Housing

You don’t have to live on campus, but for most freshmen and many transfer students, doing so can be a big part of the UC experience. In the residence halls, you'll find ready study partners and perhaps forge lasting friendships. Resident assistants coordinate social and educational activities and are always available to ease the transition to college.

UC residence halls offer furnished rooms, in-room Internet connections, laundry facilities, lounges and study areas; some complexes even have their own fitness centers. And it's all close to your classes and the libraries.

Undergraduate housing ranges from apartments shared by several students to residence halls with suites and single and shared rooms. Some are two- and three-story low-rises, while others are more like high-rise apartment buildings. Apartment-style residences have kitchens, but at some campuses students living in apartments purchase a meal plan, just like the students living in the dorms.

Most on-campus student housing is coeducational — men and women live in the same building, sometimes on the same floor. However, a few buildings or floors are reserved for either men or women. All have security monitoring programs. Buildings are patrolled by trained personnel and, in many cases, access is limited to residents, who must show ID cards to enter.

If you're interested in living with people with similar intellectual interests, look into theme housing. Students typically live together on one floor and often take a class together and participate in special events throughout the year. At UC San Diego and UC Santa Cruz, each undergraduate college has its own housing community where special interests are celebrated.

If on-campus housing is not for you, there are other options. All campuses have special housing for students with families, and many have sororities and fraternities that provide housing for members, although usually not for freshmen and other new students. Cooperatives, off-campus apartments and rooming houses are all available nearby. Each campus has an office to help you find community housing.

Family Student Housing

All campuses have housing for married students and students with children, but the demand is high. Usually, you must apply nine months to a year in advance, often before you apply for admission.

More Information

Each campus's housing office can provide more specific information:

Berkeley | Residential and Student Service Programs
Davis | Student Housing
Irvine | Student Housing
Los Angeles | UCLA Housing & Hospitality Services
Merced | Housing and Dining
Riverside | Housing Services
San Diego | Housing and Dining
San Francisco | Housing Options
Santa Barbara | Housing and Residential Services
Santa Cruz | CUHS the Colleges and University Housing Services