University Town Center
Live in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz! At the corner of Pacific and Cathcart, the University Town Center (UTC) offers apartment-style living in Santa Cruz’s vibrant downtown—surrounded by cafés, restaurants, shops, the library, movie theaters, and more. Open to continuing, transfer and re-entry students, UTC features double and triple studio apartments with private bathrooms and kitchenettes—no meal plan required. Spacious lounges, study areas, on-site laundry, and quick access to public transit make this a convenient home base downtown.
Overview
The University Town Center features double and triple occupancy studio apartments, each with a private bathroom and kitchenette. All rooms come furnished. The UTC is a smoke free facility in all indoor and outdoor areas, including students’ rooms. No meal plan is required.
Eligibility: Open to continuing, transfer, and re-entry students.
- Room types: furnished double and triple occupancy studio apartments
- Private bathrooms
- Kitchenette with two-burner stove, mid-size refrigerator, microwave, sink, and counter/cabinet space
- Meal plan not required (not included in housing contract), though voluntary meal plans are available
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 room floor plan
Community living options
When you complete your housing application, you will have an opportunity to indicate interest in specific community living options. At the University Town Center, this includes apartment and floor gender options.
Floor and apartment gender options
Location: University Town Center
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.
Amenities and nearby resources
Make yourself at home with fully equipped apartments, comfortable lounges, and all the perks of living downtown.
Community spaces and resources
- Fourth floor lounge: large-screen TV, full kitchen, oven, dishwasher
- Fifth floor lounge: study area with a community printer
- Laundry room washers and dryers operated by the CSC Go Laundry app or debit/credit card
- WiFi is available in the 4th and 5th floor lounges. In-room internet is available via ethernet cable, or students may bring a router for in-room WiFi.
- The UTC provides easy access to all that downtown Santa Cruz has to offer, including cafés, restaurants, shops, movie theaters, the library, museum, farmer’s market, and more
Staff and programming
- A live-in Coordinator for Residential Education and Residential Assistants plan activities and assist residents
Transportation
- The UTC is less than 200 yards from the Santa Cruz Metro, and University route Metro buses serve the campus every five to eight minutes on academic days.
- UTC residents are allowed to keep their bikes in their rooms or on the 4th floor balcony bike rack. Bike lockers are available from the city for a nominal fee.
- There is an electric bike share program, BCycle, in Santa Cruz, and has stations around the corner from the UTC for a nominal fee. UCSC Students get one year free when signing up!
- Parking at UTC is through the City of Santa Cruz Parking Office. Parking permits may be limited and can be expensive. Residents will need a proof of residency letter from the UTC Housing Office to get a parking permit through the City.
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 University Town Center resident, use the address below as your mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
1101 Pacific Ave. #XXX
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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.
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 the University Town Center
The University Town Center is located at 1101 Pacific Avenue (on the corner of Pacific and Cathcart streets) in downtown Santa Cruz. Use the map above to explore the area or get directions.
Who to contact
The University Town Center housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 421-0695
Email: utc@ucsc.edu
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu