Microsoft Intern's Guide to Apartment Search in Redmond, WA
If you've just accepted a Microsoft summer internship, the apartment question is probably next on your list. We're a few minutes from the Microsoft campus, and we help interns work through this every spring. Below, we'll cover how Microsoft's housing options work, getting to campus without a car, and what to know about the Redmond rental market before you sign anything.
How Microsoft Internship Housing Works
Microsoft's Early in Profession internship is the company's summer pipeline of students who work alongside full-time employees at the Redmond campus. The summer runs about 12 weeks and if you're in the Discovery Program specifically, your dates are already locked in: July 13 through August 7, 2026. Other cohorts land in the same general summer window.
The first practical decision Microsoft hands you is housing. Interns choose between a housing stipend they spend on their own apartment, or company-arranged corporate housing where Microsoft does the sorting for you. The stipend gives you control over location, layout, and the question of who you're sharing walls with. Corporate housing chooses those for you. Whether you decide to reflect your personality with a specific apartment, or choose to be housed with other Microsoft interns, we'll help you through the tough part of being in a new city!
Where the Microsoft Campus Sits in Redmond
If you've never visited, picture this. Redmond is located east of Seattle, across Lake Washington, in the Eastside cluster that also includes Bellevue and Kirkland. Microsoft's main campus sits in the Overlake neighborhood, which is the southern part of Redmond. The campus is enormous, with more than 100 buildings split into East Campus and West Campus, connected by a 1,100-foot pedestrian bridge that runs straight to a light rail station. It's truly a sight to behold!Downtown Redmond, where you'll find restaurants, the farmers market, and the Sammamish River Trail, sits a few miles northeast of campus. The Colony is north of downtown in the Bear Creek area on Education Hill, which puts us between Microsoft's campus and the quieter residential side of town. If you're scouting on a map, the stretch of Redmond between Downtown Redmond Station and Redmond Technology Station is the corridor with the most direct light rail access to campus.
Getting to the Microsoft Campus Without a Car
This is the question we hear most often, and as of 2026, its better than it's ever been! Two transit options will be your most likely go to, the 2 Line and Microsoft Connector.The 2 Line Light Rail to Redmond Technology Station
The 2 Line is Sound Transit's east-side light rail, and it's fully operational across the route with the addition of a link to Redmond's tech corridor (Redmond Technology Station, right at Microsoft) across the bridge to downtown Seattle, Mercer Island, and Bellevue, as of May 2026.
If you live near our community, your closest stop is Downtown Redmond Station at 16000 NE 80th St. From there, Redmond Technology Station is one stop away. Trains run about every 8 minutes during peak hours and every 12 to 15 minutes otherwise, with service from about 5 AM to 1 AM. You'll pay with an ORCA card or just tap your phone or contactless bank card. A one-way ride from Downtown Redmond to Westlake in Seattle runs about $3.25 to $3.75 so your best bet would be opting for a long-term PugetPass.
The pedestrian bridge is another architectural beauty. When you step off at Redmond Technology Station, a covered 1,100-foot bridge takes you over to either side of campus without crossing a single road. On a rainy Monday in July, it'll save you a waterlogged outfit!
The Microsoft Connector Shuttle
Microsoft also operates its own private shuttle network called the Microsoft Connector, and interns are eligible to ride. You'll get a Redmond-specific bus pass as part of your intern benefits package, so transit costs aren't something you'll be tracking line by line. Connector routes shift seasonally, so for the current pickup points nearest a particular apartment, the Connector team will get you the latest details when you arrive. If you want to know what's closest from our address specifically, call us at (425) 278-4885 and we'll point you toward the best commute options for your start date.
What Apartments Near the Microsoft Campus Cost
As one of the Seattle area’s most sought-after suburbs, Redmond offers a great mix of convenience, natural beauty, and career access. Knowing the local rental market can help you find a home that feels like the right fit. One-bedrooms across the city are running roughly $1,800 to $2,400 a month, with two-bedrooms in the $2,400 to $3,500 range and climbing from there.
Our community fits inside that market and offers one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms floorplans with the features that matter when you're moving fast. A full-size washer and dryer in your unit, stainless appliances, dishwasher, central heating and cooling, and a private patio or balcony on most floor plans. The fastest way to see what we have available right now is to check our current openings, since the lineup shifts week to week.
Scouting a Redmond Apartment from Out of State
You're likely making this call from a campus a few thousand miles away. Here are some things to make the decision easier.
A virtual tour is your friend. Take a look around our community online before you land, and you'll get a real sense of floor plans, finishes, and the property.
Pay attention to the commute, not just the address. A place that's three miles from campus on paper can feel like twenty minutes by car at 9 AM and forty-five at 5 PM. A place near the 2 Line stays consistent regardless of traffic.
Ask about move-in timing early. Summer is the busiest stretch of the year for every leasing office in town, and locking in your dates a few months ahead saves real stress.
In-unit laundry, parking, package receiving, and a working gym sound small until you're hauling clothes to a laundromat on a Sunday before the work week. One of the best things you can do for yourself before making the move is keeping track of your wants and needs, and even something as simple as making a pros/cons list can help reduce some of the stress that comes from this venture. If you want the bigger picture beyond the intern-specific stuff, our broader Redmond apartment-hunting guide goes deeper on neighborhoods, daily life, and the moving checklist most newcomers wish they'd had.
A Day in the Life Near the Microsoft Campus
A typical Tuesday in July looks something like this. You head to Downtown Redmond Station and you're on the 2 Line by 8:30. One stop later you're at Redmond Technology Station. You walk the pedestrian bridge, take in the beautiful Redmond surroundings, and you're in your building. The whole commute is roughly twenty minutes, door to door, without ever sitting on 520 freeway.
After work, your evening opens up. The Sammamish River Trail runs through downtown Redmond. Marymoor Park hosts outdoor concerts a short drive away. The 2 Line carries you to Westlake in Seattle in roughly forty minutes for a few dollars when you want a weekend in the city.
You come back to a place that feels like yours for the summer. Your laundry is running while you cook dinner. The pool is open until evening. The whole point of finding the right apartment is so that when the workday ends, home is the easy part.
Picking the Right Apartment for Your Microsoft Internship
You don't have unlimited time, but you do have enough time to make a good decision. The interns who land softest into a Redmond summer tend to have a commute they trust, an apartment with the basics they need, and a leasing contact they've already talked to. We can be that contact. Have a peek at the community to see if it feels like a fit, then contact our leasing team and we'll talk through dates, floor plans, and the parts of the move that always feel bigger from far away than they are up close. Our full Redmond moving guide is there too if you want more context on the city before you land.
We've helped a lot of interns through this exact stretch of the year, and we'd be glad to help you through yours. See how to get here from campus, or just call. And if you're looking for more ideas on what to do in the city, check out all our blogs in the Bear Creek Bulletin. Welcome to Redmond!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should a Microsoft intern live in Redmond?
Redmond, Bellevue, and Kirkland are all served by the 2 Line, which makes any of them workable depending on your priorities. The most direct commutes to campus run along the 2 Line corridor between Downtown Redmond Station and Redmond Technology Station, which is where our community sits.
How do Microsoft interns get to campus?
Most interns use the 2 Line light rail, the Microsoft Connector private shuttle, or both. The 2 Line drops you at Redmond Technology Station, where a 1,100-foot pedestrian bridge crosses directly into East and West Campus. Interns receive a Redmond-specific bus pass as part of their benefits, so transit is already covered.
Should I take the Microsoft housing stipend or the company-arranged housing?
Microsoft offers a choice between a lump-sum stipend you spend on your own apartment and corporate housing the company arranges for you. The stipend route gives you control over location, layout, and roommates, which is why many interns choose it. We're happy to help you weigh whether a Redmond apartment near our community fits your plans.
Can I find a furnished apartment for the summer at The Colony?
We don't offer furnished units, and we'd rather have an honest conversation about your move-in setup than send you searching elsewhere. Give our leasing team a call and we'll help you figure out the simplest way to land in Redmond ready to go.
How far is The Colony from the Microsoft campus?
We're a short drive or a 2 Line ride away, with Downtown Redmond Station as your closest light rail stop and Redmond Technology Station one stop down the line. For a precise drive time from your starting point, find your way to our community with The Colony directions.