RMC Student Host Program

Instead of spending money on a hotel or commuting into the city, you might prefer to stay overnight with a Rush medical student! Staying with a student host is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know some of our students, get a feel for student life at Rush, and of course, cut down on your travel costs! Although the students are limited by class schedules—especially around exam weeks—they do their best to accommodate all host requests.

If you have questions regarding the Student Hosting Program, please contact RushMedStudentHosting@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What can I expect when staying with a student host?

All hosts are current RMC Students (years M1 – M4) and live right on campus or in a nearby surrounding neighborhood. Hosts are required to have either an extra bed or reasonably sized sofa, as well as provide you with extra linens and pillows during your stay.

On the morning of your interview, you can expect your host to provide transportation to Rush Medical College. Keep in mind, many of our students do not own cars, so you may be walking to campus or even get to experience Chicago’s public transportation system on the way to your interview.

What do I need to bring?

Please be sure to bring your own toiletries, such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, etc. Depending on your host, they may also have a hairdryer and/or iron for you to use. If you have questions about what to bring, do not hesitate to ask your host!

Will my student host be able to pick me up from the airport?

Due to busy med school schedules and extracurricular commitments, we do not expect our student hosts to coordinate transportation to or from the airport for you. However, there are a number of travel options for getting to Rush including taxis, buses, trains, ubers, etc. Additional information regarding traveling to Chicago can be found on the Interview Day - Planning Your Visit page.

How long can I stay with my student host?

Student hosts are available the night prior to your interview. If you will be staying in Chicago for more than one evening, you will need to request an extended stay with your assigned host. It is up to the discretion of your host whether or not they will be able to accommodate your request. If you know you will be staying multiple nights, please be sure to request this of your host as soon as possible. Again, we cannot guarantee host availability for more than one night.

How do I sign up?

Fill out the RMC Student Host Request Form located on the Applicant Portal and indicate the date of your interview, as well as the dates you will be traveling to and from Chicago. When completing this form, you will also be asked to consider factors that would make your stay more comfortable, such as, staying with a male or female host, a married couple, a non-pet owner, etc. Please do not hesitate to share specific requests when completing this form, as we hope to make your stay as comfortable as possible!

We also ask that you submit your request as soon as possible in order to give us ample time to pair everyone with a host. While we do our absolute best to provide hosts to all students, we cannot always guarantee a host placement due to the volume of requests and limited number of student host volunteers. When possible, we suggest making other refundable plans, just as a precaution.

What if my plans change and I have to cancel?

We know and understand that sometimes plans change. However, we do ask that you contact both your assigned host, as well as the Student Host Leaders at RushMedStudentHosting@gmail.com, as soon as possible to let them know about your change and/or cancellation.