or students seeking roommates. Other housing resources can also be found on the Housing Board that is located next to the Center for Student Life & Leadership Development in Building 5, Room 354. View the Housing Board website and request to add a listing.

Other Resources

Universal Student Housing: a homestay provider for colleges and universities in California
ApartmentList.com has a list of housing available in the Bay Area with detailed neighborhood information
SFGate lists housing in the San Francisco Bay Area.
San Mateo County Times focuses primarily on San Mateo County and is a good source for housing on the Peninsula.
CORT provides furniture rental packages and housing information for students living off-campus. Most apartments in the U.S. are not furnished. CORT offers furniture rental, with additional packages for cookware, towels and linens, a TV, and more.
Find cheap Storage: Neighbor (a.k.a. the Airbnb of Storage) helps you find cheaper, more flexible, and more convenient self-storage and parking options. You can see the available listings in San Mateo here: https://www.neighbor.com/self-storage-near-me/california/san-mateo
Find Internet services in your area: https://www.inmyarea.com/internet/94061/providers
Find Cable TV services in your area: https://www.inmyarea.com/tv/cable/94061/providers

New students should plan to arrange for their housing prior to arrival. New students should also plan to arrive at least two weeks before registration. Early arrival is necessary to provide adequate time to adjust and become familiar with the area.

Apply Now

SVIEP uses the Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments (CaLMA) English Placement Test to assess how well you can understand written and spoken English.

You can prepare for the CaLMA test by taking a sample test.