Northeastern University in Silicon Valley » Student Resources » Relocating to Silicon Valley

Relocating to Silicon Valley

If you’re moving to the Bay Area to attend your program, we’re looking forward to welcoming you and helping you get to know this exciting and beautiful part of the world.

San Jose is the largest city in Northern California, and our location in downtown puts us at the center of the collection of cities and towns that are referred to as Silicon Valley. We are also connected by transit and highway to the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area, which together as a metro region is home to roughly 7.5 million people.

There are many places to call home, and although the choices can feel daunting, our campus team is here to help you as you navigate your move. You can reach us at [email protected] at any time, and you will also receive information prior to your start date about our student orientation sessions.

Admitted Student Online Events

Students enrolling for the 2025 – 2026 academic year are invited to join our team for welcome sessions this July and August. You will receive an invitation by email, and you can also find the registration page here.

Transportation

San Jose is easily accessible from several major freeways, including Highway 101 (US 101), Interstate 280 (I-280), Interstate 680 (I-680), and Interstate 880 (I-880). A number of public transportation options make it convenient to travel from San Jose to other cities in the region.


Air
Mineta San Jose International Airport (airport code: SJC) is the closest airport to our campus, with both domestic and international flights. Located less than 4 miles from Northeastern, various public transportation systems, taxis, and ride-shares serve the airport. Visit the SJC Ground Transportation website for more information.

The largest airport in the Bay Area region is the San Francisco International Airport (airport code: SFO), serving more international flights than SJC. Located approximately 50 miles from our campus, we recommend the following steps to travel from SFO to San Jose.

  1. 1. Take the BART from the SFO BART Station to the Millbrae BART Station, which is located within the Millbrae Transit Center.
  2. 2. From the Millbrae Transit Center, take the Caltrain to the San Jose Diridon station, which is located in the heart of San Jose.
  3. 3. The campus is about 1 mile from the Diridon station, and can be reached by several public transit connections.

Oakland International Airport (airport code: OAK) can also be a cost effective option to travel in and out of the Bay Area. Located just south of downtown Oakland in the East Bay, it is easily accessible by BART and Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Bus (AC Transit) as well as by taxis, Uber and Lyft.

 

Public Transit
To get around the Bay Area using transit, purchase a Clipper Card at a kiosk, participating store, or online (view purchase options here). You’ll add money to this card and to be used for fares on most of the various transit options throughout San Jose, San Francisco, and the rest of the Bay.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority provides bus and light rail services locally, while the Altamont Corridor Express, Amtrak, Bay Area Rapid Transit, and Caltrain offer transportation throughout the greater Bay Area region and Northern California.

Some of the regional public transit options have mobile apps to help you schedule your next trip. These will often give you better route options and more accurate schedules than Google Maps, so they’re worth downloading for the transit lines you use frequently. Apps are available for BART, Muni, Caltrain, VTA, and SamTrans.

There are also useful third-party apps for scheduling trips across all public transit options, including TransitApp and CityMapper.


Driving
In order to obtain a U.S. driver license, please visit the State of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles.  This page details how to apply for a license.

Note that if you are an international student holding an F-1 student or F-2 dependent visa, you are not required to have a Social Security Number to be eligible. Instead, please make sure to present immigration documents such as Form I-20, a printed version of I-94 electronic record, and passport with visa.

If you are not eligible to apply for a license, consider carpooling as a transportation option. Coordinate with your fellow students or check out the following ride-share websites: CarpoolWorld, eRideShare, and 511 SF Bay.

Lyft and Uber are also available throughout the region, as well as several carsharing programs available to the public like Zipcar, Gig Car Share, and Getaround. Each one allows you to rent cars by the hour throughout the Bay Area for simple trips to the grocery store or adventurous day trips to explore.


Bicycling
San Jose is a bicycle- and scooter-friendly city and has made impressive efforts in creating roads with designated bicycle lanes. Learn more about California bicycle laws and sharing the road with motorists before you start biking.

Public bicycle and scooter options are available throughout the city with Lyft’s Bay Wheels, Uber Scooters, and Lime Scooters.

Housing

There are various rental options for both single and shared living in and around San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley. Buildings with studio and one-bedroom apartments will range in price depending on location; if you plan to live alone, we suggest that you wait until you arrive and can visit rentals in person.

It’s also very common for young professionals to share larger apartments; this is a great way to make living in the area more affordable. Often our students choose to room with each other, which can be a great option. To introduce yourself and see who else might be looking, log in to Northeastern Communities on Viva Engage and search for Student Life – Silicon Valley.

The university also has a number of resources available to help incoming students.

To begin browsing available rentals, most people locally use the following websites.

*Remember to be careful—do not send money to or share banking information with anyone before you have visited a property and are sure you are interacting with a real landlord. It is very common for scammers to post fake housing listings.*

 

DISCLAIMER:

Northeastern University provides information on housing in the San Jose area for your convenience only. The University makes no representation as to the condition or suitability of any of the listed resources, or with respect to any particular neighborhood or housing. The University assumes no liability or responsibility for any housing you may find using the information provided nor for any agreement you enter into with the owner or operator of any housing.

California State Identification Card

Students living and studying in the state of California may consider getting a California State Identification Card (ID). The ID card serves as official identification, but does not authorize driving. It is useful to have legal identification for activities like banking or proving your age. To learn how to apply for an ID, please visit this page.

Banking

National banks with banking centers throughout the Bay Area include:

Before signing up with a bank, please check requirements for non-U.S. citizens and associated fees to accounts.

Phones

National mobile phone companies include:

Culture

There are endless ways to experience San Jose through local museums, outdoor activities, and cultural events.

Some listings of popular sites in San Jose include:

Learn more about South San Jose at SanJose.org.

Sports & Entertainment

Santa Clara County hosts many events, concerts, and shows. Places to browse for events include:

  • Luma: Popular for tech-related events and other young professional get togethers
  • SF Funcheap: A grab bag of affordable options all around the Bay Area
  • Eventbrite: Ticket sales for events of all kinds
  • Do the Bay: A somewhat curated site that offers a monthly ticket subscription as well as free listings
  • Broke A Stuart: Local independent news with event listings, mostly for SF but also the region
  • Bandsintown and Songkick for upcoming concerts

San Jose is also proud to be home to sports teams in soccer, hockey, football, and baseball. Join in on the spirit of being a fan and connecting with local residents by cheering on the teams or checking out one of the games.

Important Emergency Information

For information on how to stay safe in San Jose as you explore attractions and attend events, visit SanJoseCA.gov.

  • For emergencies, call 9-1-1.*
    *This number is intended for life-threatening emergencies. Calling this number for any other purpose may be considered a crime.
  • For general public safety information and non-emergencies, call the San Jose Police Department at 3-1-1 or 408.277.8900.
  • For suspicious activity, call the SJPD hotline number at 408.277.4041.