A vast majority of PAIA students live in Westcott which about a mile west of Syracuse University’s main campus. For most of us, it is a 20 minute walk or 10 bike ride to campus or a 30-40 minute walk to downtown Syracuse. When living so close, driving to campus is usually a hassle because of limited parking. Westcott is a little ways off the undergraduate chaos along Euclid Ave and has some local, single family homes in addition to converted apartments which house students and other transients.

Begun as one of Syracuse’s original streetcar neighborhoods, Westcott retains a semblance of a downtown where Westcott Ave. and Harvard St. meet. There is more than meets the eye. Two bars and a liquor store, two coffee shops, a bike shop, two convenience stores and two clothing stores inhabit Westcott. Plus, there are three pizza places, Indian, Chinese, Tex-Mex, Middle Eastern and diner-style restaurants. There is even a fantastic music venue, Westcott Theatre, which sells tickets for $10-15 a pop and serves brews from Middle Ages.

Syracuse is at the eastern tail of the Rustbelt and housing prices reflect this. Expect to pay $350-550 for a two bedroom apartment per person or a less for a larger one split across more people. It will cost a little more to live closer to campus. The PAIA office maintains a fantastic listserv for housing and roommate shopping and even joining midyear from an internship abroad is not too difficult as some students graduate midyear.