The residence halls are a great way to meet people and get involved. We keep it simple. Our nine-month contract includes your room, all-you-care-to-eat meals in the UCSB Dining Commons, utilities, wireless internet access, housekeeping, and furnishing. Although there are some double rooms and a limited number of single rooms, most residence hall rooms are shared by three students so we can accommodate all of our incoming students.
Important Deadlines
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Mid-March | Housing Application Opens
The 2025-26 Freshmen Student Housing Application will be available in mid-March once admission decisions are released. You will have the option to indicate your preference for a Living Learning Community while completing the housing application. Please check your U-Mail account directly and frequently so that you don’t miss any important messages from UCSB. It is not reliable to forward your U-Mail to an alternate email (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) If you don’t receive a confirmation email from us within a few minutes of submitting your application, check your spam folder.
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Mid May | Submit SIR
Submit UCSB Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) by the deadline to be eligible to complete a residence hall application.
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May 15 | Register for UCSB NetID
Students should register for a UCSB NetID. While they are waiting for this to activate they can access the housing process by using the Pre-UCSB NetID link below the UCSB NetID login on the housing login page.
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FSSP Participants
If you're participating in the Freshman Summer Start Program (FSSP), please visit the FSSP page for more information regarding housing.
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Late Admits
Freshmen who are admitted after the housing deadline are able to qualify for priority housing consideration within five days of their SIR date.
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June 1 | Housing Application Deadline
The deadline to complete the residence hall 2025-26 academic year housing application is June 1. There is no application fee.
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July 8 | Room Selection
New freshmen who have a 2024-25 contract may exercise the option to select their room online beginning July 8, based on their assigned individual appointment time. Appointment times and detailed instructions will be sent out in late June. You will be able to hover over each room and see if another student has selected that room and view their preferences. If you are in an optional roommate group, assigning the Roommate Group Captain role to the student with the earliest self-select date is advantageous. Students who opt not to complete this process will be assigned based on availability. Watch our how-to-video on YouTube.
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July 14 | Cancellation Deadline for $100
There is a $100 cancellation fee from the time of signing the contract until July 14. Starting July 15 there is a $350 cancellation fee until September 1.
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Mid August | Formal Assignment Letters
Formal Assignment Letters are sent out to all students with a 2025-26 housing contract to sign up for a move-in time.
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September 1 | Cancellation Deadline for $350
September 1 is the deadline to cancel for a $350 fee. After September 1 contract holders will be held rent responsible until a replacement is found, or unless otherwise notified.
Personal Property Insurance
UC Santa Barbara requires renters insurance for all residents of campus housing. Renters insurance provides valuable protection if your personal belongings are stolen or damaged, including laptop computers, smartphones, bicycles, game consoles, textbooks, clothing, and other personal items. If your laptop or other valuables are stolen or damaged, you are responsible for replacing them - not the school. Renter’s insurance may also protect you financially for unintentional damage to the apartment and/ or bodily injury for which you are liable. The GradGuard insurance policy was designed for University of California students. Alternatively, you can check with your private homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy about coverage. If you don't have your housing assignment when you sign up, please use the following address:
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93107
If you have questions about the online application process, please contact University & Community Housing Services at 805-893-4371 or email your questions to housinginfo@housing.ucsb.edu. Please visit our Rates page for fee information, and our Billing page for help navigating the payment process.
To inquire about gender-inclusive housing options available for students that identify as trans* or non-binary, please contact University & Community Housing Services at housinginfo@housing.ucsb.edu.