When a student is assigned to housing, they get an automatic email titled "UCSC Housing Assignment Confirmation". That email will only contain confirmation of the assignment. Information about roommates and room placement will be sent in a separate email in Mid-December.

We are working diligently to house as many students as possible but, regretfully, we will not be able to provide university housing for all interested students.

I got sent an alternate housing offer. How do alternate housing offers work? Why was I offered alternate housing?

If there are no spaces that match your room preferences, you will be offered a different room type. This includes rooms at other housing areas including other Colleges, the Village, and the University Town Center.

Alternate housing offers are made via UCSC email and require students to accept the offer within twenty-four (24) hours or the offer is void and the space will be offered to another student. Closely monitor your UCSC email and/or set up email forwarding to have your UCSC email forwarded to another account you check regularly. Students who do not respond during the allotted time, or decline an offer of housing, will be moved to the general waitlist and will no longer receive priority for placement.

If you were offered alternative housing, it means we do NOT have a room at College Nine and John Lewis College that meets your requests listed in your application.

How does the waitlist for students without confirmed housing assignments work?

The waitlist is NOT a numbered list and does not work as such. The waitlist is as long as there are students wanting housing on campus. Students are assigned off this list based on what spaces are available and how well they will get along with any current residents.

To use a metaphor, the waitlist is a box of puzzle pieces and as there are spaces available, the housing coordinator will evaluate the available puzzle pieces and put the piece that fits best into the available space. Once a match is made, a student is assigned.

What are my chances of getting housing?

We cannot give any students their chances of getting housing. However, there are some ways to increase your likelihood of getting housing on campus for Spring.

List as many room types as you would be comfortable taking. The more room types you list on your housing application, the more often the Housing Coordinator will look at your housing application.
Check your email daily. If you are offered an alternate housing assignment, you will have 24 hours to accept.

If there isn't my preferred type of housing, will I still be offered housing? / I was offered a room type I didn't list?

Housing Coordinators will do their best to assign students to housing options they request. However, there is a finite number of each room type. Housing Coordinators will first assign students who have requested a particular type of housing before offering it to someone who did not.

If Student A and Student B both want a residence hall large triple, but Student B has also listed a residence hall triple, and there are no residence hall large triples available, the housing coordinator will assign Student B to the regular triple. After all students wanting a residence hall triple are assigned and there are leftover spaces, only then will the housing coordinator offer housing to those who did not request it like Student A.

If a room type you did not request becomes available, the housing coordinator may offer you that spot. You will have 24 hours to accept. This deadline is strictly enforced. Otherwise, the housing coordinator will assume you do not want the space.

I'm on the waitlist, should I look for Off-Campus Housing?

Yes. We encourage all students waiting for housing assignments to look for Off-Campus Housing. The Community Rentals office has a lot of resources including a first-time Renter's Workshop.

If you secure Off-Campus Housing, it is your responsibility to cancel your housing application once you have signed the lease.

I haven't heard anything from the Housing Office. Does this mean I won't get housing?

If you haven't heard from us, it means you are still on the waitlist. It means you currently don't have housing. There is more information about the Waitlist and when you may hear about housing on this FAQ.

I missed the Priority Housing Application Period. Can I still apply to housing?

Yes, you can still apply. However, your application will be marked as being late.

When does the housing portal open? When does it close?

The housing application for Spring opened on February 14th. It will remain open throughout the Spring quarter and can be accessed at studenthousing.ucsc.edu.

Why can’t I select my roommates?

Currently, all students should be able to request roommates. If you cannot find your roommate, here are some common problems to troubleshoot:

Did you and your preferred roommates all apply to the same community? Keep in mind, College Nine and John Lewis College are DIFFERENT communities.
Did you and all your preferred roommates mark yourself as visible for roommate requests in the application? If not, you can reenter the application and mark yourself as visible!
Is your preferred roommate already assigned to housing? They are unable to add you as they are already assigned and NOT in the application stage. Please email us at 9housing10@ucsc.edu.

How do I apply for housing?

Please log in to studenthousing.ucsc.edu and click on the “Housing Application” button. Then select “Undergraduate Housing”. You will then be prompted to select “2021-2022 Academic Year”. Select "Spring Quarter". Follow the instructions in the application.

Can I apply to more than one community?

No. You can only apply to one community in your application. Furthermore, students can only have one application for Spring housing. Students are able to apply for their affiliated college, or one of the other colleges, or the Camper Park, or the University Town Center.

When you are listing your preferences for room type, it is for room types within the community you are applying to. For example, if you applied to John Lewis College and you listed a Res Hall Single as your first preference and Res Hall Triple as your second preference, it is for that room type at John Lewis College.

Are College 9 and John Lewis College different communities?

Yes, College 9 and John Lewis College are different communities. If you want to live with a roommate or roommates, please make sure you all apply to the same college, be that College 9 OR John Lewis College.

Uh-oh, I applied to the wrong community! Can I change the community I applied to?

You will need to cancel and reapply for housing to change your community. However, we strongly recommend you DO NOT do as such as it will make your application be late.

I want to change my room preferences/meal plan/billing plan. What can I do?

Students are able to return to their completed applications in order to make changes to room, theme, meal plan, billing, and other preferences up until the point they are assigned housing. After a student is assigned, students cannot change their room or theme preferences.

A student wanting to change their billing options or meal plan will need to reach out to the Campus Housing Office at housing@ucsc.edu.

Students can email 9housing10@ucsc.edu to ask for a room change, but due to limited availability is it HIGHLY unlikely the housing office will be able to accommodate.

Will College Affiliation affect my likelihood of getting housing?

Dissimilar from previous years, college affiliation will not affect a continuing student's priority when it comes to applying to housing. Any continuing student who requests a change of affiliation only for the housing priority will be denied.

What is the difference between beds A, B, and C in a triple room? How are bed spaces determined?

The letters at the end of the assignment do NOT denote bed space. They are there so our database can list three people in one room.

We trust students to be able to discuss with their roommates who will get what bed.