International graduate students now have more opportunities to live in off campus housing after two more houses were purchased by Ashland University. 

The decision follows the university’s increased enrollment and retention in the past two years and will create better accommodations for AU’s international students, who do not possess the same resources as American students.

“Ashland, being a small community, has limited housing options available that are in walking distance,” Director of International Student Services Scott Parillo said. “We want to accommodate these students.”

Because many international students do not have access to a car, the houses being offered are in a mile radius of the AU campus, making for easy walking distance to and from the university. 

“Auxiliary Services is able to provide beds, tables, chairs and gives these students one less headache to work out,” Parillo said. 

Auxiliary Services is also able to consolidate all of the utilities, eliminating this stressful aspect of renting a house or apartment.

“We do this to try and decrease all of the headaches that are involved in getting a house or apartment, plus dealing with all of the cultural differences that students are trying to adapt to when they first get here,” Parillo said.  

Many international students, because of their limited resources in America, are living in on campus housing despite qualifying to live off-campus. Parillo says these houses will give those international students the option, while also opening up some more space on campus for domestic students.

Luqman Altarouti, a sophomore from Saudi Arabia says he would take the opportunity to live in these houses if he qualified. 

“Off-campus has the advantages of bigger space, you have freedom and of course it is cheaper,” Altarouti said.

A misconception is that any international student can have the opportunity to apply to live in these off-campus housing options provided by the university, although they are only available to international graduate students or those who qualify under the policies the university and Residence Life has in place.

“In the past, we have been able to offer graduate students either permanent residency on-campus or temporary housing on- campus to fill in those holes,” Parillo said. “That was not an option this year due to increased enrollment, so being able to provide additional housing services became imperative.”

Parillo said there are situations when international students need additional support or services based upon their culture or language. With the university’s ability to provide this option for students, they are meeting more of their unique needs.

The two houses that are currently available for students are located on King Rd. and College Blvd. International students can apply and qualify through Auxiliary Services and International Students Services.