Campus Life - A Time and Place of Growth and Discovery

At UC Santa Cruz, all students are housed in small-scale residential communities, which provide close-knit living environments within the larger university. Live-in student and professional staff members provide orientation, support services, safety and crisis response, and a variety of social, educational, and cultural programs for residents.

The Housing Application

When you complete your online housing application you will have the opportunity to rank preferences for various room and theme options. This will give us an idea of the types of housing you are most interested in.

You will also be asked to complete a Lifestyle Questionnaire. Roommate assignments are based on the questionnaire so it is in your best interest to answer the questions as fully, thoughtfully and honestly as possible. Specific roommate requests may be met as long as they are mutual.

Your Housing Experience

Assigning rooms and roommates is not an easy task. Your roommates may or may not become your best friends, but will surely be remembered simply because of the experiences you will share. We will do our best to find you compatible roommates, but please do not assume they will share all your lifestyle preferences. Regardless of where you live, remember one thing: much of what living on campus really offers is what you and students like yourself bring to it.

Your attitude toward, and your enthusiasm for, your new living situation is the real key in determining what your new life will be like. We do promise one thing… given the opportunity, we will do all we can to make you feel welcome and at home.

Living in a Triple Room

Housing Options

Beginning Fall 2023, first-year students will live in one of the three newly finished residence halls. The buildings will house a large, common community lounge, laundry facilities, as well as the Owl’s Nest Café.

Although our buildings have single-gender and mixed-gender floors, bedrooms are single-gender. Bathrooms are all-gender and are designed to ensure privacy. On single-gender floors, bathrooms are primarily used by people identifying as that gender. Most new students will live in triple rooms. Kresge has a limited number of single rooms.

Living in a residence hall provides a unique opportunity to live in community. RAs offer programs and activities that are designed to connect residents as well as create a sense of belonging. We hope that you become an active member of our community.

Kresge College Room Options

Triple

Single

Housing Options and Themes

In addition to room options, there are also a variety of housing themes and options open to all students. These spaces are centered around shared interests, academics, and community engagement, and they create opportunities for connection and personal growth. Unless otherwise noted, themes and options are in mixed-gender areas.

ABC Themed Housing

R.PAATH house (Stevenson Residence Halls), R.PAATH apartments (Stevenson Apartments), ABC STEM @ Biko (Oakes Residence Halls; available to Oakes affiliates only), Shabazz apartments (Oakes Apartments), ABC STARS (Rachel Carson Apartments; available to new transfer students only), ABC @ NIJL (College Nine/John R. Lewis College Apartments). ABC themed living-learning communities are located at many of UCSC’s residential colleges, and are available to students of any college affiliation. 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.

Utilizing the community cultural wealth model, students develop cultural competence/cultural intelligence, aspirational capital, linguistic capital, resistance capital and ally development through organizing, living, studying, and socializing with peers passionate about political, cultural, popular, social, and economic issues of the African Diaspora. (supplemental application required). Learn more »

Gaming Community

Residence Hall. Dedicated students who are also enthusiasts of gaming/computer game design, video games, and virtual reality. Only available in mixed-gender areas. (Only available to first-year students.)

LGBTQIA+

Residence Hall and Apartment. This housing option allows those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and other identities within the LGBTQIA+ community as well as allies to live together in an open and supportive environment. (Only available in mixed-gender areas.)

Mixed-Gender

Residence Hall and Apartment. Students of any gender live on the same floor or apartment and share a commitment to cooperative living through respect and consideration for one another. Bedrooms are single-gender while bathrooms may be designated as mixed-gender with private toilet and shower stalls.

Native American/Indigenous Themed Housing (located at Porter College)

Native American/Indigenous Themed Housing is a community intended to create a supportive, home away from home environment for all students, including Indigenous students and their allies.

Native American/Indigenous Theme Housing (NAITH) welcomes students from all experiences — we do not define Indigenous or Native as being only American Indian, tribally enrolled, or expect that residents are traditionally culturally grounded. What is important is the desire to connect with other students whose interests span historical, present-day, and future experiences of Native and Indigenous peoples and be part of the community. NAITH offers the opportunity to further explore cultural, heritage, and tribal connections. Learn more »

To be considered, indicate a preference for this option in your housing application (supplemental application required).

Single-Gender

Residence Hall and Apartment. Students of a single gender live on the same floor or apartment (availability is based upon demand). Bathrooms are primarily used by individuals who identify with that gender.

Trans-inclusive Housing areas are located in the Merrill College residence halls (freshmen) and the Redwood Grove apartments (continuing students & transfer students).

Residence Hall and Apartment. Trans-Inclusive Housing communities are intended to create safer and supportive living spaces for transgender, genderqueer, gender nonconforming (GNC), and gender nonbinary (GNB) students, as well as questioning and ally-students. A trans ally is someone who advocates for and supports members of the community and actively contributes to creating a positive, affirming, living environment for people of all gender identities. Students may room together regardless of gender. Please note that this room assignment is likely to be on a mixed-gender floor/apartment and all students share common areas (e.g. bathrooms). (Supplemental application required.) Learn more »

Writers House

Residence Hall. Students with an interest in journalism and/or creative writing, regardless of their prospective majors. Space is limited and a supplemental application is required. (Only available to first-year students.)

UC Santa Cruz Dining

Students find mealtime an opportunity to meet friends, visit and relax, study, and, of course . . . eat! All students living in campus residence halls have a meal plan included in their housing contract. Meal plans are optional for apartment residents.

Your student ID card functions as your meal card and is accepted at the all-you-care-to-enjoy dining halls situated throughout the campus, and at all UCSC Dining operated markets, cafes, and coffee bars. Slug Points declining balance plans provide the ultimate in convenience and flexibility.

Deliciously Sustainable

Delicious, fresh menu items are served throughout breakfast, lunch, dinner, between meals, and late night! Our rotating menus provide variety and we try to always keep your everyday favorites available.

Our program is nationally recognized as a leader in sustainability and this means plenty of local and organic selections available to you. A wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options are available throughout the day and night, and our Nutrition Specialist helps to develop meals for those with restricted diets. Our staff continually strives to meet your needs.

Additional Housing & Dining Resources