Living in Youngstown

On this page you will find useful information on everyday living in Youngstown. For more information about life in the Youngstown area visit the City of Youngstown webpage.

Temporary Housing

Contact students from your home country who are currently at YSU to inquire about temporary housing in the area. They will be able to suggest, or possibly even provide, housing for your first night(s) in the country.

Several hotels in the area can accommodate you during your first few days in the area.The following hotels have locations approximately 10 miles from campus.Please note that the agencies listed below are not affiliated with the IPO or YSU; therefore, the IPO and YSU assume no liability to either party in any way, including obligations of performance.Arrangements or contracts you commit to will be between you and the agency.

Permanent Housing

Please Note: YSU students are not required to live on campus. On-campus housing is one of many options available in this area. Be aware of the different types of housing before deciding on where to make your home. Housing costs and qualities range from very good/expensive to poor/inexpensive and some neighborhoods are less desirable than others.

Options

YSU Housing Services
University Courtyard Apartments—apartments located adjacent to campus. Contact them at 330-941-1999 / 888-239-9375 or visit their website at http://universitycourtyard.org/ (link is external)
Buechner Hall—safe, affordable housing for women, located adjacent to campus. Contact them at 330-744-5361. (Usually there is a long waiting list)
The University Edge

For additional options, please contact current students who may be able to advise you about your best housing options.

Bookstores

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

300 Fifth Ave
Youngstown, OH 44555
(330) 318-3331

Groceries and Shopping

There are a number of groceries and shopping stores in Youngstown, listed below are some of their names and addresses.

Target Stores — basic department store with some grocery items, house wares, some furniture, clothing.

• 417 Boardman-Poland Road, Boardman, OH
  330-758-5900

• 5555 Youngstown-Warren Road, Niles, OH
  330-505-1928

Wal-Mart — basic department store with some grocery items, housewares, some furniture, clothing.

• 1300 Doral Drive, Boardman, OH
  330-758-0011
   
• 200 Goldie Road, Youngstown, OH
  330-759-2066

Thrift Stores for Used Items

Goodwill Stores—Used items of all varieties

• 460 Youngstown-Poland Road,Struthers, OH
  330-750-0723
  ​
• 2747 Belmont Avenue, Liberty, OH
  330-759-0677

Penny Pinchers Inc.

• 4949 Market Street, Youngstown, OH
  330-788-6736

Restaurants

There are wide arrays of restaurants, including those that serve ethnic specialties. Here is a short list of some of the restaurants that can be found in the area.

The Beat Coffee House

330-743-4227
215 Lincoln Avenue

BW3

330-744-2999
Stambaugh Building
Downtown Federal Plaza

Cedar's Lounge

330-743-6560
23 North Hazel Street
(Restaurant, bar, outdoor patio, live music)

Inner Circle Pizza

330-744-5448
318 Elm Street
(Restaurant, bar)

MVR Club

330-746-7067
410 North Walnut Street

Recreation

Kilcawley Center

Campus Recreation and Wellness Center

Movie Theaters

Cinemark Movies 8
Second Run Movies - Discount Theatre-Mondays
330-629-2233
469 Boardman-Poland Road, Boardman, OH 44512

Regal Cinema South
330-758-0463
7420 South Avenue, Boardman, OH 44512

Tinseltown U.S.A.
330-965-2333
7401 Market Street, Boardman, OH 44512

Museums

Butler Institute of American Art
330-743-1711
524 Wick Avenue

McDonough Museum of Art
330-742-1400
Wick Avenue

Obtaining a Driver’s License/State ID

If you plan on purchasing a car while you are in Youngstown you must obtain an Ohio Driver’s license and register your car. It is mandatory that you also purchase car insurance. In some cases you may be able to use an International Drivers Permit to drive for a short period of time. The International Driving Permit (IDP) serves as an official translation of the holder's driver's license into 10 foreign languages. The purpose of an IDP is to supplement, not replace, valid government issued licenses. It serves as a translation of a driver’s license and assists with understanding, but does not provide driving privileges by itself. We recommend, especially if your foreign license is not in English, that you contact the Automobile Association or driving authorities in your home country to get an international driving permit before traveling, as the United States does NOT issue international driver's permits to foreign visitors.

Non-US citizens residing in Ohio may apply for a Ohio driver's license, as long as they can provide proof that they are legally authorized to be in the United States, and meet all the other requirements. Note that an Ohio driver's license issued to a foreign national will expire no later than the last date on which they are authorized to be in the United States by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

It is recommended that you apply for an Ohio Driver’s License at the: Driver’s License office: 3623 Market Street,Youngstown, OH 44507 Phone: 330-783-3223

Documents Needed

Passport, visa document, I-20 or DS-2019

Once you pass the written and vision test, you may purchase a temporary permit application packet ($22). Driving tests may be taken at the State Highway Patrol Office:

Tuesday - Saturday, 8AM - 4AM, 500 S. Broad Street, Canfield, OH 44406 Phone: 330-533-6866, or
Tuesday - Saturday, 8AM - 5PM, State Highway Patrol Office inside the Eastwood Mall, near Sears in Niles, Ohio Phone: 330-544-5404

Fee ($22)

If you do not plan on owning a car it is recommended that you apply for a State of Ohio ID Card ($8.50). A State ID eliminates the need for you to always carry your passport on your person as the primary means of identification.

Documents Needed

Passport, visa document, I-20 or DS-2019
Fee ($8.50)