A Student’s Guide To US Apartment Guarantors!

Students often wonder if renting off-campus housing in the US requires a guarantor. The simple answer is ‘no’, because US law states that students don’t need to have a guarantor, but many landlords and student housing providers make one part of their approval criteria. Whether a guarantor is needed can depend on the property, landlord, lease terms, and the student’s financial and credit profile. 8.3% of student enquiries to amber asked whether a guarantor was required for their specific student housing. This article explains how guarantors work, why some students may be asked to provide one, when they may be able to rent without one, and what alternatives are available for students who do not have a US guarantor based on official & government studies. 

What Is a Guarantor for Student Apartments in the US?

A guarantor provides financial backing for a student’s lease. If the student does not meet certain rental obligations, the guarantor may be responsible for certain amounts covered by the guarantor agreement. This gives landlords some additional financial security when renting to students. For international students, this can be difficult when they move to the US for the first time and don't have someone in the country who can take on the role.

Individual vs. Joint Leases: What Students Should Know

A student's lease structure can affect what their guarantor must cover. Student housing usually uses individual leases, where each student signs a lease for their own room or share of the property. In this case, the guarantor generally covers that student's share of the rent and other lease obligations.

Apartments usually use joint leases, where roommates sign one lease for the entire unit. With a joint lease, a guarantor can be responsible for the whole unit's rent, including a roommate's unpaid share, depending on the lease and guarantor agreement.

Before signing, students should check whether the property uses an individual or joint lease and read the guarantor agreement carefully. This helps them understand what the guarantor may be responsible for if rent or other lease obligations are not paid.

4 Options for Students Who Can't Find a Traditional Guarantor

Depending on the apartment and lease terms, students can use a paid guarantor service, a larger security deposit, or rent paid in advance. Looking for properties that do not require a guarantor can also be an option. Since requirements can differ between housing providers, students should check the details carefully before paying a fee or signing an agreement. Let's take a deep dive into the options available!

1. Use a Paid Guarantor Service

A paid guarantor service can be an option for students who do not have a US guarantor who meets the apartment provider’s requirements. The student pays a fee for the guarantor service, and the providers may have their own eligibility requirements. The apartment or housing provider must also accept the service for this option to work.

What students should know:

• Depending on the provider, students may need to submit documents and meet the service's eligibility requirements before the service is approved.
• Not every landlord or housing provider accepts every paid guarantor service.
• The fee is usually charged per lease term, so students may need to pay it again if they renew the lease.
• Coverage may be capped at a set number of months of rent rather than covering the entire lease term. Students should check the coverage limit before signing.
• The agreement should clearly state what the service covers and what financial responsibility remains with the student.
• Any cancellation, refund, or withdrawal terms should be checked before paying the service fee.
• The service charges a separate fee, which should be included in the overall housing budget.

A paid guarantor service can give students another way to meet an apartment’s guarantor requirements without finding a family member or friend to take on the role. However, students still need to qualify financially for the service and confirm that the apartment accepts it.

2. Pay a Larger Security Deposit

Some landlords may allow students to provide a larger security deposit when they cannot meet the apartment's usual financial requirements. However, this may not be available at every property and does not automatically replace a guarantor or co-signer.

What students should know:

• Students should confirm whether the larger deposit can actually be used instead of a guarantor.
• The amount required can vary by apartment and local rental rules.
• The security deposit is separate from the rent and may be used for costs permitted under the lease.
• Students should check the conditions for getting the deposit back and when it will be returned.
• A larger deposit means students need more money available when they move in.
• Many states limit how much deposit a landlord can take, often to one month's rent, so this option is not available everywhere.

This can provide another way to meet a landlord's requirements, but students should compare the upfront cost with their available budget before choosing this option.

3. Pay Rent in Advance

Paying rent in advance can be another option for students who do not have a US guarantor. Some landlords and housing providers may accept upfront rent instead of requiring a guarantor, but this depends on the apartment and lease terms. This option is not available everywhere. In New York, landlords generally cannot take more than one month's rent as a deposit or advance, so paying several months upfront is usually not allowed. Check the state's rules first.

What students should know:

• Any rent paid in advance goes toward the total rent due under the lease. It is not an additional charge.
• The amount a student may be required or permitted to pay upfront can vary by apartment and lease.
• Paying rent in advance does not automatically remove the need for a guarantor, so students should confirm this with the housing provider first.
• A security deposit, application fee, or other upfront costs may still apply.
• Students should make sure they can afford the larger initial payment without affecting their budget for the rest of the lease.

Paying several months of rent upfront can help students meet an apartment's financial requirements, but it also means committing a larger amount of money at the beginning of the lease.

4. Look for Properties That Don’t Require a Guarantor

Some apartments and student housing properties may not require a US guarantor as part of their leasing requirements. This can give students another option if they do not have someone in the US who can take on the role.

What students should know:

• Guarantor requirements can vary between apartments and housing providers.
• Students should check the property's leasing requirements before applying or paying any fees.
• A property that does not require a guarantor may still have other eligibility or financial requirements.
• Students may still need to provide documents such as proof of identity, enrollment details, or financial information, depending on the property's requirements.
• Students should confirm all upfront costs, lease terms, and payment requirements before signing the lease.

Finding a property that does not require a guarantor can help students avoid arranging a guarantor or paying for an alternative service. However, they should still check the property's full leasing requirements before booking.

What about a Co-Signer

A co-signer signs the lease alongside the student and usually shares responsibility for the rent from day one. A guarantor, by contrast, steps in only if the student fails to pay. Many landlords consider factors such as credit history and income when screening applicants. Some may require tenants to earn about three times the monthly rent, which can be difficult for students with limited credit history or income.

What students should know:

• The apartment provider may require the co-signer to be US-based and have qualifying US income, employment, or credit history.
• The apartment must allow co-signers as part of its leasing process.
• The co-signer is usually responsible for the full rent and other costs under the lease, not only missed payments.
• Students and co-signers should understand whether the responsibility applies to the student's obligations only or to other parts of the lease.
• The exact responsibilities should be confirmed in the lease before signing.

A co-signer can help a student meet an apartment's financial requirements, but students should not assume that anyone living in the US will automatically qualify.

Which Guarantor Option Is Right for the Student?

The right option usually comes down to three things: who the student knows in the US, how much they can pay upfront, and what the property actually accepts.

Students with a US-based family member or trusted contact who meets the property's income and credit requirements will often find a co-signer the most affordable route, since there is no fee involved. Students who have savings but no one in the US tend to weigh paying rent in advance against a paid guarantor service. Advance rent costs nothing extra, where it is allowed, but ties up a large sum at the start of the lease, while a guarantor service charges a fee for the lease term but leaves more cash free for the rest of the year. Students should also check whether the fee applies again if they renew the lease. A larger security deposit can work in the same way, though it is only an option in states where deposit caps allow it.

Students with neither a US contact nor a large upfront budget may find it easiest to start by filtering for properties that do not require a guarantor, or that accept a guarantor service they can qualify for. In every case, it is worth confirming with the property in writing which options it accepts before paying any fees.

What Documents Do Students Need to Book Apartments?

Exact requirements vary by property and by option, but most applications draw from the same set of documents. Having these ready before applying can save days.

Have US Guarantor Requirements Changed?

The short answer: the basic rules are the same, but the costs, laws, and rental market around them have shifted. Here is what's different and what it means for students.

1. The income rules are just as strict as before.
Landlords usually want a renter's monthly income to be about three times the rent. In New York City, this is set as a yearly income of about 40 times the monthly rent. A personal guarantor often needs to earn about 80 times the monthly rent in the strictest cities, such as New York. For a $1,500 apartment there, that means $60,000 a year for the renter or $120,000 a year for the guarantor.

2. Paid guarantor services are now a normal option, with clear pricing.
Instead of asking a family member, students can pay a company to act as their guarantor. These services usually charge a fee for the lease term of about 70% to 110% of one month's rent. Expect the higher end if students have no US credit history or are not US citizens. Some accept income of around 27.5 times the monthly rent, which is easier to meet than a landlord's own rules. That is why they are often the most realistic route for students.

3. A bigger deposit is less often an option.
Around 29 states plus Washington, DC now limit how much deposit a landlord can take, and the most common limit is one month's rent. Recent changes include:

• California: one month for most rentals (from July 2024)
• Georgia: two months, its first-ever limit (from July 2024)
• Maryland: cut from two months to one (from October 2024)

In states with a limit, students usually can't offer a larger deposit to skip the guarantor, and some states, such as New York, also restrict rent paid in advance. There, a guarantor service is often the main alternative.

4. Moving in costs less in New York City.
Since June 11, 2025, the FARE Act has stopped landlords' brokers from charging their fees to tenants. Landlords must also list all tenant fees upfront in the listing. Before this, broker fees were often 12% to 15% of a full year's rent. Many NYC landlords will still ask for a guarantor, but students need less cash on signing day.

5. The rental market is flat, which helps renters a little.
Rents have barely moved in the past year. One national report puts the median rent at $1,388, down 0.4% from last year. Another puts the average one-bedroom at $1,665, up 0.8%. About 7% to 8% of apartments are empty, and units take around 34 days to rent. When more apartments sit empty, landlords are more open to alternatives to a personal guarantor.

6. International student numbers are expected to fall, and visa rules are uncertain.
There were 1,177,766 international students and recent graduates in the US in 2024/25, up 4.5% on the year before. For fall 2026, though, enrollment is projected to fall by up to 9.5%, or about 111,000 students, mainly because of visa restrictions. Separately, a new rule was due to replace "duration of status" with fixed admission periods from September 15, 2026, but a federal court paused it the day before. For now, the old rules still apply. The case is ongoing, so students should check with their university's international office before signing a long lease.

What this means for students: Many landlords still ask for a guarantor or an alternative. What has changed is which alternatives are available. Paid guarantor services are more widely accepted and clearly priced. Deposit limits have tightened in several states, so a bigger deposit is less often an option. In New York, the upfront costs beyond rent have come down.

Smart Tips for Booking Student Apartments!

Before booking student apartments in the US, students should understand the property's requirements, check the costs involved, and make sure they know what they are agreeing to. Here is what the expert advises!

The most common mistake students make is paying an application or guarantor fee before confirming that the property accepts that option or provider. Students should get written confirmation first and check the agreement for lease coverage, refund terms, renewal fees, and any amount they may still be responsible for if the service pays the landlord.

— Zaid Lari, Associate Director of Operations

• Apply for pre-qualification from a guarantor service before the apartment search starts. Several providers don't charge to apply and respond within about a day.
• Check the state's security-deposit cap, since it determines whether a larger deposit is even an option there.
• Confirm that any advance rent is applied against the lease total and get that in writing.
• Budget for the guarantor service fee as a separate housing cost, and check whether the fee will apply again if the lease is renewed. Also confirm how many months of rent the service covers.
• Ask whether a guarantor is still required on renewal, as some properties re-screen every year.
• Compare the total year-one cost of each option (fee, deposit, advance rent) rather than just the monthly rent.
• In New York City, check that the listing shows all fees upfront, as the FARE Act now requires this.
• Keep digital copies of every document mentioned in the table above in one folder so applications can be submitted the same day an apartment is found.
• Verify the property through a live video tour or an in-person visit by a trusted contact before sending any money.

Sources & Methodology

We reviewed publicly available sources on US rental requirements, guarantor services, tenant laws, rental market conditions, and international student numbers alongside amber’s first-party enquiry data, as of October 13, 2026.

1. The 8.3% figure was based on amber’s first-party data from 300+ substantive WhatsApp enquiries about specific rooms, received between 27 June and 13 October 2026. The data reflects student enquiries to amber, not all renters.
2. Income requirements for renters and guarantors, including the three-times-rent rule and New York City's 40× and 80× rules, were sourced from Columbia University Off-Campus Housing and the American Apartment Owners Association.
3. Guarantor service fees, income thresholds, and pre-qualification times were sourced from RealEstateSkills, Rent With Cosign, Insurent, and TheGuarantors.
4. Security deposit caps by state, including recent changes in California, Georgia, and Maryland, were sourced from Clear Legal Tips, Georgia HB 404 (Safe at Home Act), and Recording Law.
5. New York's limits on deposits and rent paid in advance were sourced from the NYC Rent Guidelines Board.
6. Rules on broker fees under New York City's FARE Act were sourced from the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and typical broker fees before the Act were sourced from DeFalco Realty.
7. National rent, vacancy, and time-to-lease figures for September 2026 were sourced from the Apartment List National Rent Report and the Apartments.com Rent Report.
8. The number of international students and recent graduates in the US (1,177,766 in 2024/25) was sourced from Open Doors 2025, the annual census by the Institute of International Education. It adds together 883,513 enrolled students and 294,253 graduates on Optional Practical Training (OPT), as shown in the Open Doors 2025 Fast Facts.
9. The projected fall in international enrollment for fall 2026 was sourced from NAFSA and JB International. It is a forecast, not a confirmed count.
10. The DHS rule on fixed admission periods and the court order pausing it were sourced from the Federal Register, Seyfarth Shaw, and the University of Connecticut Center for International Students & Scholars.
11. We then used these findings to compare the four options by upfront cost, fees, and availability, and to set out which option suits students in different situations.

Nothing in this guide is legal or financial advice. Requirements differ by property, landlord, lease, and state.