Summer and Intern Housing in New York City
A summer internship or program in New York needs a furnished place for eight to twelve weeks. Here are your options, where to stay for your commute, and how to book safely.
Every summer, thousands of interns and visiting students need short-term housing in New York City, usually a furnished room from June to August close to an office in Midtown or the Financial District. Regular apartments rarely rent for three months, so most people choose between university summer dorms, student and intern residences, furnished sublets and rooms in shared apartments. Each trades price, privacy and flexibility differently. Here is how they compare, which neighborhoods make the commute easy, when to start looking, and how to spot the summer sublet scams that peak every spring.
Your options for a summer in New York
Most summer and intern housing in NYC falls into four groups.
- University summer housing: several New York universities, NYU among them, have rented dorm rooms over the summer to visiting students and interns. Eligibility, dates and prices change each year, so check each school's summer housing page early.
- Student and intern residences: furnished rooms rented by the week or month, usually with utilities and Wi-Fi included, sometimes with a shared bedroom.
- Summer sublets: a furnished room or apartment whose tenant is away for the summer. Often the best value, but check that the lease and landlord allow it.
- Rooms in shared apartments: a room in a household on a short or month-to-month agreement, usually the cheapest per person.
Where to stay for an easy commute
Pick the neighborhood by the subway line to your office, not the distance on a map. For Midtown, Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside in Queens are one fast ride on the N, W or 7. For the Financial District, Brooklyn neighborhoods along the 2, 3, 4 and 5 or the A and C work well. Across the Hudson, Jersey City and Hoboken connect to Manhattan by PATH train. Set your office as the commute on Snestico to see the real trip from every home.
When to start looking
Start two to three months before your start date, so around March or April for a June internship. University summer housing and the best-priced sublets go first; last-minute rooms in May and June cost more and leave less time to check them. Book for your exact dates, and ask whether you can extend a week in case the internship runs over.
Avoid summer sublet scams
Summer is the busiest season for rental scams in New York, because people book from out of town without seeing the place.
- Never wire money or pay with gift cards or crypto to hold a room.
- Ask for a live video tour with the tenant at the address.
- Get a written sublet agreement, and ask to see the landlord's consent.
- Be wary of rents far below similar rooms nearby.
- Under the FARE Act, in effect since June 2025, the party who hires a broker pays the broker's fee, which is usually the landlord.
Share with another intern
Two interns splitting a furnished two-bedroom often pay less each than one person in a studio, and a shared place is easier to find for summer dates. Snestico's roommate matching lets you find someone with the same dates, schedule and budget before you both commit.
Common questions
When should I book summer housing in NYC?
Two to three months before you arrive, so March or April for a June start. University summer housing and good sublets fill first.
Can interns stay in university dorms in the summer?
Often, yes. Several New York universities, NYU among them, have offered summer housing to visiting students and interns. Rules and dates change each year, so check the school's summer housing page.
Is a summer sublet allowed in NYC?
It depends on the lease. Ask to see the landlord's written consent, sign a sublet agreement for your dates, and never pay before a live video tour.
Do I need a guarantor for summer housing?
Usually not for residences, dorms or sublets. Full apartment leases in New York often ask for income of about 40 times the monthly rent or a guarantor.
What is the cheapest summer housing in New York?
A room in a shared apartment or a sublet in Queens or Brooklyn is usually cheapest per person, especially when you split a two-bedroom with another intern.