Merrill College
Perched atop a hill in the northeast corner of campus, Merrill College offers a welcoming residential community surrounded by redwoods and vibrant student life. You might spot students hanging out on the lawn, strolling through the sunny plaza, working with clay in the Pottery Co-op, or grabbing a late-night bite at Banana Joe’s. Merrill’s housing options include four residence halls, and apartments for continuing students.
Merrill‘s required first-year core course: Reading Ourselves, Reading the World
Merrill residence halls
Merrill’s recently renovated residence halls feature bright, updated rooms with new finishes and windows that let in abundant natural light. Freshmen are generally assigned to live in their college’s residence halls.
Eligibility: Open to new and continuing students
- Four residence halls: two high-rise structures and two smaller buildings
- Home to approximately 600 students
- Room types: triples, large triples, doubles, singles (primarily available to continuing students), quads, quints, and hexes
- 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
Quad
Single
Quad
Quint
Hex
Merrill apartments
Merrill’s apartments offer a more independent living experience for continuing students, 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
- 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
When you complete your housing application, you will be asked to rank your preferred room types, as well as indicate interest in specific community living options. At Merrill, these include floor or apartment gender options and one Campuswide Theme Housing community for first-year students.
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.
Trans-Inclusive Housing
Location: Merrill residence halls (first-year students) and Redwood Grove apartments (continuing and transfer students).
Eligibility: Open to students of any college affiliation; supplementary application questions required.
Trans-Inclusive Housing is one of UCSC’s Campuswide Theme Housing options. This community supports transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming students and allies in a safe and affirming space.
- The first-year community is located in Merrill College’s residence halls
- The continuing and transfer student community is located in the Redwood Grove apartments
Students interested in Trans-Inclusive Housing must select it on the housing application and complete a few supplemental questions.
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—Merrill 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 Merrill:
- Crown/Merrill Dining Hall
- Merrill Market
More food options close to Merrill:
- Banana Joe’s Late Night grill
- College 9/John R Lewis Dining Hall
Community spaces and resources
- Merrill Pottery Co-op
- Ming Ong Computer Center
- Cultural Center
- Baobab Lounge
- Merrill Moat interactive community mural project
- Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center
- KZSC Radio Station
- Chadwick Garden
- Pogonip hiking trails
Community spaces
Campuswide Theme Housing
Campuswide Theme Housing options are open to students of any college affiliation 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 Merrill College resident, use the address below as your campus mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
UCSC, Merrill College, #XXX
641 Merrill Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1105
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 Merrill on campus
Merrill is tucked into the northeast corner of campus, just past Crown College. Use the map above to explore the area or get directions.
Who to contact
Merrill College housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 459-2675
Email: crownmerrillhousing@ucsc.edu
Website: Merrill College
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu