The JCC in Inwood will help connect people w. available apartments. Fill out an application and speak to Shelley Bulman at (212) 568-5450, jccwhi@juno.com, fax (212) 928-3059.
Also, try calling the housing department of Yeshiva University.

You might try studenthousing.org or your school's student housing department. Good luck.

http://www.studenthousing.org/

Fiona,

Speak to your student services rep or whomever is in charge of housing. I know quite a few universities (i.e. - Columbia, NYU) and colleges have some sort of off-campus housing buildings, tips or lists for brokers willing to discount their commission. If that doesn't help, feel free to contact me via email and I can do a preliminary search in a brokers' database. The Manhattan rental market is competitive so it's best to get your "ducks in a row" before starting your search.

I do not know of programs, but for Manhattan there are still deals out there especially in some of the predominantly Hispanic communities..good food, wonderful people and alot more rent for your money.