Housing Options
Housing options for continuing students
When you apply for housing, you’ll choose one residential community to apply to. Take time to explore your options—if you’re eligible for Room Selection, where you apply determines whether you receive a start time and where you can select housing.
Even if you won’t be participating in Room Selection, this page can help you learn about housing options offered at each community.
College residence halls and apartments
Continuing students can apply to their affiliated college or to a different college. Each college offers residence halls and apartments.
Residence halls
Residence hall rooms are primarily triples, with a limited number of other room types (singles, doubles, quads, etc.). A meal plan is required in the residence halls.
Apartments
Apartments are furnished with a kitchen, living/dining room, and bathroom(s). Bedrooms are mostly shared (doubles, triples, quads) with limited singles.
No meal plan is required for apartments.
Apartment floor plans coming soon!
Learn more about residence halls and apartments:
- Visit the 10 Colleges page for floor plans, virtual tours, and community features.
- Check out the Residence Hall Rates and Apartment Rates.
- Attend an Info Session to learn more about these and other housing options.
Additional housing options
Delaware Apartments
New for 2026–27
Located on the Westside of Santa Cruz, the Delaware Apartments offer single, double, and triple bedrooms in furnished apartments with upgraded interior finishes and lots of amenities.
No meal plan is required.
Room selection note:
Delaware Apartment start times are issued to upper-division students; rising sophomores may still live in Delaware as part of a roommate group with upper-division students.
University Town Center
Located in the heart of vibrant downtown Santa Cruz, University Town Center offers two- and three-person studio apartments with private bathrooms and kitchenettes.
No meal plan is required.
The Village
Located in UCSC’s Lower Quarry on the east side of campus, The Village offers shared residence houses with single and small double bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and one kitchenette.
No meal plan is required.
Campuswide theme housing
Campuswide theme housing communities open to students of any college affiliation. Theme options include ABC Themed Housing, International Living Center (ILC), Native American/Indigenous Themed Housing (NAITH), Substance Free Recovery Housing, and Trans-Inclusive Housing.
If you’re interested in a campuswide theme, there’s a two-step process:
- Apply to a residential community – Choose your affiliated college, another college, Delaware Apartments, University Town Center, or The Village.
- Indicate your interest and complete the supplemental questions – This is included in the main housing application.
You’ll find out if you’re accepted into your chosen theme before Room Selection. If you’re not placed in theme housing, you can still participate in Room Selection at the residential community you applied to, if eligible.
Tips for deciding where to apply
You can only apply to ONE college or community in your housing application.
If you’d like to select a space on your own:
To get a start time and have the chance to pick your own space during Room Selection, you could apply to your affiliated college (residence hall singles) or The Village (limited number of single rooms).
If you’d like to select a space with a roommate group:
Everyone in your group must be eligible for Room Selection, and apply to the same community.
Current first-year students who entered UCSC in Fall 2025 or Winter 2026:
Apply to your affiliated college, The Village, or University Town Center to get your own start time for Room Selection. Current first-year students will have earlier start times than other continuing students.
What if I want to live at a college I’m not affiliated with? You could apply to another college, but you will not receive a start time for Room Selection. If at least one other person in your group is affiliated with that college, they’d get a start time and could pick a space for all of you, if available.
What if I want to live at the Delaware Apartments? You could apply to the Delaware Apartments, but you will not receive a start time for Room Selection. If at least one other person in your group will be an upper division student (junior level or above) next year, they would get a start time and could pick a space for the entire group, if available.
Students who entered UCSC before Fall 2025, or students who entered UCSC as a transfer student:
To get your own start time for Room Selection, you could apply to your affiliated college, The Village, University Town Center, or the Delaware Apartments.
What if I want to live at a college I’m not affiliated with?
You could apply to another college, but you will not receive a start time for Room Selection. If at least one other person in your group is affiliated with that college, they’d get a start time and could pick a space for all of you, if available.
Find more information about forming a roommate group on our Room Selection page.
FAQ: Housing options
What’s the difference between a college and a community?
Each housing area is a community. This includes UCSC’s 10 colleges, as well as the Delaware Apartments, University Town Center, and The Village.
Does it matter whether I apply to my affiliated college?
Yes. Only eligible students who apply to their affiliated college, the Delaware Apartments (upper-division students only), University Town Center, or The Village receive Room Selection times. If you apply to a college where you’re not affiliated, you won’t get a Room Selection start time—though affiliates can pull you into their roommate group if you all applied to the same college.
Need help deciding?
Use our interactive Continuing Student Housing Planning Guide to explore options based on your preferences and situation.
Continuing student housing process:
- Timeline & Key Dates
- Housing Options
- Info Sessions & Events
- How to Apply
- Room Selection