College Assignment Appeals for New UCSC Students

We're excited that you've chosen to attend UC Santa Cruz. We're sure you'll find that our college system is truly unique in all that it offers undergraduate students.

Once you have accepted your offer of admission, and after the acceptance deadline (May 15 for freshmen; June 1 for transfers), the Admissions Office will assign you to a college. The assignment takes into account enrollment levels at each college and the preferences you have indicated. The Admissions Office does their best to assign students to one of their preferred colleges, but unfortunately that isn’t possible in all instances.

Once you learn which college you have been affiliated with, we encourage you to take some time to read about your college and all it has to offer. After getting to know your college we're sure that you will agree with most UC Santa Cruz students when they say that their college is "the best." Your college staff welcome your questions and will help you get to know your college. Feel free to contact them directly:

Associate Directors, College Student Life

Community Name Phone Email
Cowell College LeAnna Willis (831) 459-3599 lemwilli@ucsc.edu
Stevenson College LeAnna Willis (831) 459-3599 lemwilli@ucsc.edu
Crown College Julie Phillips (831) 459-5689 japhilli@ucsc.edu
Merrill College Julie Phillips (831) 459-5689 japhilli@ucsc.edu
Porter College Kathy Cooney (831) 459-5255 kmcooney@ucsc.edu
Kresge College Kathy Cooney (831) 459-5255 kmcooney@ucsc.edu
Oakes College Mari Ortiz-McGuire (831) 459-2796 mcmcguir@ucsc.edu
Rachel Carson College Mari Ortiz-McGuire (831) 459-2796 mcmcguir@ucsc.edu
College Nine Siobhán Byrne (831) 459-3834 sbyrne@ucsc.edu
John R. Lewis College Siobhán Byrne (831) 459-3834 sbyrne@ucsc.edu

Changing College Affiliation

If you would like to request a change of college, there is a limited time period during which newly admitted students may submit an appeal at studenthousing.ucsc.edu. The appeal deadlines are:

  • New Frosh: deadline to appeal is May 19, 2023
  • New Transfers/New Visiting: deadline to appeal is June 18, 2023

Because the appeal process is available for a limited time, students who are admitted from the waitlist and affiliated with a college after the above dates will not be able to appeal their college assignment through this process.

Once the appeal period is closed, students must wait until after the start of the academic year to pursue a change in college. See the Change of College procedure on the process available to all undergraduate students once the academic year has begun.

Submitting an Appeal

While we don't expect to grant many appeals, should you choose to submit an appeal, please follow these directions:

  1. If you are interested in living in university housing, submit your housing application by the deadline (listed in the housing information you received). You must submit an application by the deadline in order to keep your housing guarantee and receive a housing assignment in the event your appeal is denied.
    • New Frosh/New Visiting: If your appeal is granted you will receive instructions on applying for housing for your new college.
    • New Transfers: An approved appeal will only affect your college affiliation. Your housing assignment will not change as a result of a change in your college affiliation.
  1. Also by the deadline, submit an appeal at studenthousing.ucsc.edu explaining your reasons for appealing your college assignment.
    • Decisions on college assignment appeals will be sent to your UCSC email account approximately 2 weeks after the appeal deadline.

Once again, welcome to UC Santa Cruz!