Using Nova as an International Student: What's Different About Your Search

International students face real obstacles a domestic housing search doesn't — often searching remotely from another country, without a US credit history, and sometimes without the ability to tour in person before committing.

Searching before you've ever seen the city in person is genuinely harder, and it's worth leaning on video tours specifically for this — see what to ask on a video tour for the questions that matter most when an in-person visit isn't possible before signing.

No US credit or rental history is common, not disqualifying — many landlords near universities with significant international enrollment are used to this and work with guarantors, larger deposits, or documentation alternatives. It's worth asking directly and early rather than assuming it rules out a listing.

Timing looks different if your program doesn't run on a standard fall/spring calendar — see housing on a non-standard academic schedule for how that changes when to actually start looking.

Verified listings matter even more for a remote, international search — see what "verified listing" actually means, since the usual scam-avoidance step of a quick in-person visit often isn't available to you the way it is for a local search.

What to tell Nova specifically upfront: that you're searching internationally, your program's actual timeline, and whether you'll be able to tour in person before move-in — the more context upfront, the better the shortlist reflects your real situation.

Start your search with Nova →.