When you picture life as a college student in Tampa, Florida, it probably includes sunny afternoons by the pool, long study sessions before exams, game days, and quick trips to campus, not long commutes, crowded laundry rooms, or the usual frustrations that come with dorm life.
The Metropolitan Tampa is designed to make student living feel more convenient, more comfortable, and more connected to the University of South Florida. From fully furnished apartments and in-unit washers and dryers to study spaces, social amenities, and a location just steps from campus, this FAQ page brings together the details students, parents, and guarantors usually want to know before signing a year-long lease. Whether the priority is finding USF off-campus apartments close to class, comparing amenities, or understanding day-to-day living at The Metropolitan Tampa, this guide is here to help make that decision easier and more informed.
1. Location & Proximity to Campus
The Metropolitan Tampa is located at 2701 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33612. This address places The Metropolitan Tampa right along one of the main roads near USF, with quick access to campus, nearby dining, retail, and some of the most popular student destinations in the area.
The Metropolitan Tampa is just 0.10 miles from the University of South Florida, which makes it one of the more convenient options for students who want apartments near USF without a long daily commute. The north campus entrance on Fowler Avenue is 0.2 miles away, and several major academic and student destinations are within roughly a mile of the property.
The Metropolitan Tampa is close to many of the places students visit most often during the week. The Marshall Student Center is 0.5 miles away, the USF Tampa Library is 0.5 miles away, Cooper Hall is 0.5 miles away, the Muma College of Business is 0.6 miles away, the Communication and Information Sciences Building is 0.6 miles away, and the Campus Recreation Center is 0.8 miles away. Yuengling Center is 1 mile away, and the USF Botanical Gardens are 1.5 miles away.
The Metropolitan Tampa is near a mix of quick meals, coffee stops, and casual sit-down spots that fit a student schedule. University Square is 0.3 miles away and adds another nearby stretch of dining, retail, and entertainment. Local options highlighted near the property include Chick-fil-A, First Watch, Tijuana Flats, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s Grill & Bar, and Five Guys.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa is close to everyday shopping as well as bigger destination retail. University Square is just 0.3 miles away for nearby errands and casual shopping, while International Plaza and Bay Street is 8 miles away for a broader mix of stores and dining. Tampa apartments near USF often focus on campus access first, but The Metropolitan Tampa also puts students within reach of practical shopping options beyond campus.
The Metropolitan Tampa is well placed for students who want more than just a place close to class. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island are each 1.5 miles away, MOSI is 2 miles away, and Lettuce Lake Regional Park is 3 miles away for trails, boardwalk views, and kayaking. For bigger weekend plans, Downtown Tampa and the Tampa Riverwalk are 9 miles away, Ybor City is 9 miles away, Raymond James Stadium is 10 miles away, and Clearwater Beach is 25 miles away.
The Metropolitan Tampa has an 83 walkability score, which supports a more convenient daily routine for students who want apartments by USF with easier access to nearby essentials. The property also has a 57 transit score, which adds another option for getting around Tampa without depending entirely on a car.
2. Floor Plans, Furnishings, & Furniture Packages
The Metropolitan Tampa offers studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom apartments. This variety gives students several living options, whether the goal is a more private setup or a shared layout with roommates.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa offers fully furnished apartments, which helps simplify move-in for students who do not want to source major furniture on their own. Furnished layouts are part of what sets these University of South Florida apartments apart for students who want a more ready-to-live-in setup near campus.
The common area includes a 50-inch smart TV, coffee table, entertainment stand, sofa, chair, and side table. Select deluxe units also include a dining table with chairs, so furniture packages may vary a bit depending on the floor plan and unit type.
Bedrooms include a full bed, desk with chair, two stackable two-drawer dressers, and a nightstand. This setup covers the basics students need for sleep, storage, and studying.
Yes. Private bedroom and bathroom options are available at The Metropolitan Tampa. Individually keyed bedrooms are also available, which adds another layer of privacy within shared apartments.
The Metropolitan Tampa includes in-unit washers and dryers, smart TVs in the living room, high-speed WiFi throughout the property, LVP flooring throughout, and select units with balconies. Walk-in closets are available in select layouts, and premium units are also offered.
Apartments include stainless steel appliances, including a refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dishwasher. Kitchens also feature dark quartz countertops, which gives the interiors a cleaner, more modern look.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa features open-concept apartment layouts designed to create a more connected living and kitchen area. That layout style is available across multiple floor plan types, from more compact studios to larger shared apartments.
3. Amenities
The Metropolitan Tampa includes a mix of study, fitness, social, and outdoor spaces designed around student routines. Amenity highlights include a rooftop resort-style pool and heated spa, an academic lounge, private study rooms with interactive displays, a fitness center, a resident clubroom, pool tables, an internet café, a motion sports simulator, and multiple outdoor gathering areas.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa includes an academic lounge and private study rooms with interactive or smart displays. These spaces give students a quieter place to prepare for exams, work on group projects, or knock out assignments without leaving home.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa has a fitness center with cardio, strength, and functional training equipment. The setup includes treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, rowing machines, spin bikes, strength machines, cable machines, a power rack, benches, free weights and barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, resistance bands, TRX, a sled push and pull area, an Isawall, and an Echelon Reflect Mirror.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa also includes a sauna and tanning, so the amenity lineup goes beyond a standard gym setup. That adds a few extra options for students who want space to recharge between classes and everything else on their schedule.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa features a rooftop resort-style pool and a heated spa. For students searching for USF apartments with standout outdoor amenities, this is one of the more memorable parts of the property.
Outdoor amenities at The Metropolitan Tampa include a gaming lawn with foosball and cornhole, two on-grade courtyards, multiple firepit areas, multiple outdoor grilling areas, a media wall, and an outdoor yoga or stretching lawn. The property also features a Jumbotron, which adds to the rooftop and outdoor social setup.
The Metropolitan Tampa includes a resident clubroom, pool tables, an internet café, and a motion sports simulator. These spaces give students more than just a place to live, especially for anyone looking at apartments near the University of South Florida with room to study, hang out, and reset without heading off-site.
Yes. High-speed WiFi is available throughout The Metropolitan Tampa. That matters for everything from late-night coursework and streaming to staying connected across shared spaces and apartment interiors.
4. Shared Spaces, Community Programming, & Resident Perks
The Metropolitan Tampa includes several shared spaces where students can study, relax, or spend time with friends outside their apartment. Shared amenity areas include the resident clubroom, internet café, academic lounge, private study rooms, pool tables, motion sports simulator, rooftop pool area, and multiple outdoor gathering spaces such as courtyards, grilling areas, firepit areas, and the gaming lawn.
The Metropolitan Tampa organizes resident programming through its P.A.W.S. model, which centers on philanthropic, academic, wellness, and social growth. The goal is to create a place where residents feel connected, supported, and part of something larger than their apartment. This gives the programming a broader focus than simple social events alone.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa has several spaces that naturally bring people together, including the clubroom, pool deck, gaming lawn, courtyards, grilling areas, and firepit areas. For students interested in USF off-campus housing with room for both downtime and social interaction, these shared spaces are a major part of daily life at The Metropolitan Tampa.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa offers roommate matching through RoomSync. This tool helps students look for compatible roommates based on lifestyle preferences such as cleanliness, study habits, sleep schedules, and other day-to-day living habits. RoomSync also includes gender-inclusive matching tools and allows students to factor in approved service or emotional support animal needs during the matching process.
The Metropolitan Tampa offers RentPlus as an optional resident perk tied to credit building. RentPlus is a payment-reporting service that reports eligible on-time monthly housing payments to credit bureaus, which can help residents build credit history over time.
You Speak, We Listen is a resident feedback program at The Metropolitan Tampa. It gives residents a formal way to share feedback through quarterly satisfaction surveys, real-time reviews in the resident portal, and direct comments to the on-site team. The goal is to keep improving the resident experience by listening to concerns, suggestions, and everyday feedback.
5. Safety, Security, & Transportation
The Metropolitan Tampa includes FOB-controlled building access for residents, FOB-controlled access to amenity spaces, individually locking bedroom doors within each apartment, and security cameras throughout the building. These features support a more controlled entry setup for both residential and shared areas.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa has an on-site security guard from Wednesday through Sunday nights. That added overnight coverage is part of the broader security setup alongside controlled access points and cameras throughout the building.
The Metropolitan Tampa offers both gated garage parking and assigned surface lot parking. Garage parking is available for $85 per month, while assigned surface lot parking is $50 per month. Parking is available on a waitlist basis when spaces fill, and guest parking is limited.
Yes, but guest parking at The Metropolitan Tampa is limited. Students planning to have visitors regularly should check with the leasing office for the latest guest parking rules and availability.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa works well for students who want to walk, bike, or drive to campus. Its location near USF gives residents more than one practical way to get to class, and the walkability score of 83 supports a more convenient day-to-day routine around the area.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa is within walking distance of several HART bus stops near Fowler Avenue and the USF area. HART service in this part of Tampa gives residents another practical way to get around campus, reach nearby shopping and dining, and connect to other parts of the city through the University Area Transit Center.
6. Pet Policies
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa allows pets, with a maximum of two animals permitted per apartment. Students who plan to live with a pet should complete the approval steps before move-in so everything is in place ahead of arrival.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa has breed restrictions as part of its pet policy. Restricted breeds include Chow Chow, German Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, Mastiff breeds, Staffordshire Terrier breeds, Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Cane Corso, Akita, Siberian Husky, Dogo Argentino, Alaskan Malamute, Wolf-hybrid, and mixes of those breeds.
No. The Metropolitan Tampa does not allow exotic animals. That includes birds such as parrots and toucans, reptiles such as snakes, rodents such as ferrets, fish, and insects.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa charges a monthly pet fee of $35. Students who want the latest details on any additional pet-related charges should contact the leasing office before signing their lease.
Yes. All pets must be disclosed and approved before move-in, and applicants must complete a pet profile through PetScreening.
7. Management, Maintenance, & Leasing
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa has an on-site team that helps with day-to-day questions, package support, maintenance coordination, and general resident needs. That gives students a direct point of contact for both routine issues and time-sensitive concerns during the lease term.
Maintenance requests are handled through the online resident portal and on-site team at The Metropolitan Tampa. Students who need repairs or service in their apartment can reach out to the office for help with maintenance coordination and follow-up.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa offers individual housing contracts. That means each resident signs for their own bedroom space and shared common areas rather than taking on the full apartment with roommates. This setup is especially helpful in student housing because one roommate’s missed payment does not automatically become another roommate’s responsibility.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa’s housing contracts align with the USF academic calendar, with terms that begin in August and end in July. That schedule lines up with the school year more naturally than a standard calendar-year apartment agreement.
Students can apply online through The Metropolitan Tampa. The leasing process is designed to walk applicants through the steps needed to secure an apartment, including application requirements and housing contract documents.
Yes. The Metropolitan Tampa provides a housing contract assignment process for residents who need to transfer their contract to another qualified person. Assignment is handled differently from subletting, so students should work directly with the leasing office to understand deadlines, fees, and approval steps.
If an applicant is under 18 when the application is submitted, a parent or legal guardian must sign the housing contract on the student’s behalf. Contact our leasing office for more information.