Choosing off-campus housing is a big step. At Newberry Apartments, we’re obsessed with every detail of our resident experience with a hospitality-driven focus on convenience, connection, programming and proximity to campus. We’re here to make the leasing process as easy as possible for you and your student. This guide outlines what to expect at every stage, from leasing and budgeting to move-in and daily life at our community.
How Do Individual Leases Work at Newberry?
Newberry leases out our apartments by the bed rather than by the entire apartment. Under this structure, each resident is only responsible for their own lease agreement, assigned living space, and monthly installments. If a roommate fails to pay their monthly installments, moves out early, or otherwise violates their lease, your student will not be held responsible.
For families, this creates a clearer division of financial responsibility. This makes it easy for your student to live with friends or other roommates without sharing responsibility for another resident’s installment.
Learn MoreDoes Newberry Offer Roommate Matching?
Yes. Newberry offers personalized roommate matching for residents who would like help finding a roommate. Students complete a profile that can be used to consider factors such as academic interests, personal interests, lifestyle, and hobbies when making roommate matches.
Students who already know who they want to live with should discuss roommate requests and placement procedures with the leasing team before signing.
What Does Individual Leasing Mean for Families?
Separate financial responsibility
Each student is responsible for their own housing agreement rather than the full apartment.
Simpler budgeting
Families can plan around the student’s own monthly installment instead of dividing a full-unit payment among roommates.
Roommate flexibility
Students can sign with friends or request roommate matching without combining their individual lease obligations.
Clear student responsibilities
Students have their own agreement to review, payments to track, and housing responsibilities to manage.
What Comes With the Apartment?
Newberry apartments come fully furnished with a bed, desk and chair, storage furniture, sofa, coffee table, media center, bar stools, and major kitchen appliances. This gives students the main furniture pieces they need for their bedroom, living area, and kitchen before move-in.
Apartment and community features include:
- Furnished bedrooms and living areas
- Kitchen appliances
- Study lounges
- Computer labs
- Fitness facilities
- Pool and sundeck
- Resident parking options
- Maintenance resources
For parents, the furnished setup means move-in planning can focus more on personal necessities and less on large furniture purchases.
What Should Families Still Plan For?
Monthly installments
Families should plan for their student’s monthly installment as part of the housing budget. The amount will vary based on the selected building, floor plan, bedroom type, lease term, and current availability.
Required fees
Fees include a one-time application fee, one-time administrative fee, and an annual Conservice fee. Additional fees may apply; please reach out to our leasing office for information on our most current fees.
Parking
Resident parking is available, but a separate parking application and prepayment are required. Availability and current cost should be reviewed with our leasing team before your student brings their vehicle to Athens, GA.
Household and personal expenses
Families should also account for groceries, toiletries, cleaning products, school supplies, dining out, transportation, and other day-to-day purchases. Planning these expenses together before move-in can give students a clearer idea of how they will manage their expenses throughout the year.
Places to Study Outside the Apartment
Newberry includes study lounges and computer labs for residents who want an alternative to studying in their bedroom or heading back to campus.
Fitness & Outdoor Amenities
Newberry gives residents convenient ways to stay active and spend time outside without leaving the community. Amenities include a fitness room, swimming pool, and sundeck.
The fitness room gives students a place to work out around their class schedule, while the pool and sundeck offer outdoor space to relax, spend time with roommates, or take a break from studying.
Shared Spaces & Roommate Life
Living with roommates usually means balancing private bedroom space with shared kitchens, living rooms, and community areas. Before move-in, students may want to talk through basics such as cleaning, groceries, guests, shared purchases, and common-area expectations. Those conversations are easier before a disagreement comes up, particularly for students living with roommates for the first time.
What Should Students Bring?
Families should plan for items such as:
- Bedding and pillows
- Towels and toiletries
- Cookware, dishes, and utensils
- Cleaning products
- Laundry supplies
- School and desk supplies
- Clothing and hangers
- Chargers and electronics
- Personal decorations
- Any shared household items agreed upon with roommates
Before buying kitchen appliances, cleaning equipment, or other larger shared items, students should coordinate with their roommates. Four people arriving with four sets of the same household item can use up storage quickly.
What Should Students Do on Move-In Day?
Once your student arrives at their apartment, it is a good idea to walk through the bedroom and shared areas before everything is unpacked. Students should become familiar with their furniture and appliances and report anything that needs attention promptly. They should also learn how to submit routine maintenance requests and where to find the leasing office or other resident resources.
Newberry accepts routine maintenance requests through the resident portal or by phone. Emergency maintenance is also available around the clock for qualifying situations.
Getting Settled During the First Week
Students do not need to unpack and organize everything in one afternoon. Starting with bedding, toiletries, chargers, clothing, and a few kitchen basics can make the first night more manageable.
The first week is also a useful time to figure out the practical details: where to park, how long it takes to get to campus, where study areas are located, when to leave for morning classes, and how roommates plan to handle shared responsibilities.
Walking to Campus
Newberry is located about one block from the center of the University of Georgia campus, making it easy for students to walk to class, campus dining, study spaces, and other UGA destinations throughout the day.
Living this close to campus also gives students more flexibility between commitments, whether they want to head home between classes, grab something from their apartment, or return after an evening on campus.
Getting Downtown
Newberry is also within walking distance of downtown Athens, giving students convenient access to restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, and entertainment.
For students, that means many everyday plans can stay close to home, whether they are meeting friends for dinner, grabbing coffee, heading downtown for an event, or spending time off campus without needing to drive.
Bringing a Car
Resident parking is available at Newberry. Parking requires a separate application and prepayment, and vehicles with valid parking stickers can use designated resident lots.
If your student plans to bring a vehicle, confirm parking availability before signing and include the added cost in the housing budget.
Bikes
Newberry’s location makes biking another practical option for getting around Athens. Students can bike to UGA, downtown, nearby restaurants, and other destinations when they want an alternative to walking or driving.
Rideshare
For trips farther from Newberry, rideshare services can be useful. Families may also want to discuss transportation plans for late-night outings, airport trips, internships, or other occasions when walking is not the best option.
Buses
Students can also use Athens-Clarke County Transit and UGA Campus Transit to get around Athens and campus. Athens Transit is free to ride, and many routes connect through downtown or the UGA Arch, making the bus another option for reaching campus and destinations throughout Athens.
What Should Students Handle?
Students should become comfortable with responsibilities such as:
- Reading lease and account communications
- Tracking monthly installment dates
- Submitting maintenance requests
- Following up when they have a question
- Communicating with roommates about shared responsibilities
- Keeping track of renewal and move-out information
- Contacting the leasing team when they need clarification
Parents can still help students think through a question, but having the resident make the call, send the message, or submit the request gives them useful experience managing their own housing.
How Can Parents Stay Involved?
One of the most useful things families can do is discuss expectations before the lease begins.
Consider talking through:
- Who will make monthly installment payments
- Which housing costs the student will handle personally
- When the student should contact a parent about an apartment issue
- How roommate concerns should be approached
- Where important lease documents will be kept
- How renewal decisions will be made
- Which move-out responsibilities need to be completed at the end of the lease
For questions involving a particular resident, account, or lease, the student may need to communicate directly with the Newberry team or authorize their parent to participate in the conversation.
Is Newberry close to the University of Georgia?
Yes. Newberry’s buildings are located near UGA, Greek life, and downtown Athens. Exact walking time will depend on the building and the student’s destination at UGA.
What floor plans does Newberry offer?
Newberry offers two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. Floor plan availability may vary by leasing period.
Are the apartments furnished?
Yes. Newberry apartments come fully furnished with a bed, desk and chair, storage furniture, sofa, coffee table, media center, bar stools, and major kitchen appliances.
Are leases individual?
Yes. Newberry leases by the bed, so each student is responsible for their own housing agreement rather than a roommate’s installment payments.
Does Newberry offer roommate matching?
Yes. Newberry offers personalized roommate matching for students who request it. Participating students must complete a roommate profile with information about their academic interests, personal interests, and hobbies, which is used to help match them with someone who may be a good fit.
Does Newberry have study spaces?
Yes. Community features include study lounges and computer labs, giving residents places outside their apartments to work on coursework.
Is parking available?
Yes. Resident parking is available with a separate parking application and prepayment. Students planning to bring a car should confirm current availability before signing.
How do students submit maintenance requests?
Routine maintenance requests can be submitted through the resident portal or by phone. Newberry also maintains an around-the-clock emergency maintenance line for qualifying issues.
What should families budget for beyond the monthly installment?
Families should plan for required fees, optional parking, groceries, household supplies, transportation, dining, school expenses, and other personal costs. The exact housing budget will depend on the student’s selected apartment, lease terms, and individual spending habits.
What should students bring for move-in?
Because our apartments are already furnished, students can focus on bedding, towels, toiletries, kitchen supplies, cleaning products, school materials, clothing, electronics, and personal decorations.