The University of Idaho released the price guide for on-campus housing for the 2026-2027 academic year in December 2025, which included a first look at the new graduate student apartments currently under construction along Sweet Ave.
Shortly after, three graduate students, KT Turner, Richie Thaxton and Zachary Foley, wrote a letter to The Argonaut where they brought up concerns with the pricing of the new grad apartments and compared the amounts of $1,150 to $1,450 with other housing options in Moscow.
“The major point we wished to make was the discrepancy that existed between the proposed rates and graduate student TA stipends. As we stated in the editorial, the stipends for some of the lowest-paid TAs on campus would mean that over 70% of the TAs stipend would be spent on rent every month,” said Richie Thaxton, who said he was representing himself and the other writers of the letter.
These apartments are advertised to be for graduate students, but include units for students married or with children. These new apartments were built as a part of UI’s $162 million construction project, which also includes renovations in Theopolis Tower, Wallace Residence Center and the Elmwood Apartments.
The rates for these apartments include $1,339 a month for a studio apartment, $1,432 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,154 a month for a two-bedroom apartment. All of these rates are per person and all new construction comes fully furnished. Internet, water, sewage and garbage are included in the rent. The cost of gas and electricity will need to be paid separately.
New family housing begins at $1,275 for a one-bedroom flat, with townhouses priced at $1,940, $2,440 and $2,920 for two, three and four bedrooms respectively.
“Graduate students have reported a more competitive housing market and difficulty finding housing that is reasonably-priced for their stipends,” Thaxton said.
UI also offers housing in the Elmwood, South Hill and South Hill Vista Apartments, which are reserved for families. These apartment options range between $752 to $992 per unit per month.
Applications for all apartments open March 10 and require a $30 application fee followed by a $500 down deposit once offer letters are sent in May or June. Rent will begin Aug. 1, 2026.
Priority applications for UI residence halls, which offer room selection, closed on Feb. 20, 2026, but general applications remain open. Room selection begins March 3 with timeslot details sent to students’ emails on Feb. 24. Of the residence hall options, the North Campus Communities double rooms are the cheapest per semester at $2,575, followed by Tower doubles for floors one through five at $2,790, which have yet to be renovated.
The renovated Wallace rooms, Ballard and Stevenson, will cost $3,060 per semester and the unrenovated rooms, Willey and Gooding, will cost $2,870 per semester.
Other residence hall options include a single at McConnell Hall for $3,915 per semester or a double or single at the Living Learning Communities for $3,385 and $4,435 per semester respectively. The last day to cancel a residence hall application without fees is July 1, 2026.
Move in for the 2026-2027 academic year begins on Aug. 19 for new students, and Aug. 20 for returning students.
Austin Kieckhefer can be reached at [email protected].