Kogakuin University's Shinjuku Campus is about a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. Here are the 15 cheapest stations within roughly 30 minutes* of it, sorted by studio rent. Balancing rent and commute time is the key to a comfortable first apartment in Tokyo — start your search from this list.
Kogakuin University moves its students between campuses: years one and two at Hachioji, year three at Shinjuku, and year four at either campus depending on your assigned lab. This is the Shinjuku campus page, but the first thing to understand is that most students spend their first two years commuting to Hachioji.
The Shinjuku campus is a high-rise urban campus five minutes' walk from Shinjuku Station. Rents in the immediate area run high, so relatively few students live right by campus; the co-op supports room searches in the wider area through partner agencies.
The ranking below centers on cheaper stations in the near suburbs, such as Heiwadai, Nishi-Kawaguchi, and Toda-Koen. If you're planning the year-three move, the practical approach is to use the ranking to find lines with a direct, no-transfer ride into Shinjuku. And since your fourth year may send you back to Hachioji depending on your lab, it's worth factoring that possibility into your lease length too.
Iriya (Hibiya Line) is one stop from Ueno in classic shitamachi — morning-glory markets, old shops, new cafés, and surprisingly gentle rents.
Heiwadai offers direct Yurakucho/Fukutoshin Line rides to Ikebukuro (~10 min), Shinjuku, and Shibuya from a calm residential base — remarkable value for a subway station.
Sakaecho is a tram stop beside Asukayama Park, walkable to Oji's JR and subway lines — a quietly excellent pocket of Kita-ku.
Nishi-Kawaguchi is Tokyo's go-to town for hardcore regional Chinese food, ~20 minutes from Ikebukuro at clearly discounted rents.
Shin-Kiba is a three-line waterfront hub ~8 minutes from Tokyo Station, beside the green expanse of Yumenoshima Park.
Ukima-Funado opens onto a windmill-marked lakeside park, 10+ minutes to Ikebukuro with direct Shinjuku trains.
Toda-Koen is known for its Olympic rowing course on the Arakawa, ~15 minutes to Ikebukuro with direct Shinjuku trains.
Shimo-Igusa is a quiet Seibu Shinjuku Line local stop, ~15 minutes to Takadanobaba, with Asagaya and Ogikubo in cycling range.
Iogi is a quiet Seibu Shinjuku Line local stop in Suginami, under 20 minutes to Takadanobaba — an affordable pocket of a pricey ward.
Oku is one stop (5 minutes) from Ueno beside a famous rail yard — a connoisseur's pick with clearly discounted rents.
Tokiwadai's radial, tree-lined streets earned it the nickname 'Itabashi's Den-en-chofu' — planned-town beauty ~8 minutes from Ikebukuro.
Machiya offers three lines (Chiyoda subway, Keisei, tram) with a ~15-minute direct ride to Otemachi — old-town living with serious connectivity.
Hikarigaoka is the Oedo Line's terminus — guaranteed seats to central Tokyo — beside a huge park and full shopping infrastructure.
Shin-Sakuradai rides directly onto the Fukutoshin/Yurakucho lines, with Ekoda's student-town eats a short walk away — low-profile, well-priced.
Kita-Akabane's platforms sit over a river, one stop from Akabane's famed eating streets — Akabane life at a discount, ~10 minutes to Ikebukuro.
In Japan there are often only a few weeks between acceptance and the start of term. A furnished apartment cuts both the setup work and the upfront costs, so you can start student life right away. See the Housing Guide (furnished / share house / standard rental) →
See the results-to-move-in timeline →
Compare rents line by line on the line index, or explore the area map.
*Travel times are estimates based on local trains (plus ~6 min per transfer). Express services are often faster.
*Rents are market estimates based on SUUMO listings and vary by season and property. Station data: ©ekidata.jp