Housing
On Campus
Babcock: The only on-campus dormitory for graduate students is Babcock Hall. It has single-sex and coed wings. All of the rooms are single occupancy. The rooms are small, even by dormitory standards, but living in Babcock is a great way to get to know lots of graduate students in other departments. If you are interested, contact the UNH Department of Housing, Pettee House (862-2120).
Forest Park: Students who are married or have children are eligible to live in Forest Park, an on-campus apartment complex with studio, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom apartments. There is a waiting list to get in. Faculty members also live in Forest Park and are given preference over students on the waiting list. If you are interested, stop by the Forest Park office, which is located in the apartment complex, or call (862-2742). Forest Park is located behind Morse and Kingsbury Halls.
Off Campus
Most graduate students live off campus. All of the towns listed below are common places to find UNH students living. The local bus service, COAST, has routes to all of these places. Each town has its own atmosphere, and you will find that everyone has an opinion on the best places to live. Rent also varies a lot, with Durham generally being the most expensive and Dover being less expensive. There are other towns around, but you will need a car.
Durham: Many home owners rent small one bedroom apartments. They generally prefer to rent to graduate students. These apartments are in the more residential parts of town and are usually very quiet. Many undergraduates live near the center of town and it can be noisy. The only supermarket in town is expensive, and the night life is limited.
Newmarket: Newmarket has a mix of apartment complexes, houses, and subdivided houses for rent. There is a fairly large student population here. Newmarket is small and quiet. There are no supermarkets near town. The night life is limited, but the Stone Church, with bar and live bands is popular with graduate students.
Dover: Dover is a large town. There are lots of things to do there. Many restaurants, a movie theater, play houses and more. There are also plenty of supermarkets and places to shop. Downtown Dover is noisy, but the back streets are usually quiet. Be careful to make sure your apartment is near the bus routes if you are depending on them for transportation.
Portsmouth: Portsmouth is also a large town. It is well known for its night life. The arts are also alive and well in Portsmouth. There are various activities occurring in Portsmouth every day of the week all year round. There are no supermarkets in the downtown area, though there are several within easy reach by car or bus. The biggest malls are also nearby. Portsmouth is a fair distance from the University, and many people think it is generally too far away.
Transportation
Coast Buses: The bus system that serves the local communities is called the Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation or COAST for short. From the University of New Hampshire, the following communities can be conveniently reached: Madbury, Dover, Somersworth, Newington and the Newington Malls, Portsmouth, and Newmarket. The first buses arrive in Durham at 8:00 AM and the last buses of the day leave at 10:00 PM. To obtain a bus pass, you must go to the COAST/Kari-Van Office in the UNH Visitors Center, which is located across the street from the University Field House.
Airports, Trains and Buses: Durham is served by three airports: Logan Airport in Boston, Pease, and Manchester. Only a few flights go to Pease, which is located in nearby Portsmouth. Durham can be reached from Boston by the C & J Bus service that goes both to South Station in downtown Boston and to Logan airport. There is no bus service between Manchester and Durham. The Amtrak DownEaster train goes from Portland, with a stop in Durham, to Boston's North Station.
Distractions
There are numerous distractions in the Durham area: hiking, sailing, beaches, skiing, berry picking, summer concerts, UNH concert series, Boston, Portsmouth stores and restaurants, and the summer softball league, just to name a few. You don't have to spend all of your time chained to your desk!
