Finding a Home
Housing cannot be secured at Osan until you arrive and check into the base. Housing assignments are subject to availability and the option to live off-base is NOT guaranteed.
Your Home Away From Home
Unlike at other locations, finding a place to live at Osan cannot begin until you physically arrive on the peninsula. On-base, Osan has 11 unaccompanied dormitories, 3 military family housing towers, and 4 senior leader townhouse complexes. Off base, most available rental housing is apartments, but standalone houses can be an option if you’re flexible about distance from base. Please see the Osan AB Housing Policy for a summary of all guidance provided below.
Unaccompanied Personnel (Dorms)
Osan has an “On Base First” policy. Living off-base is NOT guaranteed and if occupancy rates do not meet or exceed 95%, an Exception to Policy (ETP) is required to move off base. Work with your sponsor to provide a copy of orders, RNLTD, projected arrival date, time in service, and DoD ID # for dorm room assignment prior to arrival. For more info, see our Dorm Welcome Packet.
Unaccompanied E-1 to E-4
Members will be tracked prior to arrival and automatically assigned a dorm room. If overall dorm occupancy is at least 95%, E-4 members with more than 3 years of service may be approved to move off-base upon arrival if they desire to do so.
Unaccompanied E-5 to O-6 members
Members who want to live on base can be assigned a room in the E-5 and above dorm prior to arrival, if available. Members are authorized to live off-base if dorm occupancy rates exceed 95%.
Note: Living off-base is likely but NOT guaranteed. If occupancy rates do not meet or exceed 95%, members will be notified at the off-base housing brief and assigned to the dorms unless an ETP is approved.
Unaccompanied Join Spouse
Inbound members on unaccompanied Join Spouse orders are not required to live on base, regardless of rank. If they desire to reside on-base, Unaccompanied Housing will coordinate the first suite available.
Pets
It is highly advised to NOT bring a pet with you as you may be placed into a dorm room and pets are not authorized within the dorm campus (exception: fish in up to a 10-gallon tank).
- Bringing a pet with you could result in a non-reimbursable expense for pet lodging while you go through the exception to policy (ETP) process
- The ETP process does not guarantee approval to live off-base. Approval authority lies with MSG/CC and disapproval authority lies with the FW/CC
Furnishings
The dorms are fully furnished (as are many off-base apartments), so the majority of your HHG will not be needed during your assignment. Visit the Shipping Household Goods tile for more information.
- If you bring a large HHG shipment but are assigned to the dorms, you will be responsible for storing your excess HHG at your own expense. Housing will not issue a non-availability letter prior to arrival granting a larger weight entitlement, and ETPs due to HHG do not guarantee approval to live off-base
- Please direct questions regarding HHG to your local TMO or the Osan TMO: 51lrs.inboundhhg@us.af.mil or DSN 315.784.6019
Accompanied Personnel
Military Family Housing (MFH)
Command-Sponsored (CSP) members (to include mil-to-mil couples with no dependents) must report to the Housing Office upon arrival to check for MFH availability. Failure to report upon arrival could result in a non-reimbursable lodging expense. To be placed on the MFH projection list, members must submit the MFH Application Packet.
Members who want to reside off-base but are assigned to MFH must submit an Exception to Policy (ETP). The ETP process does not guarantee approval to live off-base. Approval authority lies with MSG/CC and disapproval approval authority lies with the FW/CC.
- IAW 51 FW MFH Guidance Policy (2023), all personnel assigned to Osan Air Base, including K&E, are not authorized a turn-down option when offered quarters. Electing not to accept available quarters while awaiting ETP approval will result in cancellation of TLA, and the member will be responsible for funding any additional lodging costs moving forward
- If a housing unit is not projected to be available within 30 days of arrival and the member does not wish to wait longer than 30 days for an on-base unit to become available, a non-availability letter will be issued. The member is then authorized to attend the off-base housing briefing and secure off-base housing. If the member wishes to wait for an on-base unit but the wait exceeds 60 days, they will be issued a non-availability letter to temporarily move off-base while they wait for a vacancy
Pets
Osan MFH is pet friendly. Residents are authorized up to 2 pets (dogs, cats, hamsters, or guinea pigs) and must register their pets with the Housing Office & Vet Clinic. Aggressive dog breeds, including Pit Bull (American Staffordshire Bull Terrier or English Staffordshire Bull Terrier), Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, Chow, and wolf hybrids, are prohibited.
Military Family Housing (MFH) Units Options
- Seoraksan Tower – Junior Enlisted (E1-E6) MFH has two, three, and four-bedroom units:
- 2 bedrooms: 1,299ft²
- 3 bedrooms: 1755ft² to 1908ft²
- 4 bedrooms: 1908ft²
- Jirisan Tower – SNCO & CGO MFH has three and four-bedroom units:
- 3 bedrooms: 1814ft² to 1992ft²
- 4 bedrooms: 2081ft² to 2217ft²
- Hallasan Tower – FGO MFH has three and four-bedroom units:
- 3 bedrooms: 1742ft² to 2088ft²
- 4 bedrooms: 2164ft² to 2308ft²
The number of authorized bedrooms is based off rank and number of dependents, as outlined in AFI 32-6000, Housing Management, Tables A2.2 & A2.3. If there is a waitlist for a given unit size, members may be upgraded to a larger unit. Members will not be placed in a smaller unit unless they choose to accept a smaller unit vs. waiting on a larger unit. Assignment priority will be determined based on K&E status and report date to Osan AB.
For more info, see our Military Family Housing Handbook.