Kresge College
Nestled among redwoods on the north side of campus, Kresge College is home to UCSC’s student-run newspaper City on a Hill Press, the Writing Center, and the annual Kresge Pride celebration. Boasting both the largest student-run garden and the largest lecture hall on campus, as well as new residence halls with spacious lounges, the Owl’s Nest Café, and renovated apartments coming soon, Kresge is a vibrant and evolving hub of student life.
Kresge’s required first-year core course: Learning in Community
Kresge residence halls
Kresge has three newly finished residence halls featuring a large, common community lounge, laundry facilities, and the Owl’s Nest Café. Freshmen are generally assigned to live in their college’s residence halls.
Eligibility: Open to new and continuing students
- Three residence halls
- Room types: triples and 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
Single
Kresge apartments
Kresge College is undergoing a redevelopment project. As a part of the first construction phase three new residence halls for first-year students have been constructed. The second and final phase of the project includes a renovation of the Kresge Proper apartments, which will house upper-division students.
Eligibility: Open to upper-division students only
- 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 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 Kresge, these include floor or apartment gender options and three interest-based communities for Kresge affiliates.
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.
Ecovillage
Location: Kresge residence halls
Eligibility: First-year Kresge applicants
A living-learning community focused on sustainability, social justice, and cooperative living. Ideal for students interested in ecological design, community building, civic engagement, and personal empowerment.
Gaming Community
Location: Kresge residence halls
Eligibility: First-year Kresge applicants
Designed for students passionate about video games, virtual reality and/or game design. Offers a fun, social space for gamers to connect and collaborate. Note: Available only in mixed-gender areas.
Writers House
Location: Kresge residence halls
Eligibility: First-year Kresge applicants
A community for students with an interest in journalism or creative writing—open to all majors. Space is limited.
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—Kresge is home to a variety of unique features that help define its community.
Dining options
All students can eat at any UCSC Dining location across campus. These are located near Kresge:
- Owl’s Nest Café
- Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
- Porter Market
More food options near Kresge:
- Rachel Carson/Oakes Dining Hall
- Perk Coffee Bar at Baskin Engineering
- Perk Coffee Bar at Physical Sciences
Community spaces and resources
- Kresge Garden Co-op
- Home of City on a Hill Press
- Ecovillage living/learning community
- Writers House
- Writing Center
- Commuter Lounge
- Annual Kresge Pride celebration
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 Kresge College resident, use the address below as your campus mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
UCSC, Kresge College, #XXX
510 Porter-Kresge Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1103
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
Kresge mailroom is located at 510 Porter-Kresge Road.
Hours:
Contact:
For most concerns: kresgema@ucsc.edu
For major concerns or complaints: Erika Hearon, Operations Coordinator for Porter & Kresge Colleges, Manager of Porter & Kresge Mailrooms
elhearon@ucsc.edu
831-459-2273
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 Kresge on campus
Who to contact
Kresge College housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 459-4433
Email: kresgehousing@ucsc.edu
Website: Kresge College
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu