Crown College
Crown’s cobbled courtyards and red-tiled roofs give it the feel of a charming village, but its spirit is distinctly modern and tech-savvy. Crown has a strong presence of STEM students, alongside others drawn to its vibrant, tight-knit community. It’s home to Geek Week, an active gaming community, and an annual sci-fi writing contest. Housing options include eight residence halls arranged around two open quads, plus apartments for continuing students.
Crown’s required first-year core course: Ethical and Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies
Crown residence halls
Set among redwoods and centered around two scenic quads—the lower featuring a cobbled courtyard with green trees, the upper grassy and sunlit—Crown’s residence halls offer a welcoming, village-like setting. Freshmen are generally assigned to live in their college’s residence halls, and most first-year students at Crown reside in triple rooms.
Eligibility: Open to new and continuing students
- Eight 3-story residence halls housing approximately 70-80 students per building
- Room types: triples, large triples (limited number), singles (primarily available to continuing students)
- Floors may be single-gender or mixed-gender
- Bathrooms are all-gender and designed for privacy
- Meal plan included in the housing contract (required for residence hall students)
Residence hall floor plans
Floor plans are for general room layout and configuration. They are not exact in scale. Furniture arrangements vary by room and residence.
Triple
Large Triple
Single
Crown apartments
Crown’s apartments offer a more independent living experience for continuing students. The buildings are nestled among redwoods and connected by winding paths. Each apartment is furnished and includes shared living spaces and a kitchen—no meal plan required.
Eligibility: Open to continuing students only
- Located a short distance from the central area of the college
- Houses approximately 200 continuing students
- Three-story buildings with 2–3 apartments per floor
- Each apartment houses 4–6 students in single, double, and triple rooms
- Full kitchen, bathroom, living room, and outdoor deck in every unit
- Shared community room and laundry
- Bedrooms in apartments are single-gender, but apartments may be single-gender or mixed-gender
- Meal plan not required (not included in housing contract), though voluntary meal plans are available
Apartment virtual tours
Virtual tours are for general room layout and configuration. Furniture arrangements vary by room and residence.
View our virtual tours on Youtube:
Apartment rates
Community living options
In addition to ranking your preferred room types, you can also indicate interest in specific community living options when you complete your housing application. At Crown, these include floor or apartment gender options and one interest-based community for Crown applicants.
Floor and apartment gender options
Location: Residence halls and apartments
Eligibility: Available to both new and continuing students
- LGBTQIA+ Housing: Open to all students, including students of all identities within the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. This option fosters an open and supportive living environment. Available only in mixed-gender areas.
- Mixed-Gender Housing: Students of any gender live on the same floor or in the same apartment. Bedrooms are single-gender, while bathrooms may be designated mixed-gender with private toilet and shower stalls.
- Single Gender Housing: Students of a single gender live together, with bathrooms primarily used by individuals who identify with that gender. Availability is based on demand, and may not be offered in all room types or theme options.
Gaming Community
Location: Crown residence halls
Eligibility: New and continuing Crown applicants
This residence hall community is for dedicated students who are also enthusiasts of gaming/computer game design, video games, and virtual reality.
Nearby dining options
Amenities and nearby resources
In addition to the amenities common to all of UCSC’s colleges—like laundry facilities and a secure mailroom—Crown is home to a variety of unique features that help define its community.
Dining options
UCSC Dining has lots of locations across campus—these are closest to Crown:
- Crown/Merrill Dining Hall
- Banana Joe’s Late Night grill
More food options close to Crown:
- Merrill Market
- College 9/John R Lewis Dining Hall
Community spaces and resources
- Crown Library and computer lab
- Crown Fireside Lounge
- Annual Geek Week
- Tabletop Games Association (TGA)
- Crown/Merrill Community Room
- Music Practice Room
- Cantú Queer Center
- KZSC radio station
Community spaces
Campuswide Theme Housing
Campuswide Theme Housing options are open to all students and are centered around shared interests, academics, community engagement, and support.
Location: Various locations across campus.
Eligibility: Open to students of any college affiliation; a few supplementary questions are required in the housing application.
Mail and contact info
Student mailing address
If you’re a Crown College resident, use the address below as your campus mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
UCSC, Crown College, #XXX
628 Crown Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1102
You’ll receive your mailbox number at move-in. Early deliveries cannot be accepted at the residential facilities.
Need to ship items before you arrive?
Learn about Collegeboxes and pre-arrival shipping.
Mailroom information
Housing verification letter
After move-in, you can obtain a Housing Verification letter in the Housing Portal if you need to demonstrate that you currently live in UCSC university housing in order to open a bank account, obtain a driver’s license or identification card, or for any other need.
Finding Crown on campus
Crown is located on the northeast side of campus, adjacent to Merrill College. Use the map above to explore the area or get directions.
Who to contact
Crown College housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 459-2675
Email: crownmerrillhousing@ucsc.edu
Website: Crown College
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu