Off-Campus Student Life offers resources to Montana State students, including free Uber rides

Two students walk together on the Montana State University campus Aug. 20, 2025.
MSU photo by Colter Peterson

BOZEMAN — Off-Campus Student Life at Montana State University is set to expand its offerings this fall to support the student community living off campus.  

Funded by the Associated Students of MSU, OCSL was created to centralize support for students living off campus in Bozeman and the surrounding areas. The office provides resources for students to help them find housing, form respectful relationships with neighbors, have transportation around town and find accessible childcare, said OCSL’s program director, Rebecca Eberlin.  

The majority of MSU students live off campus, and supporting them is critical to their success, Eberlin said. Freshmen are required to live on campus, but around 85% of students choose to move off campus in their second year, she said. 

This fall, OCSL intends to award a contract to Uber to expand MSU’s CatCab transportation program, funded by student fees allocated by ASMSU. Last year, the program was tested over three weekends, Eberlin said, allowing enrolled MSU students to call an Uber and use a voucher to receive a free ride within a 15-mile radius of campus, which includes Belgrade and Four Corners. Students can obtain the vouchers on the CatsConnect website.  

The program was well-received last year and students reported feeling safer knowing that it was an option, Eberlin said. The impact was so great that OCSL will soon start offering free Ubers for students every weekend during the school year. Except for school breaks, the rides will be available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 5 p.m. to roughly 3 a.m.  

"We are really excited to be able to meet this need and help students get home safely,” Eberlin said. “We heard from students that CatCab reduces driving under the influence and gives them another option to avoid risky situations. We are excited to work with Uber so that all Bobcats can get a free ride any weekend during the school year.”   

For daytime jaunts, the Streamline Bus Service is also free for all riders, including students. Eberlin sits on Streamline’s board of directors, and ASMSU also helps funds the bus service with student fees.   

In addition to the transportation support, Eberlin also has one-on-one advising appointments with students who are unsure of how to start looking for housing. She helped more than 300 individuals last year, according to office data.  

OCSL helps students identify the documents they need for housing applications, what to look for when walking through an apartment, and how to read a lease. Eberlin can also provide lists of websites to look for rentals, local property management companies and landlords, and resources for finding roommates. Students are advised on how to be a good neighbor, making sure they stay on top of trash pick-up and snow removal, and how to be a good roommate that is respectful and clean. 

Additionally, Eberlin can connect students with ASMSU Legal Services to help resolve any housing or lease disputes.  

Another helpful resource on the OCSL website is the Off-Campus Housing Marketplace, which is similar to Facebook Marketplace but only accessible with a student NetID. That way students can seek subletters or buy and sell furniture only with other MSU students, and browse housing listings that landlords have designated for college students. 
 

Additionally, OCSL can also help parents attending MSU find affordable childcare by referring them to funding such as the C Campus Grant and the Best Beginnings Scholarship. 

This year, OCSL also plans to hold more events to support students, including a repeat of this fall’s community welcome event in collaboration with the City of Bozeman that sought to connect students with their non-student neighbors. Eberlin also plans to host a series of renter’s rights workshops with ASMSU Legal Services, and she runs the Off-Campus Student Resource Fair in the spring where students can connect with property management entities, utility companies, city representatives and other resources.  

Eberlin said come spring, she will give a quick presentation to each freshman seminar class about resources her office offers. She did the same last year and connected with many students who later sought her help.  

“I couldn’t be more proud of what we're accomplishing through OCSL,” said Matt Caires, MSU dean of students. “There’s an amazing step that students make towards adulthood when they move from on-campus housing to living more independently off campus.  OCSL supports them on this journey in many ways.”   

OCSL was originally developed as a program in the Dean of Students’ office, with funding support provided by the Bobcat Family Fellows.  It is open on weekdays and is located in the Strand Union Building near the Chick-fil-A. Students seeking help can stop by or make an appointment online at montana.edu/offcampusstudentlife/.