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Welcome Parents and Family

We are pleased that you and your student are interested in UC Santa Cruz, a selective collegiate university with a national reputation for excellence. 

Living on campus provides students with the opportunity to interact in an academic environment and enhance their education by taking advantage of the support provided by the university. 

University housing provides residents with the traditional amenities and more.

  • Easy access to campus computer labs, libraries, private study rooms, dining services, athletic and recreational facilities.

By living on-campus, students can interact and live with dedicated professional and student staff members.

  • Staff members work cooperatively to build and maintain a feeling of community.
  • Staff members are available to assist students with personal and academic concerns, and act as resources to residents by serving as liaisons between the university and students.

Campus safety is a priority at UCSC. 

  • The campus Police Department, Fire Station, and housing staff members are available 24 hours a day to make sure students feel safe in their home-away-from-home.
  • All residence halls have controlled access and are equipped with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
  • The campus Student Health Center offers routine medical appointments, same day care, counseling services, psychiatry services, nutritional counseling, health promotion programs, x-ray, and full laboratory and pharmacy services on site.
  • In addition, campus shuttles allow students to travel the campus safely.

Living at UCSC means living with friends, and experiencing a living situation that is different from any other.

  • The opportunity to live on campus is a once in a lifetime chance to experience options like theme housing, which allows students to live with or next door to students with similar interests such as:
    • outdoor adventure, academic achievement, science learning, gaming, arts and music, diversity awareness. There are different and exciting options at each college.
    • In addition, campus residents are introduced to individuals they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to know, and often build bonds of friendship that remain strong long after they leave UCSC.

Additional web resources for parents:

Santa Cruz area information:

See Also