Many Chinese choose to live in Flushing, Queens.Actually there are 3 major and 1 minor Chinatown in MYC: 1 in lower east of Manhattan, 1 in Flushing Queens, 1 in 8th ave of Brooklyin and a smaller 1 in Elmhurst of Queens. Many Chinese families rent out rooms to students. Check out worldjournal.com for more info.
The girl needs to come to NYC for apartment hunting. She needs to see the apartment, looks around the neighorhood, etc. There is not 'central hub of apartments' like other places.
My suggestion for her is to talk to the Chinese students and scholar association in that school. If they can help, it would be great.