Moving to a new city can be a difficult process, and in a city as large as Los Angeles it can be even more challenging. Most students come to CMS for only a few months, a much shorter time than the one-year leases offered by most apartment buildings.

We recommend that you do your own research and find housings that is suitable to you. CMS is not able to offer students housing through the school, but we do have a list of resources that might aid you in housing. Please note that we do not have any affiliation with the housing options below, we only list these options to help students.

These are units where the student has his/her own bedroom, bathroom and kitchen facilities in a building with multiple units of similar size/type. Many students who stay in apartments will have roommates who share the kitchen, living room and/or bathroom area.

• The Gaylord Apartments

• Oakwood Apartments

• Arwyn Manor

• St Andrews Place

These are units that someone already lives in, but they are offering to rent out their space for a short period of time while they are away. Sublets are generally offered for apartments, but may also be found for houses, condominiums or other residence types. Many sublets come furnished and the lease terms are generally more flexible than those at an apartment building.

For shorter term stays, the following are our preferred local hotels. Some offer a special CMS rate, click for more information. Many hotels will also offer a discount to visitors wishing to stay for a long period of time. Over a longer stay, the prices for these units may be more than a regular apartment, but they come furnished and often include other amenities such as housekeeping service.

Hotel Normandie

The Line

For shorter term stays, the following are our preferred local dormitory options. Dormitories offer single or shared rooms with various options for upgrade. Some have common kitchen areas and some have refrigerators in your room. Parking can be provided for an extra fee. Some offer a special CMS rate, click for more information.

Hobart House

Oxford Mansion

Gramercy Place

Up Start

A Homestay is popular, quality, and affordable student housing options among International students looking for a short or long term stay with a family near their school. A homestay is a healthy environment where students practice speaking a new language and learn to merge successfully into the local culture.

With HomestayMatch students can see their homestays, compare prices, see the location, learn about the host family and more before booking their stay. Be aware that there might be long commutes.

USH Student Homestay Website | Homestay Services International | Homestay Match

These are units where the student has a bedroom (private or shared) and shares all other facilities with other residents in the building. They will have to share a bedroom, kitchen, living room and other common areas.

USA Hostels Hollywood | Libra Hotel | Banana Bungalows

*Be aware that hostels might not allow you to stay more than 28 consecutive days due to avoidance of Los Angeles tenant law”.

CMS is located in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles. When looking for housing, students may wish to concentrate on this area. CMS is also located directly above the Wilshire/Western purple line Metro Station. Students unable to find housing within walking distance of CMS may wish to consider residences along the Metro line.

There are also a number of bus stops within one block of the CMS facility that can take students to different areas of the city.

For more information on public transportation, students should consult the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (LA Metro) website.

Here are some popular websites that will help you in your search for housing.

AirBnb: Great for finding housing with independent home owners.
Sublet.com: Listing of many available apartments around the area.
ApartmentGuide.com: Listing of people looking for Room Mates with an easy to use map.
Craigslist.com: An online classified website that lets people room for rent, sale and more.

Finding housing is the responsibility of the students. Doing research around the area and finding one that is suitable to your need is required. However, Cinema Makeup School is more than happy to help you with anything that you should need, please feel free to reach out to us if necessary.

CMS does not offer housing placement services or roommate matching, but we do host a CMS Housing Facebook Group where new and current students and graduates can connect and coordinate their living situations.