Attention, students of Universiti Sains Malaysia! Are you in search of a place to call home away from home? The search ends here!
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is prominent among Malaysia’s prestigious universities, known for its academic excellence. With its main campus in Gelugor, Penang, USM has established five branches nationwide. However, due to limited residential college spaces on the main campus, many students find themselves in need of rental options beyond the campus premises.
Finding affordable student rentals near your university can be overwhelming, but fret not, as we are here to help. Throughout this article, we will guide you in discovering the most comfortable, convenient, and affordable student rentals.
Whether you are a freshman embarking on your university journey or a seasoned student seeking a change of scenery, we have curated a selection of properties that offer amazing living spaces. These rental boasts vibrant neighbourhoods and modern amenities, carefully chosen to ensure you find an academically appealing place and a relaxing haven.
So, let us explore student rental options near USM Penang, priced under RM2,500, and discover the ideal place to enhance your university experience.
1. Desa Universiti
Known as Desa U among USM students, Desa Universiti is an excellent residential option for local and international scholars. This low-density apartment complex offers the advantage of being within easy walking distance of USM Jalan Sungai Dua Entrance, making it an ideal choice for students seeking proximity and convenience. Furthermore, Penang International Airport, Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal, and Weld Quay ferry terminal are all within a 5 to 10 minutes drive.
- Monthly rental: RM1,400 – RM2,500
- Built-up: 1,000 sq ft – 1,200 sq ft
- Amenities: This property offers a variety of convenient and desirable amenities, including landscaped gardens, a community hall, covered parking, swimming pools, a gymnasium, barbecue pits, and round-the-clock security surveillance.
- How to get to USM: Take a short 6-minute walk, and you will find USM Jalan Sungai Dua Entrance, just 500m away.
2. Desa Airmas Condominium
Desa Airmas, an upscale freehold apartment in Sungai Dua, offers an ideal location within walking distance of USM. The units feature a spacious layout with a built-up size of 970 sq ft, comprising three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Moreover, food enthusiasts will be pleased to discover popular eateries like KFC, McDonald’s, Subaidah, and Pelita Nasi Kandar nearby, satisfying diverse culinary preferences.
- Monthly rental: RM1,400 – RM1,700
- Built-up: 970 sq ft
- Amenities: The amenities include a covered car park, a lush green garden with a spacious jogging track, a playground, and a swimming pool. To ensure the community’s safety and security, the premises adhere to strict 24-hour security protocols. This requires everyone entering or leaving to register their names in the daily logs.
- How to get to USM: Take a 7-minute walk, and you will find USM Jalan Sungai Dua Entrance, just 550m away.
3. Palm Palladium Condominium
Located in the thriving neighbourhood of Gelugor, Palm Palladium Condominium is a shining example of Harta Intan Construction Sdn Bhd’s remarkable craftsmanship. This low-density, prestigious property boasts excellent accessibility, with seamless connections to public transportation and major roads and highways. Whether you rely on public transport or prefer your own vehicle, Palm Palladium Condominium offers convenience for your daily commute.
- Monthly rental: RM1,600 – RM2,400
- Built-up: 1,150 sq ft – 2,400 sq ft
- Amenities: It offers extensive amenities, including a badminton hall and a swimming pool, enabling residents to enjoy a vibrant and healthy lifestyle. Residents can feel protected with covered parking and 24-hour security. It also features amenities like a barbecue area, multipurpose hall, nursery, lounge, gaming room, and children’s playground, providing a comprehensive living experience.
- How to get to USM: The Pallazia bus stop is 550m from the property and is a 7-minute walk away. From there, you can catch the Rapid Penang 302 bus to USM.
TIPS: Refer to the Rapid Penang routes for more information.
4. Jade View
Jade View, situated in Timur Laut, is a residential development in one of Penang’s oldest towns. Its premier location offers excellent connectivity to various parts of Penang, including the central city area and other popular destinations. With its proximity to Jalan Bukit Gambier, residents can easily access George Town city centre and other key regional locations within minutes. The modern building stands tall with seven blocks, comprising 7 to 13-storey structures and 496 spacious residential units.
- Monthly rental: RM1,120 – RM1,390
- Built-up: 700 sq ft – 800 sq ft
- Amenities: Jade View offers residents a variety of amenities, including a swimming pool, badminton hall, squash court, community hall, landscaped garden, covered car park, convenience stores, salon, and sauna. With 24/7 security, residents can enjoy a safe and convenient living experience.
- How to get to USM: Petronas bus stop is 150m from the property and is a short 2-minute walk away. From there, you can catch the Rapid Penang 302 bus to USM.
5. U-Garden Resort Condominium
Situated in the heart of Timur Laut, U-Garden Resort Condominium is a serviced apartment with unparalleled convenience. Its prime location provides quick and easy access to USM, making it an ideal choice for students and faculty members. Additionally, its strategic position ensures seamless connectivity to George Town city centre and other key destinations in the region. This is all within a short drive from the property.
- Monthly rental: RM1,300 – RM1,800
- Built-up: 700 sq ft – 800 sq ft
- Amenities: U-Garden Resort Condominium offers its residents a wide array of top-notch amenities, including a fully equipped gymnasium, badminton and tennis courts, a refreshing swimming pool, a playground, a sauna, a barbecue area, and a landscaped garden. The development also ensures the safety and security of its residents with a 24/7 guarded security system, providing peace of mind and creating an ultra-modern and secure living environment.
- How to get to USM: Petronas bus stop is 370m from the property and is a short 5-minute walk away. From there, you can catch the Rapid Penang 302 bus to USM.
6. Vista Gambier
Vista Gambier, developed by Lereng Wira Sdn Bhd, is a 22-storey condominium featuring 144 units. With only 8 units per floor, each residence offers an exclusive and spacious living experience. This condominium is easily accessible from major highways, including Jelutong Highway, Jalan Bukit Gambier, and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah. It is also conveniently located just 5 minutes from the iconic Penang Bridge.
- Monthly rental: RM1,500 – RM1,800
- Built-up: 1,343 sq ft – 1,556 sq ft
- Amenities: The amenities include a swimming pool, gymnasium, barbecue area, game room, and landscaped gardens. The resort-like atmosphere, lush greenery, and children’s playground add to the overall appeal. Convenient amenities like an on-site nursery and covered car park bays enhance the living experience. At the same time, 24-hour security surveillance ensures residents feel safe and secure.
- How to get to USM: Petronas bus stop is 360m from the property and is a short 5-minute walk away. From there, you can catch the Rapid Penang 302 bus to USM.
7. N-Park Condominium
N-Park Condominium is a quiet and well-located serviced apartment situated in Batu Uban. With its close proximity to USM, it offers a short driving distance for students and faculty members. The units provide residents with furnished or semi-furnished facilities, including kitchen appliances, ensuring convenience and comfort.
- Monthly rental: RM950 – RM1,800
- Built-up: 700 sq ft
- Amenities: N-Park Condominium provides residents with various amenities, including swimming pools, a water theme park, a gymnasium, badminton and squash courts, playgrounds, a jogging track, and more. In addition to round-the-clock security, it offers a contemporary and secure living environment.
- How to get to USM: JPJ Batu Uban bus stop is 360m from the property and is a short 5-minute walk away. From there, you can catch the Rapid Penang 308 bus to USM.
8. University Place (Plaza Ivory)
Plaza Ivory was formerly known as University Place. These luxury apartments are located near the Free Trade Zone. It is also about 400m from USM Jalan Bukit Gambier entrance. It comprises two blocks with 274 residential units, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On top of that, the residents can enjoy a scenic view of Penang’s coastline. The apartments also offer facilities like a gymnasium, sauna, landscaped garden, BBQ area, jacuzzi, lounge and a lot more.
- Monthly rental: RM1,400 – RM1,800
- Built-up size: 900 sq ft – 1,000 sq ft
- Amenities: Plaza Ivory is in a strategic location. Tesco Extra Sungai Dua is only 1.5km away while Queensbay Mall is 5.6km away. On the other hand, Bayan Baru is within 5.4km radius and Bukit Jambul Gold Course is a 7-minute drive away from Plaza Ivory.
- How to get to USM: Travelling to USM from Plaza Ivory is a breeze. Students can take buses like Rapid Penang 302: Jeti – Batu Maung via Jalan Bukit Gambir or Rapid Penang CT 11 (Sungai Dua): Padang Kawad USM – Padang Kawad USM. Rapid Penang CT 11 in the direction of Sungai Dua has 27 stops and operates every day, from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm.
9. Sunny Ville Condominium
Sunny Ville Condominium has easy access to USM. It’s 900m away from the campus. This condominium comprises 504 residential units and the residents can enjoy facilities like jacuzzi, BBQ area, swimming pool, wading pool, gymnasium and a lot more. This is also one of the hot spots for students due to its proximity to higher institutions.
- Monthly rental: RM1,400 – RM1,800
- Built-up size: 900 sq ft – 1,090 sq ft
- Amenities: Amenities are abundant within Sunny Ville Condominium. Tesco Extra Sungai Dua and the Queensbay Mall is 7 minutes’ drive away. Restaurants, schools, medical facilities and convenience stores are also within its vicinity. On top of that, Sunny Point Complex is within walking distance. The business centre is only 270m away from the condominium.
- How to get to USM: Access to Penang Bridge is convenient from this condominium. It’s only 1.8km away and is accessible via main roads like Jalan Sultan Abdul Aziz and the Bayan Lepas Highway. As for students, getting to USM campus is easy from Sunny Ville as there is an abundance of bus services from Sunny Point to the USM main entrance, such as: Rapid Penang 301, 303, 304, 401, and 102.
10. Gambier Heights Apartment
Gambier Heights is an apartment complex comprising 730 residential units with a standard built-up of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It has spectacular views facing the sea. There are many facilities offered to residents. They can enjoy the sauna, jacuzzi, swimming pool with slides, gymnasium, BBQ area and even a reading room. Even though it’s an old development, it has a landscaped garden as well as 24-hour security. On top of that, the USM campus is only 850m away and it takes only an 8-minute drive to get there from the apartment.
- Monthly rental: RM900 – RM1,300
- Built-up size: 900 sq ft
- Amenities: Gambier Heights is in a strategic location. Tesco Extra Sungai Dua is 2km away while there are many schools within a 3km radius such as SMK Sungai Nibong, SMJK Phor Thay, and SMK Bukit Jambul.
- How to get to USM: From Jalan Bukit Gambir, students can hop on the Rapid Penang 302 bus to get to the USM campus. Jalan Bukit Gambir is also connected to Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and it has access to Penang Bridge.
11. The View Condominium
This classy condominium has top-notch facilities like sauna, gymnasium, jacuzzi, BBQ pit, games room, spa, landscaped garden and more. It has 164 residential units that provide comfort and privacy to its residents. The condominium also offers a scenic view of the island and is in a prime location. The distance from The View to the USM campus is 2km away.
- Monthly rental: RM2,200 – RM3,700
- Built-up size: 2,068 sq ft – 5,530 sq ft
- Amenities: The Queensbay Mall is 3km away from The View. Not just that, Sunny Point Complex is a short drive away. The nearest school is SK Sungai Gelugor which is within 1km. Convenience stores and restaurants are also abundant within the area.
- How to get to USM: The View has direct access to main roads like Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Highway and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah. On the other hand, the Penang Bridge is about 2km away from the condominium. Travelling to the USM campus is also convenient from The View. Rapid Penang Bus 301, 303, and 304 depart from Sunny Point to Jalan Sungai Dua, with transits to Rapid Penang CT 11 for USM.
12. Raffel Tower
If you are opting for a high-end property, this is the one for you! Raffel Tower is nestled in the hills of Penang. This low-density condominium complex comprises 260 residential units with 3+1 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Each unit comes with a balcony. The condominium is also equipped with full modern facilities such as aquatic spa, floating pavilion, infinity vista pool, landscaped walkway, rejuvenation pod and more. Raffel Tower is 2.1km away from the USM campus or a 4-minute drive.
- Monthly rental: RM1,500 – RM3,600
- Built-up size: 1,400 sq ft – 1,600 sq ft
- Amenities: There are many amenities within Raffel Tower’s vicinity. Tesco Hypermarket (Lebuh Tunku Kudin) and Tesco Extra Sungai Dua are 4km away from Raffel Tower. Not just that, schools are also nearby. SMK Bukit Gambir is within walking distance (only 170m away) while medical facilities like the Lam Wah Ee Hospital is only 3.7km away from the condominium.
- How to get to USM: Raffel Tower has easy access to the Penang Bridge as it is only 5.8km away. On top of that, there is easy access to main roads such as the Jelutong Expressway and Coastal Highway. Other than driving, you can go to the USM campus by bus. Take the Rapid Penang 302 (Jeti – Batu Maung) then change to Rapid Penang CT 11 (Sungai Dua).
To conclude, we understand how challenging it can be to find a suitable rental option near USM that is affordable and convenient. We hope the list can help you find a home that suits your needs. We recommend visiting iProperty.com.my if you are looking for more student rental options near USM. You can browse a wide variety of housing options that may interest you.
Best wishes for your search, and may you find a suitable property that meets your needs!
Edited by Iman Qistina