Live and Learn in St. Louis
Experience the Diversity, Fun and Excitement of St. Louis
St. Louis has so much to offer with things like major league sports, cultural venues, parks of all sizes, and a multitude of ethnic and fine dining. Yet it also has homey neighborhoods, easy transportation, Midwestern friendliness and a low cost of living.
St. Louis hosts the headquarters for nearly two dozen Fortune 1000 companies, eight of which are in the Fortune 500, including Centene, Edward Jones, Emerson Electric and Post Holdings. It’s a financial hub of the Midwest and home to some of the country’s largest privately held companies. Plus, it has a thriving startup ecosystem.
Olin has a vast corporate network in St. Louis—and beyond—that:
- Provides internships
- Hires our graduates
- Sponsors students in Olin’s Executive Programs
- Provides guest speakers, course projects and mentoring
- Consults with faculty
- Supports WashU Olin financially
St. Louis by the Numbers
14 Fortune 1000
company headquarters
3 million
residents in the city and county
Top 20
lowest cost of living (move.org 2019)
38 Metrolink
light rail stations
200+ parks
in St. Louis and surrounding areas
Attractions and Amenities
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Forest Park
Forest Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks, is literally across the street from WashU’s Danforth Campus. Perfect for an active lifestyle, our students take advantage of the 120 miles of paved bikeways, tennis courts, golf courses, lakes and ball fields, and that’s not the half of it. Forest Park is also home to some of the city’s most popular attractions—the zoo, art museum, history museum and science center—all of which are free to the public.
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Gateway Arch
Standing 630 feet tall, the Gateway Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. It’s often called the Gateway to the West and stands as a symbol of the diverse people who shaped the United States.
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Missouri Botanical Garden
Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the nation's oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. The garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, historic architecture, and one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered flora.
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University City Loop
The Loop neighborhood is a favorite of WashU students. Some live there, and many hang out there. And it’s within walking distance of campus. While there, check out the 140 stars on the St. Louis Walk of Fame along with the dozens of restaurants, clubs, galleries and shops.
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Professional Sports Teams
St. Louis is a sports fan’s paradise. Our teams include 11-time World Series Champion Cardinals baseball, Stanley Cup-winning Blues hockey, XFL football Battlehawks and Major League Soccer expansion team St. Louis CITY SC.
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Theater and Music
From the ornate Fox Theatre to a hidden gem blues bar in the Soulard neighborhood, St. Louis has plenty of venues to see a show or hear live music.
Getting Around St. Louis
Public Transportation
As a WashU student, free public transportation is available through the U-Pass program. Visit the Metro Transit website for information about schedules and routes. WashU’s shuttle service has routes between campus and most of the areas frequented by students, giving you much greater access to the St. Louis metropolitan region.
Commuters
Campus parking permits are available as daily, monthly or annual passes; registered students may purchase annual permits online. Daily and monthly permits may be purchased at the campus bookstore.
Visit Olin
Come and visit us! Check out our beautiful campus and the exciting St. Louis area.
Visit OlinWhere Students Live
On Campus
The South 40 serves as housing for first- and second-year students. It’s like a small town with its own fitness center, dining facilities, technology center, meeting rooms, intramural fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, recreation and game rooms, and music practice rooms. In addition, Bear Necessities (gift shop), Paws & Go (convenience store), the mail room and several student-run businesses are located nearby.
Residential Life’s north side of the campus has three areas: on-campus apartments, the Village and off-campus apartments that offer many amenities, including a game lounge, computer labs, classrooms, ample meeting and study areas, a café, and a coffee shop. It is also home to fraternity housing.
Off Campus
Among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, St. Louis ranks second among the most-affordable housing markets. Our city has gracious neighborhoods and safe housing options. WashU owns and operates several apartment complexes specifically for graduate students. Most graduate students live in one of the many privately owned apartments located within a 10-block radius of the school. Both furnished and unfurnished rooms, apartments and houses are available.
We recommend you consult with Apartment Referral Service (ARS), a resource for university students, faculty and staff looking for apartments, duplexes, condos or houses. Application should be made several months in advance of the new academic year by contacting:
Apartment Referral ServiceWashington University in St. Louis
Campus Box 1016
700 Rosedale
St. Louis, MO 63112
Phone: 314-935-5092