Ross University Housing
Okay, this is another one of those posts that I’ve had on my “to-do” list for quite some time. I think I’ve received more emails asking about Ross Housing than any other topic. Apologies to any of you who have been waiting for a response from me. I have been seriously busy lately, so I haven’t had the time to respond to a lot of emails. Hopefully this post will answer some of your questions. Here are some answers to some of the most popular questions that I’ve received regarding housing at Ross:
1. Should I acquire housing in advance or wait until I get on the island?
I would say that in MOST cases, it’s best to wait until you get to the island to get your housing. The exception would be if you are getting one of the apartments available through Ross, and you are sure that it’s what you want. In that case, I would go ahead and pay for it in advance. In all other cases, I would probably wait. The reason being that you can’t really tell from pictures online what the place is going to look like. They could very well have taken a picture of their best apartment to show online, but the one you get is totally crappy. The point is, you just don’t really know until you see it. Also, I think it’s a good idea to actually see how far away it is from campus. A 15-minute walk might not seem far, but for most students, it is (because you are sometimes frequently going back and forth to and from campus). The housing tour is good, but a little unnerving because you’re quickly taken from place to place to pick out an apartment. That brings me to the next question.
2. How can I prepare for coming to Ross and finding housing?
I can’t stress how important it is to have an idea of what type of housing you are looking for before coming here. It will really save you a lot of time and potential stress if you make a list before you get here. Here are some questions you need to answer before coming here:
Q: Do I want to live by myself or have a roommate?
Tip: This is a really important question that you need to figure out for yourself. Do you like living alone, or would you prefer to save money and share a place?
Q: How close to campus do I want to live?
Tip: You might be going back and forth frequently, so keep that in mind. Also, if you’re a first semester student, your classes are held at the Annex, which is about a 10-minute walk from the main campus, so you should keep this in mind as well.
Q: What qualities do I need in a landlord?
Tip: I happen to have an awesome landlord. Keep in mind that many landlords are on island time, so it might take them a long time to get things done. You should try and find a landlord who will communicate with you, and get things done in a timely manner.
Q: Do I need hot water in every room, or just the shower?
Tip: Some places have both, but not all. Mine just has hot water in the shower. I got used to it pretty quickly, but you might prefer to have hot water in the kitchen as well.
Q: How close to a laundry mat should I live?
Tip: Most places are pretty close, but you should keep this in mind. Also, many laundry mats will deliver, so this isn’t a huge factor.
Q: Do I need a place that has a backup generator?
Tip: Keep in mind that the electricity DOES go out here, and sometimes often. If your place does not have a backup generator, you will have to go without electricity for a bit. Usually it doesn’t go out for any longer than a day, and there is always electricity and water on campus (they have backup generators).
Q: What type of outlets do I need?
Tip: Most places have both American outlets and the Dominican ones, but not all. You should check out what type they have and make sure it fits your needs.
Q: What type of electricity do I need?
Tip: Many apartments have pay-as-you-go electricity, while others have a standard bill that you pay. I wasn’t so sure about the pay-as-you-go system when I got here, but I found that it works well. The only drawback is that you can in fact run out of electricity, so you should make sure you always purchase plenty in advance. If the apartment has a standard billing system, find out how much the bill is on average, and whether or not it’s included in your rent.
Q: What type of kitchen requirements do I have?
Tip: Do you cook a lot? Do you need a big stove, or just a little one? Do pots and pans come with the apartment? Does it have a microwave? These are all questions you should ask yourself and your landlord.
Q: Do I plan on having a pet?
Tip: Obviously, if you’re bringing a pet (or you’re crazy like me and you adopt island dogs), you need to make sure that it’s okay with your landlord to have pets.
Q: What type of air conditioning do I need?
Tip: Most places have a wall unit. Make sure this fits whatever needs you may have.
Q: What are my safety and security requirements?
Tip: It is VERY important to make sure you get a place that is safe and secure. Check for burglar bars on the windows (they should all have them), the type of door locks, and the outside lighting. Also, keep in mind how close your neighbors are.
Q: What type of Internet connection and cable do I need?
Tip: Most places come equipped with Internet and cable included. Personally, I would not get a place unless it had that. Also, ask how many people will be sharing the connection. I only share mine with my one neighbor, so it’s pretty fast. But I’ve heard complaints from other students who share their connection with so many people that it runs very slowly. Also, you should check to make sure that Internet and cable are included in your rent.
You should have all these questions answered before you even get to the island. I promise this will make finding an apartment much less stressful. Print them out, and keep them with you. When you go on your housing tour, ask the landlords about these items, and write all the info down. Trust me, if you don’t write the info down as you go, you will totally forget which places had what. Also, don’t forget to ask the landlord about your payment options. Most of them charge you in American dollars. Ask if checks are okay, and when the rent is due, etc.
3. Should I live in Ross Housing or find an apartment somewhere else?
This is an important question. This really depends on your own personal needs. For example, if you’re bringing your family, you obviously need an apartment or house off campus. The Ross Housing is basically like living in a college dorm. The rooms are actually in a hotel, so they are right beside each other. They are small, but livable. I think most of them have a little fridge and stove, but I’m not sure if all of them do. The biggest advantage to this type of housing is location. The rooms are located about a 5-minute walk from campus, and it’s RIGHT on the beach. The beach will literally be your backyard, which is really nice, and you can get to campus really quickly. The downside? You’re living in a dorm environment, so keep in mind what that entails. The apartments are not that big, and they don’t have a kitchen. If you like to cook big meals in your kitchen, then this is probably not a good option for you. If you just need a little room, right beside campus, and you don’t mind the thin walls, then this is probably a good option for you.
4. How do I find a roommate?
I have to admit that this is probably a topic that I am least knowledgeable about since I never had to look for a roommate. Obviously, if you know someone in advance, you can agree to be his or her roommate. If not, the easiest option is to befriend someone on your plane ride or housing tour. This might seem difficult, but you’ll quickly realize that it’s not. You’ll meet people and make friends pretty quickly here. Everyone is in the same strange boat, so there is an immediate connection. If you still can’t find someone, you could always put an ad up on campus, but obviously this will take a lot longer, and you might not find one. You can always get an apartment first, and then try to find a roommate later. Chances are that you will find someone in your class who you like and who is also looking for a roommate. This is the only advice I can give on this topic, since I never actually had to find a roommate (but know other people who have).
5. How much does housing cost and is it covered under loans?
I would say the range of housing is probably from $300 to $1,200 for a one-bedroom apartment. In the $300 range, you’re probably going to be living in Glanvillia, which is a short bus ride away, and you’re probably not going to have the best amenities. For $1,200 you can get an insanely nice apartment with tons of amenities. I would say that most students end up deciding on a place that is in the $500 to $800 range. My place costs $600 a month, and I think it’s entirely sufficient, though it’s not a mansion. All these prices are in U.S. dollars. YES, housing is covered under loans. Basically, you can get a loan for tuition plus cost of living. I’m not sure what the exact amount is now, so I don’t want to misquote it, but I can tell you that it more than covers all your costs. I took out loans for tuition plus cost of attendance, and I’ve been able to afford everything I need. The loans (if you qualify, which most people do) will cover the cost of your housing, food, transportation, etc.
6. Are the __________ apartments a nice place to live?
Many people have sent me emails asking about specific apartments. Honestly, I’m not really an expert on other places. I only know a little about certain places, so I can’t really answer your question effectively. I MIGHT be able to tell you something about a certain place, but I probably don’t know very much about it. Sorry that I can’t be more helpful about specific places!
Okay, that’s all I can think of for now. Please email me or comment if you have other questions, and I will add them to the list. Also, if there are any Ross students reading this, please tell me if I said anything incorrect. Hope this helps some of you out there!
My name is Kendra and I am a newly minted doctor about to begin my residency in Psychiatry at 
Very informative post …Kendra..good job
Hi Kendra!
A very good job on the housing info! I would like to add that although a 15 minutes walk may not seem far – with a heavy backpack and hot, humid weather, it does become “far!”
Also, there is no transport on Sundays (the 1 EC transport) except for taxis.
Hey Kendra! Awesome job blogging! What was the first semester like and how were the classes?
Kendra! Thank you so much for the post! Any help before coming to the island is wonderful! Good luck with the rest of your exams!
Hi Kendra,
Thanks for all of your information. Since you weren’t a “science” pre-med major in undergrad, did you find the work difficult first semester. I find the professors to be extremely unhelpful and the work is ridiculously piling up. There’s barely time to sleep or eat and I was a very good student in a rigorous undergrad program but this is really bringing me down. Histology is freaking me out. All of these slides to memorize, no microscopes and no idea what is actually needed from me for the 50 questions. I am studying the hundreds of slides on the CD and from the books but am totally overwhelmed, plus all of the work from anatomy and the other courses need to take a “backseat” right now which is making me even more nervous. My friends in American Medical Schools say that it is ridiculous how there is such lack of help from professors and how they just give out the hand-outs and basically leave it up to you to memorize which I don’t see how it makes you a good doctor. It doesn’t matter how smart you are in that case…just how lucky you are in what you studied. People have stopped coming to lectures and everyone feels the same way about the way the material is presented and the way it is presented prior to coming by the school. One of the anatomy professors handed us sheets to study from about the spine and they were actually about the heart! He said that they must have made a mistake copying them but it’s too bad, we’ll just have to learn it on our own! At this point, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone!
[...] Click Here to See the Pics [...]
someone posted some negative comments about Harry Langlais a Landlord. I can say that that person must have been a trouble maker since that man is the nicest Landlord in Dominica Renting to Ross University Students. Hw and his family go all out to make things smooth for students living in his apartments. I will recommend your first choise to be Blockshed apt.
I am glad that you took the time to explain what I should expect when going to Dominica. I am really nervous about the whole situation, specially the housing. But after reading your post, I now know what to expect and how to attend the difficulty as I start my preparation for ROSS. I live and went to undergrad in Baltimore. If possible I would like to meet you in person and ask you about your school experiance as well as how your clinical is going. please contact me, that is if you can, to set time and place to meet. Or I can come to the hospital you are doing your clinical. my email address is
wow, ur posts are really great kendra and they’re a lot of help (more so than even the Ross U website)…i’m getting very excited and less nervous about attending ross
Hey Kendra!!!!
Thank you so much!!! the information is really helpful
Karishma,
I’m glad you found it to be helpful!
Best,
Kendra
beware!! all your stuff will get stolen
Kendra,
How important is it to have an apt with a backup generator? Is it necessary? Did yo have a generator at your spot?
What was the name of your apartment specifically, I know it’s been a long time since then, but I don’t want to get a palce that has a bug problem or rodent problem.
I mean…what trail is it on?
this place sucks!!!! I have a dog and our house has still been broken into twice. We have had 2 lap-tops and a hard drive stolen. Anyone coming here guard your stuff with your life.
That is not a fair description of how it is in Dominica. I will say straight out that you Lie!
Like any place else you need to take care of you belongings and not do stupid stuff like leave you place open and go away.. Allot of the stuff stolen are by the students them selves
hi kendra,
your information really helped!
do you know if people ever use bicycles down there? to get around and such?
Yes, a few students had bicycles. They are a good way to get around in Dominica, but you just have to be careful because the traffic is a little crazy at times.
hi kendra
Glanville vs. Banana Trail? which of the two is a better area to live in?
Landlord from Glanville said that it is 5 min away from annex and banana trail is 10 mins away from campus.
Do you any particular area that you can recommend?
Thanks.
Hi Kendra:
Thanks for all the info. I love the doggie pictures. Do you still have the bulldog? We have one too and love her a lot. My daugher is going to Ross starting in May and it is exciting and worrisome… All the best to you in your career. Ross still has not sent us any info on housing and I am beginning to worry since it is already Feb. and were thinking of find a place on our own but you are right about not taking a place unless you see it….
is this the ross university in miami?? if so do they have a band and a mascot. Im trying to find some answers for a Avid project i am doing
and i want to be a vet and uf was taken so im doing my report on ross university in miami.
Thanks for all the info Kendra! Love your blog! How is public transportation over there? I’m starting in May and don’t have an apartment yet. There are a few good ones available but they’re 5-10 minutes drive. So, I was wondering if public transportation is reliable or should I just suck it up and stick to a place closer to campus.
Your blog and pics and info have been MOST helpful! I am beginning school in Sept, and really, THANKS!! <3
Leslie Morgan
Thanks Kendra for all the information. My son and nephew attended Ross in Dominica and they had a wonderful experience. Their landlord was the best and the rent was very fair. The apartment was a 5 minute walk away from campus and was in a very safe, well-lit and quiet area. My son also said that some of the bigger apartment buildings can be noisy during the nights at times. Their landlord, RED Bruney, was very attentive to their needs and would send someone over if he could not make it at the time. Dominica is a very beautiful country and the people are very helpful and courteous. I would recommend RED’s Apartments due to the close proximity to the campus and the homey feeling they give. The apartments are fully furnished with all that is needed by a student and includes but not limited to a microwave, refrigerator, study desk, television and fast access internet. The connection is shared with only four people at maximum so it was very reliable when I spent time with them. You have to understand though that this is the Caribbean and we have to be able to adapt due to some inconveniences from the utility companies. I have contact information for Red if anyone needs it. Or, you can e-mail him at redsapartments@gmail.com. He will offer you and US phone number you may call so that you are not making any long distance calls.