Getting the internship is the hard part — or so it seems, until you realize you also need short-term housing in a city you've maybe never lived in, for just a few weeks or months. This guide covers how to find a place that fits an internship timeline without overpaying or overcommitting.
Why Short Internships Need a Different Housing Strategy
Most standard rental listings assume an 11-month lease, which simply doesn't work for a 6-to-12-week internship. You need flexible, short-term-friendly arrangements, ideally in a shared flat where the move-in process is fast and the exit is just as easy when your internship ends.
What to Look for in Short-Term Listings
When time is tight, filter your search around a few essentials rather than trying to find the perfect place:
- Listings that explicitly mention short-term or flexible-duration availability
- Proximity to your office or campus to minimize daily commute stress
- Furnished rooms, so you're not buying furniture for a few months' stay
- Flatmates who are used to hosting interns or students and understand short timelines
Budgeting for a Few Months
Short stays sometimes carry a slightly higher monthly rate than long leases, so factor that into your stipend planning early. Ask upfront whether the deposit is fully refundable and how quickly it's returned after move-out, since a delayed refund can strain a tight internship budget. Splitting groceries and daily expenses transparently with flatmates, even for a short stay, keeps things simple and avoids owing money right as you're packing to leave.
Documents to Keep Handy
Have your internship offer letter, college ID, and a government ID ready — these help landlords and flatmates verify you quickly, which matters when you're working with a compressed moving timeline.
Pro tip: Confirm your exact move-out date with your flatmates or landlord in writing before you arrive, so there's no ambiguity if your internship end date shifts by a few days.
Why it matters: A short internship leaves little room for a housing mistake to be fixed mid-stay, so getting the location, cost, and flatmate fit right the first time matters more than usual.
Safety and Logistics Tips
Arriving in an unfamiliar city for a short stint means you won't have much time to build a local support network, so lean on verified platforms and clear communication from day one. Choosing KYC-verified flatmates and using in-app messaging to confirm every detail before you travel — move-in date, key handover, and payment — reduces the chances of an unpleasant surprise on arrival.
Making the Most of a Short Stay
Even a brief stint in a new city is worth treating as more than just a place to sleep between office hours. Ask your flatmates for their favorite local spots, explore the neighborhood on weekends, and treat the experience as a preview of what living in that city full-time might feel like — it could shape where you choose to settle down later in your career.
Ready to find your ideal flatmate? Join FlatmatesHub today and connect with KYC-verified roommates near you — completely free.