Living in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia is rich with culture, history and opportunity. As the fourth largest media market in the U.S., it’s the ideal place to pursue your education and make the connections that lead to your career. Here, you can learn about what makes Philadelphia one of the most exciting and vibrant urban environments in the nation to explore, study and work.

Student Housing

Deciding where to live is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a student. At Temple, we have nine on-campus residences and a variety of off-campus housing alternatives located in North Philadelphia. No matter where you call home, living on Main Campus provides you with easy access to all the things to see and do in Philadelphia. 

Learn more about housing at Temple.

Campus Safety

The safety of our students is a top priority. To protect the university community, Temple Police monitors Main Campus. Our team of sworn officers have received state-mandated training at an accredited police academy. Students can find our officers on bikes, on foot and in vehicles every day.

Students can also use the free RAVE Temple Guardian app to contact Temple Police directly to request a virtual or physical police escort and report suspicious activity.

Living in an urban environment is part of every student’s experience. We encourage students to empower themselves and stay informed.

Learn more about the measures Temple takes to keep our students and communities safe.

Exploring the City

Philadelphia has numerous opportunities for you to discover every corner of the city and expand your interests beyond your field of study. If you’re new to the city or just looking for ideas about what to do and see, you can check out the online resources below to get you started. 

• Visit Philly is the official visitors site for the greater Philadelphia region.
• Uwishunu is the official tourism blog of Philadelphia.
• Center City District is a guide to the city’s most bustling neighborhood.
• Campus Philly provides hotel and travel deals for college visits.
• Inquirer.com is the news site for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance amplifies the creative voices of the community.

Transportation

Students who live on campus can take advantage of all that Philadelphia has to offer. Whether you’re walking to your home after a night class, taking SEPTA’s Broad Street Line back to campus or coming back to the city after a weekend away, there are services and resources available to you to ensure you get home safely. 

• Amtrak provides information for train travel.
• Greyhound includes bus travel information.
• Maps and Directions provides a comprehensive guide to navigating the city.
• Philadelphia Parking Authority is a comprehensive resource for city parking information.
• SEPTA has information about public transportation, including buses, regional rail lines, subways and trolleys.

Flight Shuttle Service

Members of the Temple community who are looking for transportation on or around campus at night are encouraged to use Flight, Temple’s free, fixed-route evening shuttle service.

Flight runs daily and picks up and drops off passengers at over 40 stops along two routes. Any student, faculty or staff member with a valid OWLcard (the Temple University identification card) can use Flight.

Learn more about Flight.