Oakes College
Overlooking Monterey Bay from its perch on the west side of campus, Oakes College brings together students from a wide range of academic disciplines, all interested in building a strong community. Favorite spots around the college include the cozy Oakes Café, West Field House athletics complex, community gardens, and the spacious, newly renovated Rachel Carson/Oakes Dining Hall. Housing options at Oakes include residence halls for new and continuing students, and apartments for continuing students.
Oakes College’s required first-year core course: Communicating Diversity for a Just Society
Oakes residence halls
Oakes has four residence halls nestled among the redwoods. Rooms are furnished and come in a variety of layouts, including triples, quads, quints, and singles. Freshmen are generally assigned to live in their college’s residence halls.
Eligibility: Open to new and continuing students
- Room types: triples, quads, quints, and singles
- 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
Quint
Single
Oakes apartments
The Oakes apartments offer a more independent living experience for continuing and transfer students. Each furnished apartment includes a kitchen, two full bathrooms, and shared living space. No meal plan is required.
Eligibility: Open to continuing students only
- Four apartment complexes, housing approximately 330 students
- Full kitchen with refrigerator, four-burner stove, oven, sink, cabinets and small trash can (no microwave or dishes)
- Each apartment is supplied with a vacuum, broom, mop, and bucket
- Lounge and laundry shared by every two apartment blocks
- Two full bathrooms and a shared living room in every apartment
- 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 Oakes, these include floor or apartment gender options, three interest-based themes, and one Campuswide Theme Housing community.
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.
ABC STEM @ Biko
Location: Oakes residence halls
Eligibility: New and continuing Oakes applicants
Named after Steven Biko, anti-apartheid leader and founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, Biko house is connected to our ABC STEM community. Students develop and utilize strategies that assist them in communicating and building relationships across political, social, and cultural differences. Students benefit from:
- Priority enrollment in Oakes 3L course (if enrolled in Pre-Calc or Calculus in their first year at UCSC)
- Experiential learning in the Black Lives Matter Garden
- Involvement with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- Direct connection to faculty and staff committed to the progress and success of all students, including ABC students pursuing a degree in STEM
Science Community
Location: Oakes residence halls
Eligibility: New and continuing Oakes applicants
The Science Community provides students who are interested in science majors and careers an opportunity to live and learn together.
Social Justice
Location: Oakes residence halls
Eligibility: New and continuing Oakes applicants
Maxine Hong-Genny Lim House, Bayit Elie Wiesel, and Casa Dolores Huerta provide a space for every student to learn about important sociopolitical and cultural figures who have contributed to the liberation of marginalized groups on local and global levels. We develop empathy as we engage curiosity, seek to understand identity and develop a commitment to community.
Location: Oakes apartments
Eligibility: Continuing Oakes applicants only
Casa Frida Kahlo, Malik Shabazz House, Harvey Milk House, and Liliuokalani-Minami House provide spaces for students to learn about important sociopolitical and cultural figures who have contributed to the liberation of marginalized groups on local and global levels. We strive to create an environment where identities can continue to be examined and individuals feel empowered to share about and be their full authentic selves.
Shabazz Apartments ABC Themed Housing
Location: Oakes apartments.
Eligibility: Open to students of any college affiliation; supplementary application questions required.
ABC is one of UCSC’s Campuswide Theme Housing options, with communities located at several colleges—including this one at Oakes. Directly connected to the Office of African, Black, Caribbean (ABC) Student Success and the African American Resource & Cultural Center, and designed for all students whose interests span historical, present-day, and future experiences of predominantly African, Black, and Caribbean peoples, these communities intentionally create space for all students to feel connected, safer, and supported in a community centered on the experiences of African, Black, Caribbean peoples.
Learn more about ABC Themed Housing
Students interested in ABC Themed 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—Oakes 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 Oakes:
- Rachel Carson/Oakes Dining Hall
- Oakes Café
- Porter Market
More food options close to Oakes:
- Redwood Free Market, a non-transactional Basic Needs food pantry
Community spaces and resources
- Learning Center
- Westside Writing Center
- The Guzman Room
- Oakes Library
- Oakes Garden
- Oakes Trading Post
- Underdome (small outdoor basketball court)
- West Field House (basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, and more)
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 an Oakes resident, use the address below as your campus mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
UCSC, Oakes College, #XXX
231 Oakes Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1106
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
Hours: Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Contact: For additional mailroom questions, please call (831) 459-2558 to speak with Marie Morones, Mail Services Supervisor or email mmorones@ucsc.edu.
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 Oakes on campus
Oakes is located on the west side of campus, adjacent to Rachel Carson College. Use the map above to explore the area or get directions.
Who to contact
Oakes College housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 459-3988
Email: oakesrcchousing@ucsc.edu
Website: Oakes college
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu