Miami, FL

[phdresearch]

Has anyone been accepted to University of Miami, visited the campus, or does anyone know anything about the school?

University of Miami is actually located in Coral Gables. Has anyone been there?

[t_ruth]

What specifically do you want to know?

The campus is beautiful, the food is better than average at the dorm cafeterias, and the city of Coral Gables is among the wealthiest in the Miami area. You will need a car if you want to live off-campus or want to live in the campus apartments and buy groceries, etc. Ask away, I'm happy to answer.

[phdresearch]

did you attend university of miami? if you did, were you happy with your experience there? would you suggest going there for graduate school? have you heard anything about the business school phd program?

i saw on the website that grad students aren't allowed to live on the campus apartments. is this true? where is a good place to live off-campus? is it hard to find an apartment and do you have to apply for the apartments early (when should I be applying for apartments if I start in August)? are there any good furnished apartments? i found a place online called red road commons. do many umiami students live there? if so, is it easy to find a roommate to live there? i hope to live in a 2bd, 2ba and live with another miami grad student. i would be moving to miami from california and do not know anyone out there.

[t_ruth]

I didn't attend UM, but I went to high school very nearby and most of my friends went to UM so I spent plenty of time hanging out there and crashing in their dorms/apartments. Too bad they don't let grad students live on campus anymore

I'm not familiar w/Red Road Commons, looks like it is new: http://www.themiamihurricane.com/2008/0 ... -students/

That area has changed so much since I used to hang out there (it has been almost 10 years!). Generally, there are very nice areas around Coral Gables, South Miami and Coconut Grove, but there can also be some very sketchy areas. Looks like UM has a page for off-campus housing, including a roommate search, so that should help you out - or you could always try Craig's list. I miss Coral Gables and Miami a lot - there are so many great things to do and places to explore! You will have a good few years there

[phdresearch]

thanks for your help, t_ruth!

[amazingtomatoes]

Any idea how the parking is on campus? Any permit parking lots? I'm going for a visit at the end of the month, but I'm looking at the off-campus housing options online. I'd love to get a studio in Miami Beach, but the prospect of driving without a place to park is unappealing.

While we're on the subject, how are gas prices? Extortionate, I'd assume?

[multicultural]

I am thinking about going to start my PhD at the University of Miami this fall. Can anyone inform me about the life in Miami? What are the on- or off-campus options for PhD students? How much do the rents cost? Where in the city would you recommend me to live? When should I apply for accommodation? Where can I find a roommate if I need one? How much money can be enough for all expenses (including rent, food, gas, etc.) on a monthly base? Any other recommendations about the city?

Many thanks in advance

[phdresearch]

Hi Multicutural!

I just decided to accept my offer to be a PhD student at University of Miami. I am still trying to get to know more about Miami...but I will tell you what I do know. In regards to housing, unfortunately no grad students are allowed to live on campus. We all have to find our own apartments off campus. I am not sure what time of apartment you are looking for. I am looking for a 2bd/2ba and they run around $700-$1000 a month (per room- depending on the quality of the place). I have seen cheaper deals on craigslist (to rent a room in a house etc), however I have not visited the area yet so I am not sure.

You can email me if you want to chat more

Good luck with your decision!

[alyssarose]

Hi everyone! I just graduated from UM, but will be attending UCF for graduate school. I would be happy to answer any questions that I can!

Miami is not cheap. at all. Coral Gables is quite nice but the prices reflect that. Coconut Grove is crazy because literally 3 blocks away from each other is a really high crime, dangerous area and the other side is a super exclusive, upscale area. South Miami is mixed-- it has its good patches and bad patches

Merrick Park is a really nice complex and mostly UM students, but again a little pricey. Similarly Gables Point is also popular and beautiful, but a little expensive. 2 more cost efficient options are Valencia and Ludlam Point. Most apartments/condos in the Dadeland area are fairly new and nice, and about a 3 minute metro rail ride or 10 minute drive to campus.

As for the person who asked about Red Road Commons, it is GORGEOUS and about 30 seconds from campus, but I do not believe it has opened yet. I think they are set to open this fall. (My complex was across the street but owned by UM and as of moving out of my place last sunday their weren't any occupants yet, still construction vehicles everywhere).

The parking is expensive, a "full" permit costs $430ish and a "discount" (where you have to park in the metro rail parking lot across the street is about $220). If you are in a psyc program this will actually be a very good option, if you are elsewhere it is a little far but if you don't mind waiting for a shuttle, its certainly possible. Parking can be a little rough in the lots but in my experience you can almost always find a spot in one of the two garages. Also, there is plenty of metered parking @ $1.25/hr.

Miami traffic is pretty terrible and commuting from Miami Beach to UM during 7-9am or 3:30-6:30pm will take about an hour- 1.5 hours. Non rush hour will run more like 25-45 minutes depending upon which part of the beach you reside in. Many people who want to live on the bay but not quite so far choose to live in Brickell. Its a little bit of a shorter ride and much less touristy.

I spent 765/month on rent (my share of a 4/2, fully furnished, all utilities included owned by the university which formerly housed graduate students as well but they have since removed that option), about 50/month on gas, 100/month on groceries, 150/month eating out.. I did not go to bars or clubs much which adds up rather quickly (ie: a bottle of water in a south beach club is about $8).

Please feel free to ask any questions! and best of luck, I'm a little jealous!

[elenlin]

Hi. I'm another person who used to live in Miami, but not for grad school, so I don't really know the situation on where to get housing. My one piece of advice is this:

You NEED a car. With air conditioning. Public transportation in Miami is a joke, and it's far far far too hot for half the year, so walking is very difficult. Miami was also built in an era of cars, thus things are very spread out. Unless you are a super hard-core cyclist, there's no way of doing Miami without an automobile.

Ok two pieces of advice - Sun Juice Smoothies in South Miami is quite close to campus and delicious - kind of like Jamba Juice but much better. It's also the kind of thing that makes you feel good about going to school in an (almost) tropical paradise. Seriously, while working out the expenses is probably not fun, once you get there Miami is a really fun place to live.

[Kathiza]

I applied for grad school at UMiami. I already heard that grad students can't live on campus. Where is the best place to live off campus when you don't have a car (and don't plan to buy one)? Is it very inconvenient to not have a car at UM? I thought since it's a major city it should not be a problem at all... But after reading your postings I'm a little bit sceptic...

[okawesome]

I just want to echo what all the other posters have mentioned--Although I was never a student at UM, I grew up in the area and also worked in close proximity to the university while living on Miami Beach. The drive from South Beach is not a short one--30-45 minutes at best. A better bet is to stick to the Coral Gables/South Miami area, or other areas like Coconut Grove, Brickell, or even Kendall. Not having a car in this city is EXTREMELY limiting. Miami is a beautiful, culturally diverse, fun place to live though! Good luck to all

[enf22]

I am not a U.M. student, but I have lived in Miami for 20 years. I must admit that not having a car in Miami is very limiting. There is a metrorail system but it only runs from South Miami area to the Downtown area. The bus system is not as great as in other major cities so most people in Miami drive and most students are commuters who live in areas such as South Miami, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, or Kendall/Dadeland/Pinecrest area. Hope this helps.

I applied for grad school at UMiami. I already heard that grad students can't live on campus. Where is the best place to live off campus when you don't have a car (and don't plan to buy one)? Is it very inconvenient to not have a car at UM? I thought since it's a major city it should not be a problem at all... But after reading your postings I'm a little bit sceptic...

[WordToUrMother]

Anyone think a stipend of ~$21,000/yr would be enough to live off of in Miami? Rent looks crazy expensive.

[Dr. Juice]

Anyone think a stipend of ~$21,000/yr would be enough to live off of in Miami? Rent looks crazy expensive.

i noticed that as well, and i have the same stipend. i asked the admin. assistant of my department, and she said that only some of the grad students have part-time jobs in addition to the stipend. the rent seems pretty high, but what weirds me out is that i can't even find just a regular old apartment. there are tons and tons of rooms to rent in houses, but that seems so shady to me -- living with a family or a group of strangers who aren't even students lol.

[Kathiza]

To me, 21,000 seems great. I'll probably have to live off of 15,000/year and I'll HAVE to manage that because I'm not allowed to have another job...

I didn't even have a look yet (I'll start once everything is official), so please tell me: What's the range of rent prices for a room in an apartment close to campus?

[zmoker]

Hi, has anybody received a admission from the department of biology?

[Dr. Juice]

To me, 21,000 seems great. I'll probably have to live off of 15,000/year and I'll HAVE to manage that because I'm not allowed to have another job...

I didn't even have a look yet (I'll start once everything is official), so please tell me: What's the range of rent prices for a room in an apartment close to campus?

a broad range. i looked both on UM's Housing Dept. site (they have links to roommate/apartment finders) and on Craig's List, and I've seen $350 - $900 (per person) in Coral Gables and South Miami. for many of the places, all utilities are included. there also seems to be a lot of furnished studios.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Dr. Juice

[aldallia]

I'm a Miami native and lived in South Miami all my life. The area is nice, there is a 'shady' spot right next to campus but its getting better due to urban renewal (sad but true). I used to live right near there and have never felt worried for my life one bit. UM has a pretty campus and is in Coral Gables, one of the more manicured areas. Don't bother trying to nurse ideas of walking to places because you'll change your mind the moment you walk out of the AC. It gets HOT, and I'm not just kidding here, average temps are in the mid 80s or higher in summer. 'Winter' (dry season really) is the best time, from about late October to early January, depending on when you get that first cold front to FINALLY reach you! You're going to need a car with excellent AC or you'll be miserable during the wet season. It rains a lot in the summer but it goes away really fast, usually in a couple minutes when the sun comes back out and increases the humidity with the evaporating rain x_x Oh and don't worry about hurricanes, they aren't so bad. =D

Best places to hang out are in the Grove and downtown. South Beach is too pricey but worth a visit every so often. South Miami also has the Shops at Sunset Place which are okay, I used to go for the movie theater. The Falls is also another great shopping mall but Dadeland was always my favorite.

Oh and if it wasn't impressed to you enough, know some Spanish before you go, or learn the moment you get there. If you plan on wandering around Calle Ocho you're going to need it =)

[UBCbiograd2009]

Hey, I got admitted to RSMAS and will also be starting this Fall, but will be moving to the area in July as my supervisor wants me to get an early start

I'm nervous about finding a suitable place to live. I'm from Vancouver and rent is just as bad there, so it's not uncommon for people to live in houses, apartments or basement suites together. All I'm worried about is finding a place to live with my dog.

[Kathiza]

I just decided to go to UMiami and am now looking for a cheap room. Is it even possible to find a room this early? I looked on craigslist and apart from all those fake-offers there seem to be only offers starting in may. Where do you look for rooms? Anyone needs a roommate? ;-)

[mormegil]

I will probably be going to FIU starting on a Phd program from this Fall. I'm waiting on a fellowship decision which if get would provide a pretty sweet stipend without having to do TA/RA. In that case I might choose live on a more expensive on-campus housing. The question is, should i live in the FIU Biscayne Bay Campus (which is beautiful but has a lower housing rate) than the Main Campus where i'll go for classes. I don't have a car and I plan to get one this Fall. Are there any supermarkets, groceries etc. near the Biscayne Bay campus, stuff which you can get easily without having to drive?

If I choose to live off campus near the FIU Main Campus in Kendall, what are the places i should look at for off campus housing? Places near a bus stop, groceries, the good food joint etc.

Thanks for your replies!

[jnpull2]

I will also be starting a PhD program in the fall at FIU. I was wondering if the area around the school is moderately safe. I would love to be within walking distance from campus without worrying about getting home safely at night.

[lgarb215]

I'm moving to Miami for grad school at FIU this August.  I'd appreciate any advice, as this will be a huge culture shock for me.  How do you deal with the humidity?  How can I find a roommate not via craigslist?  Can I live comfortably on a stipend of 20k annually?  I'd like to live in a particularly safe neighborhood (coral gables.) Is this possible?  

[salix]

I moved to Miami three years ago so my partner could attend FIU for his MFA. I work at UM and we live in South Beach. He teaches mostly at FIU's MMC campus and takes classes at BBC. If anyone has specific questions about anything, feel free to PM me or ask away here. We had a scammy experience while apartment hunting and though are happy with where we ended up, it was not a good welcome to the city.

 

We live in a studio. Yep, two of us in a studio for three years. We started paying $825 (July 2010) and are now paying $925/month. This seems typical for many of the people we know. Our friend lives alone in North Miami, near the BBC campus and pays $900 for a one bedroom in an apartment complex. We have some friends who choose to live in Hollywood and commute to the (FIU) BBC campus. They tend to pay about $800/person for rent. We wouldn't choose to live anywhere else in Miami, but recognize this causes a substantial amount of commuting.

 

It is possible to get to UM from South Beach via public transport, but it takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how quickly you can run from the bus to the train and so on. I used to do this everyday, but haven't been as much lately. Miami is a car town, in my opinion.

 

mormegil - there is a Target and a Publix (a main grocery chain here) very near the BBC campus. The problem is that because the campus is set in away from US 1, it would be quite a walk to get to either. Really, from the campus itself, there are pretty much no places to walk to.