Staten Island

Staten Island

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City. This is an ideal place to study since it is the least expensive area in the city, has a quiet college campus for students, and is close to the tourist life of Manhattan. Parks, beaches, walking treks, kayaking, and more would be a great list of options for international students.

Staten Island
Staten Island is about four times the size of Manhattan and has a population of approximately 473,143 (2019). It is noted for its parks and recreational areas, in addition to several notable cultural sites. Manhattan and other "boroughs" of New York City are easily accessible by public transportation.

The campus
The College is set on a large campus with woodlands and open spaces in Staten Island. Its attractive facilities include technologically advanced laboratories, a Sports and Recreation Center and a Center for the Performing and Creative Arts.

Campus location
The College is twenty-five minutes by ferry from Manhattan. Our students have easy access to the rich cultural life of the City by way of a ferry shuttle ride located on the CSI campus. The ferry shuttle travels directly to the Staten Island ferry.

Staten Island features

Staten Island is in Richmond county, near New Jersey, and the least populated of the boroughs. This last fact could be great for international students since they will find open spaces everywhere on Staten Island, almost no traffic compared to Manhattan or big cities, not noisy at all, and almost empty but safe streets.

Staten Island: budget for international students

Staten Island is the least expensive area in New York City, especially compared to Manhattan. This is really relevant when international students plan to study in New York City. A studio apartment monthly rent in Manhattan could be around US$ 1500-2500 in average whereas you can find the same place in Staten Island for around $700-1200. Hos families are the best option for international students since you will find families that rent rooms for international students for $275 per week including three meals in a shared room or $275 per week including two meals in a private room.

Transportation should definitely be considered when studying in New York City. Staten Island is well connected with public buses that go around the island. Almost all the buses go to the St. George Ferry Terminal, where you can get the ferry to Manhattan. There is also a bus that goes from CSI campus to Brooklyn. Single rides are $ 2.75 (2020) but it would be better to purchase a monthly pass for $128 (2020) to save money. A monthly pass will let you take the bus and the subway as many times as possible during the day. You can also consider living near the train stations in Staten Island so you could have direct access to the ferry terminal as well using the same subway pass.

Regarding meals, you can always find international restaurants around Staten Island, but supermarkets are available around the borough and through delivery. Food delivery and pickup are common practice with your favorite restaurants so you could save a lot of time and money that way as well.

Attractions

We highly suggest international students visit several places on Staten Island. The Historic Richmond Town is a good place to start understanding Staten Island' history. You should also visit the Staten Island Zoo, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center with its beautiful botanical garden. Don't miss the parks such as Clove Lakes, Silver Lake, Greenbelt and High Rock.

We are sure there are more characteristics you will find when living on Staten Island. International students will find this area really attractive, affordable, and quiet, which counts when considering studying abroad. See you on campus!

English Language Institute

College of Staten Island

The City University of New York (CUNY)