Living & Learning in St. Louis

As a Brown School student, the city of St. Louis will become more than your temporary location. St. Louis will be a place where you work, learn, celebrate and build community—both inside and outside the classroom. We love our city, so when a Forbes article declares us “vibrant, diverse and hip as it gets” or Southwest magazine calls St. Louis “the city you’re missing,” we are really proud that others are recognizing what we already know. The amenities and opportunities in St. Louis lend themselves to a dynamic (and affordable) life outside of the classroom, and we hope you’ll spend some time getting to know this city that we love.

As a Brown School student, you may also join us in being active partners in addressing the deep racial, social, economic, and health inequities that continue to exist in St. Louis. Through practicum and field-based coursework, you’ll find opportunities to engage directly with these issues. You can also get involved with the Brown School’s many community partnerships and community-based initiatives, each of which are dedicated to addressing structural inequalities within the region. Learn more about our commitment to community engagement.

We’ve put together some important information as you learn more about living and learning in St. Louis and joining the Brown School. 

The Brown School is located on WashU’s Danforth Campus and bordered by one of the most beautiful urban parks in the nation, Forest Park, along with the cities of St. Louis, Clayton and University City.  Graduate housing is not provided and students live off-campus in privately-owned or University-owned properties in a variety of neighborhoods around campus, each with its own unique distinguishing characteristics. We have compiled a few helpful resources as you make your housing plans:

• Apartment Referral Services (ARS) is a University-managed service that connects the WashU community to off-campus housing options including rentals, roommates and other resources.
• Quadrangle Housing is WashU’s off-campus housing affiliate and manages a variety of University-owned properties located in the heart of WashU’s neighboring communities.
• This Guide to Missouri’s Landlord-Tenant Law assists you in knowing your tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Off-campus crime prevention and safety resources, including helpful tips for apartment safety are provided by the WUPD.
• Additional rental search engines offer online listings of privately-owned properties for rent:
  • Craigslist
  • Zillow
  • Trulia
  • Rentcafe

Most students commute from their home to the Danforth Campus by foot, bike, car, or using St. Louis Metro Transit’s bus or light rail lines – free for students through the U-Pass Program. Here are a few helpful resources as you consider how you will get to and from campus:

• Getting Around WashU is the University’s hub for directions to and access across campus.
• Campus Parking & Transportation offers details about parking passes, free shuttles, car share, and biking to campus.
• Metro Transit operates the public bus system and light rail line across the St. Louis metro area.  WashU students can ride free using their UPass and two Metrolink operates two stops on the Danforth Campus.
• Gateway Rivers Greenway provides interactive maps to help bikers navigate St. Louis and the WashU campus.

As a student at the Brown School, you’ll be welcomed to thrive in a dynamic city that offers a thriving job market, rich cultural experiences, and a community brimming with Midwestern hospitality.  Here are some select resources to introduce you to all that our town has to offer:

• WashU highlights the perks of living in St. Louis with this regional overview.
• Take a peek at an interactive Google Map highlighting things to do across town put together by our admissions team.
• Take a tour of St. Louis’ specific highlights with the help of famous St. Louis natives like Sterling K. Brown, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, John Goodman, Andy Cohen and more.
• Read why The New York Times calls St. Louis welcoming and budget-friendly, offering the perfect 36-hour itinerary.
• St. Louis Public Radio offers a curated welcome kit to help newcomers understand the history, culture, ins and outs of St. Louis.