Oshawa is the largest city in Durham Region and home to two of Ontario's fastest-growing post-secondary institutions: Ontario Tech University (formerly UOIT) and Durham College, which share a north Oshawa campus. With a combined student population of over 30,000, Oshawa has evolved significantly as a student city over the past decade, with purpose-built student housing, improved transit, and a growing range of services catering to the student community.
Student housing near Ontario Tech University and Durham College is concentrated in the north Oshawa area around Simcoe Street North, which runs directly through the campus district. Purpose-built student housing in this corridor puts students within walking distance of both institutions and the growing commercial strip along Simcoe that serves the daily needs of the student population. Canadian Student Living operates communities designed specifically for the Ontario Tech and Durham College student market.
Oshawa's most compelling advantage is affordability. Rents near Ontario Tech are substantially lower than anywhere else in the GTA, and the overall cost of living in Durham Region is among the most accessible in Southern Ontario. For students who want to live in a well-connected, growing city without the financial pressure of Toronto rents, Oshawa is one of the strongest options available.
Ontario Tech University is particularly strong in engineering, technology, energy systems, and health sciences. The university's technology-focused curriculum and industry partnerships — particularly with General Motors and the broader automotive sector in Durham Region — create co-op and internship opportunities that are unique among Ontario universities. Students in automotive engineering, nuclear engineering, and computing science find a job market in Durham Region that is directly aligned with their programs.
The Toronto connection is one of Oshawa's most important assets. GO Transit's Lakeshore East line connects Oshawa GO station to Toronto's Union Station in approximately one hour, with frequent service throughout the day. Students who need access to Toronto's broader internship market, professional networks, or entertainment are well-served by this link without paying Toronto rents or navigating Toronto's housing market.
The Durham Region transit system (DRT) serves the Oshawa campus and surrounding areas, with connections to Whitby, Ajax, and the rest of the region. Many students in north Oshawa near the campus find that cycling or walking covers their daily needs during the spring and fall terms, with bus service filling in for winter months and evening trips.
Oshawa is undergoing a genuine urban transformation. The downtown core along King Street East and Simcoe Street South has seen significant investment in restaurants, cafes, and creative spaces, and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery is one of the leading public art galleries in Ontario. The city's industrial heritage — rooted in the General Motors plant that dominated Oshawa's economy for a century — is being reimagined through arts and culture programming.
For students looking for student housing in Oshawa near Ontario Tech University or Durham College, the Simcoe Street North corridor offers the best combination of proximity and affordability. All-inclusive purpose-built student housing near campus eliminates the complexity of the private rental market and provides the professional management and community infrastructure that first-time renters need. Canadian Student Living's Oshawa communities are designed to make the transition to student life in Durham Region as smooth as possible.