Best off campus housing for SFU students

Simon Fraser University (SFU) has four campuses across Metro Vancouver: Burnaby, Great Northern Way, Surrey, and Vancouver. Your program determines which campus you will attend, and this guide covers the best housing options near each one. SFU offers limited on-campus residence, primarily at the Burnaby campus, and many students live off-campus throughout their degree. This guide covers the best neighbourhoods near each campus, how to search and apply for a rental, and how to stay safe.

For current average rent figures by city and neighbourhood, see the Vancouver Rent Report.

Types of Accommodation in Metro Vancouver

Common rental types near SFU campuses include individual rooms in shared houses or apartments, studio apartments, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, basement suites, and condos. Vancouver and Burnaby have among the highest rents in Canada, and shared accommodation is a practical way to keep costs manageable. To find rooms in shared spaces, use the "Room" filter under Housing Type on liv.rent and the map view to see what is available near your campus.

Getting Around Metro Vancouver

The U-Pass, included in most SFU students' fees, provides unlimited access to TransLink's bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus networks across Metro Vancouver. SFU is described as a commuter school, and transit proximity is one of the most important factors when choosing off-campus housing. TransLink's Trip Planner is a useful tool for mapping commutes from any neighbourhood.

Renting Near the Burnaby Campus

The main SFU campus sits atop Burnaby Mountain. Several TransLink bus routes serve the campus directly, including the R5, N35, 143, 144, and 145, connecting to SkyTrain stations and other transit hubs across the region.

Burnaby Mountain and Lougheed Town Centre

The slopes of Burnaby Mountain immediately below the campus offer the shortest off-campus commute, with residential towers, low-rise condos, and single-family homes that often rent out rooms or basement suites to students. Lougheed Town Centre, a short bus ride from campus, adds a large mall and major transit hub to the mix, with a wider range of housing options. Estimated commute: ten to 20 minutes by bus.

Capitol Hill

East of Burnaby Mountain, Capitol Hill offers views, parks, and trails including Confederation Park and the Eilleen Dailly Leisure Pool. The neighbourhood has a multicultural, community-oriented character and a range of housing types. Bus routes connect to campus via Hastings Street. Estimated commute: 20 to 30 minutes by bus.

Burnaby Heights (The Heights)

North of Hastings Street between Boundary Road and Gamma Avenue, Burnaby Heights is an extension of Vancouver's Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood. Heritage homes and newer builds line tree-lined streets with views of the city and Burrard Inlet. The area provides easy access to downtown Vancouver as well as campus, making it a good option for students who split their time between both. Estimated commute: 25 to 35 minutes by bus.

Brentwood Park

Served by the Millennium SkyTrain line at Brentwood Town Centre Station, Brentwood has seen significant development in recent years with a range of modern condos alongside established single-family homes. The mix of housing types and price points makes it a solid option for students living alone or with roommates. Campus and downtown Vancouver are each about 30 minutes away by transit. Estimated commute: 25 to 35 minutes by transit.

Renting Near the Great Northern Way Campus

The Great Northern Way campus is home to the Centre for Digital Media (CDM), a joint graduate program operated in partnership with UBC, ECU, and BCIT, offering the Master of Digital Media degree. It is located at 685 Great Northern Way in Vancouver's False Creek Flats, in the same area as the ECU campus. Nearby neighbourhoods include Strathcona, Mount Pleasant, and Olympic Village, all of which are covered in detail in our [ECU off-campus housing guide]. Transit access is strong, with the Main Street-Science World and VCC-Clark SkyTrain stations nearby.

Renting Near the Surrey Campus

The SFU Surrey campus is located in Central City in downtown Surrey, adjacent to Surrey Central SkyTrain station on the Expo Line. The station location makes transit access straightforward from across Metro Vancouver. Surrey generally offers lower average rents than Vancouver or Burnaby, with a wide range of apartments, condos, and townhouses available in the surrounding area. Students attending the Surrey campus can search for listings in Surrey Central and the surrounding Newton, Whalley, and Fleetwood neighbourhoods for a range of options at different price points.

Renting Near the Vancouver Campus

The SFU Vancouver campus is located on Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver. Its central location means students have access to the full range of downtown and East Vancouver neighbourhoods, with SkyTrain, bus, and bike connections throughout. Housing options range from highrise condos in the downtown core to character apartments and shared houses in nearby East Vancouver neighbourhoods like Strathcona and Hastings-Sunrise.

Standing Out as an Applicant

Complete your liv.rent profile fully before applying. Upload proof of income or employment, verify your identity, and use the Renter Story section to give landlords context about your situation, particularly useful if you are a first-time renter or do not yet have a Canadian credit history. Pre-submitting your application before a viewing signals to the landlord that you are serious about the unit.

Applying as a Group

If you are renting with roommates, one person can apply as the primary applicant and add others as roommates, though most landlords will still want to screen each person individually. Alternatively, all group members can submit individual applications through liv.rent, each generating their own Trust Score for the landlord to review.

Securing a Rental Before Arriving in Canada

SFU students who have not yet arrived in Metro Vancouver or Canada can apply to listings on liv.rent from anywhere in the world. Once your profile is complete, you can indicate that you are a first-time renter and that you are renting from outside Canada, allowing landlords to assess your application accurately without requiring Canadian references.

Avoiding Rental Scams in Metro Vancouver

Metro Vancouver's competitive rental market makes it a frequent target for scammers. Key red flags:

• Rent priced significantly below the neighbourhood average
• Requests for a cash deposit before a lease is signed or a property has been viewed
• Pressure to send money urgently
• Requests for your SIN or banking details before you are ready to sign
• Listings that do not provide a full street address

Renting from ID-verified landlords on liv.rent removes most of this risk. For more on staying safe, see our [guide to rental scams in Canada].

Find Off-Campus Housing Near SFU

liv.rent lists verified rentals across Metro Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey. Use the map view and filters to find verified listings near whichever SFU campus you are attending.