Louisville is a terrific location to get an advanced education at one of its many great colleges and universities. You can enjoy the major college experience and all of the great sports and other activities that go with it while getting a great education at the University of Louisville.

You also might opt for a more intimate educational experience at one of the many terrific colleges and universities in Louisville. No matter where you choose to get your higher education, there are many great neighborhoods with fine student apartments you might choose to rent while completing your college education. Here are a few suggestions at some of the more notable colleges and universities in Louisville.

University of Louisville

The University of Louisville is a great school that was founded in 1798 and is a Division I school situated in a great urban setting. It’s easily accessible via I-65 and local roads and is located near Louisville’s downtown entertainment district. The campus encompasses 345 acres that house the many great colleges within the university for its more than 16,000 undergrads, who can find great apartments in the following neighborhoods and beyond.

Belknap Neighborhood

The Belknap neighborhood is terrific and situated in the heart of the greater area of Louisville called the Highlands. I always enjoyed its tree-lined streets and the local history, which included frequent stops by Abraham Lincoln along the stagecoach route to Farmington, where he would visit the Speed family. It’s considered one of the best neighborhoods in Louisville and in 2012 was honored by Neighborhoods USA for its inclusion among the organization's list of the nation’s best neighborhoods.

The neighborhood offers a mix of new and old architecture, which makes it possible to find great Louisville apartments near the University of Louisville. The streets are very walkable and make it much easier to use public transportation or to drive to and from classes in just a few short minutes. There are ample local stores and restaurants to ensure good food always is available, and the Louisville nightlife is just a short drive north of the neighborhood.

Bradley Neighborhood

The Bradley neighborhood in Louisville is situated just east of the university and only 2 miles south of downtown Louisville and all of its great attractions. The I-65 freeway is conveniently located adjacent to the neighborhood along its southern and western boundaries, which makes it very easy to very quickly get to wherever you need to go.

Local homes generally share the same brick craftsman style that makes them ideal for students looking for affordable single-family homes to rent in the area. The University of Louisville is within walking distance of the Bradley neighborhood, and you can find lots of great options for student apartments.

Old Louisville Neighborhood

The Old Louisville neighborhood is one of my favorites in Louisville and just about any other city for that matter. The University of Louisville is located south of Old Louisville while downtown is located just north of the grand old neighborhood. Its location makes Old Louisville the perfect location for attending classes during the day and visiting the city’s music scene and fun nightspots on weekends.

I especially love the old Victorian architecture that makes the neighborhood one of the nation’s top locales for viewing historic Victorian homes. The old mansions give the neighborhood a very stately demeanor with tree-lined streets adding to the aesthetic appeal throughout the year. Fall is an especially great time to enjoy long walks during the peak color season. Many of those old Victorian structures also have been converted into multifamily housing with room rentals, suites, and entire apartments available at reasonably affordable rates for college students.

Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University was founded in 1950 and is a private university located in eastern Louisville along Newburg Road. Bellarmine has an undergraduate enrollment of less than 2,500 students and is located near many great options for student apartments. Here are some terrific neighborhoods to consider when looking for Louisville apartments near Bellarmine University.

Deer Park Neighborhood

Louisville’s Deer Park neighborhood is located directly north of the Bellarmine University campus and offers ample opportunities for quality student housing. The neighborhood once was agricultural land but was developed mostly from 1890 through the 1920s. Many of its homes and rental structures have lots of history and unique architecture in the mostly residential neighborhood.

Deer Park originally was built and designed to take advantage of Louisville’s former streetcar service and remains a great place to use public transportation. Bellarmine officials and local representatives eventually negotiated allowing the university to buy several local residential properties to convert into student housing, and there are plenty of local student apartments available for the university’s growing student population.

Tyler Park Neighborhood

Tyler Park is one of my favorite Louisville neighborhoods due to its stately residential properties, history, and very walkable streets. Tyler Park was established in 1873 and built up gradually from the 1880s to about 1910. Local zoning ordinances require homes to have exteriors made from brick, stucco, or stone, which helps make them more fire-resistant.

The streets are lined with stately maple trees and other hardwoods that give you three seasons of terrific scenery – especially during the fall color season. The neighborhood offers a mix of newer and older student housing with some of the older homes having been converted into affordable studio apartments. It’s a quick trip down Newburg Road to the Bellarmine University campus.

Germantown Neighborhood 

The Germantown neighborhood is situated just west of Tyler Park and a short distance to Bellarmine University. As its name implies, it once was the settling point for German immigrants and others of German descent who worked their small farms, butcher shops, and other business pursuits. It features the largest number of small shotgun houses in Louisville, which helps ensure affordable housing is available for residents and students alike.

Germantown is just three miles from downtown and about the same distance to Bellarmine University. It’s an ideal location that is perfect for commuting to school and enjoying the city’s entertainment district at night and on weekends.

Sullivan University

Sullivan University is situated on Louisville’s east side on Bardstown Road and near the intersection of I-264 and US 150. Nearly 2,000 undergraduates can pursue bachelor’s degrees in a small school setting and have many wonderful local neighborhoods to consider for affordable Louisville apartments near Sullivan University.

Wellington Neighborhood

Greater Louisville’s Wellington neighborhood actually is its own municipality within the Louisville city limits and is located directly north of Sullivan University. Wellington was established in 1946 as a home-rule city in a highly defined area that makes it very compact and highly manageable for residents and city officials alike. The proximity to the intersection of US 150 and I-264 makes it very easy to go virtually anywhere in the greater Louisville area quickly by car, and you can enjoy short walks or a bicycle ride to the university’s campus.

Hawthorne Neighborhood

When Abraham Lincoln frequently visited the Speed family prior to becoming president, the Hawthorne neighborhood is where he went. The land used to be part of John Speed’s Farmington estate, where the original plantation house still stands more than 200 years after it was built in 1815. The mostly residential neighborhood retains its stately origin but has been subdivided with more homes and affordable housing, including quality Louisville apartments near Sullivan University, which is located within the neighborhood’s boundaries.

Kingsley Neighborhood

Kingsley is another home-rule city within the greater Louisville metropolitan area and is located north of Wellington and just west of Hawthorne, which places it very close to Sullivan University. Like Hawthorne, Kingsley once was part of the Speed family’s estate but in 1924 became its own community. Kingsley is 6 miles from downtown Louisville, which is easy to access via the nearby 264 freeway and US 150.

Kingsley is a very safe locale with its own dedicated police force. The National Arbor Day Foundation includes Kingsley among its Tree City USA recipients due to its numerous trees that provide residents with cooling shade and make it one of the best areas to walk on foot in the greater Louisville area.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention that was founded in 1859. The seminary’s Louisville campus opened in 1877 and now is based in the city’s Crescent Hill neighborhood. Nearly 4,500 students pursue theological studies and related academic degrees at the seminary, which is located in northeastern Louisville. Here are some fine local neighborhoods for students to consider for affordable Louisville apartments near The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Crescent Hill Neighborhood

Crescent Hill is situated directly north of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and about 4 miles east of downtown Louisville with easy access to I-64 and US 60. The neighborhood is situated on a hilly area between the north and south forks of Beargrass Creek, which feeds into the Ohio River. The neighborhood was founded in 1850 and modernized during the 20th century, which gives it a great mix of old and relatively new buildings and architecture. It also has several parks situated just to the southwest.

Broad Fields Neighborhood

Broad Fields is part of the St. Matthews sixth-class city within the greater Louisville metro area and was incorporated in 1957. It’s a relatively modern and mostly residential area located southeast of the seminary and near the I-64 and I-264 interchange. It’s very easy to reach Louisville’s East Market District to the northwest and downtown just beyond that. Louisville International Airport also is easy to access via the 264 interstate.

Bonnycastle Neighborhood

Bonnycastle formerly was a proprietary farm owned by John Bonnycastle after the Civil War and to entrepreneur Isaac Everett, who was the father of Bonnycastle’s wife. The neighborhood mostly remained a rural and agricultural area until 1890, when its development occurred more rapidly until 1914. Today, the neighborhood is home to a great mix of stately homes, craftsman bungalows, and apartment buildings, including the Commodore Apartment Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a terrific location to find quality student apartments.

Enjoy the Search for Your Perfect Student Apartment

The preceding is a short list of the many great neighborhoods in which students pursuing higher education can find affordable quality student apartments with easy access to the area’s many great colleges and universities. When school is out, Louisville offers many terrific recreational and dining options that help make it a thoroughly great place to live and learn.