Housing Contract Process

Welcome to the UCSD Housing Contract Process Guide! This webpage is your comprehensive resource for understanding and navigating the housing contract process at UC San Diego. Whether you're a new student seeking on-campus housing or a continuing student (with a guarantee) looking to return to campus, this page provides essential information and step-by-step guidance to ensure a smooth experience.

Step 1: Housing Application 

New incoming students both first-years and transfer students will be invited to complete a housing application once they have accepted their offer of admission via the Undergraduate Admissions Application Portal, completed the Single Sign On process and activated their ucsd.edu email account. The initial invite is sent to your personal email and your ucsd.edu email. After the initial invitation, all further correspondence is sent to your ucsd.edu email.

Students and their supporters should bookmark the site: Important Dates for critical deadlines and details related to the housing process. 

Continuing students will participate in the Room Selection process typically in February. The first step of the process is to complete a housing application. 

Please note, that students who miss a housing deadline, opt to not live on campus their admit year, cancel or terminate their 2024-25 contract forfeit their housing guarantee. 

All deadlines and requirements will be strictly enforced and can not be appealed.

Step 2: Housing Contract & Housing Prepayment 

If you successfully submitted your housing application by the deadline, you are eligible for the next stage, completing your housing contract and submitting your $450 prepayment.  Once the contract process opens you will access the process by logging into the Housing Portal with your User ID/PID and password (for new incoming students this is the same login as the Enrollment Checklist).  You will be asked to complete the following:

• Complete your Personal History Form (roommate matching information).
• Sign your housing contract and make $450 prepayment.
• Select billing installment plan and dining plan.
• Indicate your gendered housing preference.
• Optional:  apply for a Living Learning Community or select interest in Gender Inclusive Housing.
• Incoming students can do the following: 
  • Select a facility, a facility type preference (limited by area) and/or select a room type preference (preferences are not guaranteed).
  • Create and manage roommate request groups (optional).

While we do encourage you to do this process sooner than later, there is no priority given to those who complete the process early.

Incoming students should check the website  Important Dates for deadlines. Continuing students should check the Deadlines and Details page for timelines related to Room Selection.

We expect there to be quite a bit of web activity on the first day the contract opens, so you may experience some system delays.  If so, please try again later. 

 Housing Contract Process 

The Housing Contract process consists of completing a Personal History Form, electronically signing the housing contract, and submitting the $450 housing prepayment.

• Fill out your Personal History Form (includes updating your address and emergency contact). Answer all required questions honestly. If you need to change your personal history form for any reason, you can do so throughout the process until the deadline date. Simply log back into the Housing Portal.
• Select a Housing Installment Payment Plan: You will have three options available to you (Quarterly, Monthly, or Pay In Full). If you are a student who will be receiving financial aid funds (grants, loans, scholarships), please select the QUARTERLY payment plan option.  This ensures your housing charges will post at the same time that your financial aid will disburse.  If you would like to review the various payment plan options and due dates, please visit our Rates and Services page.
• Electronically sign the Housing Contract. Please carefully review the Housing Contract and Cancellation Policy, paying particular attention to Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 18 of the housing contract. We suggest you print out a copy of the Housing Contract for your records.
• The appendices referred to in the body of the Housing Contract include such items as the UC San Diego Housing Cancellation Policy, the Cost and Payment Schedule, and the Housing Calendar. A sample copy of the Housing Contract and Appendices are available by visiting our HDH website. We strongly suggest that you view, bookmark the pages and/or print copies of these documents for easy access.
• If you are under 18 years of age, we will need an additional parent/legal guardian signature on the Housing Contract. Your parent must be present when you electronically sign the Housing Contract. You will be prompted to send a confirmation code to your parent/legal guardian's email address, which will then need to be entered into the contract within 10 minutes to serve as the co-signer signature.
• Make a $450 prepayment. Decide whether you would like to pay via e-check (using your U.S. Bank account and routing number), credit card (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), or in-person via cash and check.Information about payment methods and associated service fees can be found here for e-checks and credit cards. Upon successful payment submission, you will receive an emailed confirmation of payment.
  • If opting to pay in-person using a personal check, cashier's check or money order, please contact Housing Administrative Services for specific instructions on how to do so.
  • This method is generally not recommended due to longer processing time and more limited hours than online submission.

Students who wish to cancel their housing contract must cancel prior to checking in, picking up keys or prior to your housing contract start date whichever occurs first. Students should consult the UC San Diego Housing Cancellation Policy for more information. 

Students must submit a termination request, once a student has checked in, picked up keys or after the housing contract start date, whichever occurs first. Students should review the housing contract for termination criteria.

Step 3: Selecting a Dining Plan 

Our housing program is an all-inclusive package with a Dining Plan, which is included in the cost of the room. As part of the housing contract process, you will be selecting a Dining Plan. The Dining Plan is required for all students who choose to live on campus and cannot be dropped, reduced, refunded, or transferred to another student account. Students living at The Village (Pepper Canyon and Matthews Apartments), The Rita and Pepper Canyon West may opt out of a dining plan. Students must make a final dining plan selection by October 2, 2024. 

Next Steps - Room Assignments 

You will be able to view your Room Assignment in late-August. New incoming students will be asked for their room type preference (single, double, triple, mini double) and roommate requests after the housing contract process is completed. Please note: room preferences and roommate requests are not guaranteed as there are a variety of factors that are taken into consideration when you are being assigned to your space, such as college of registration, personal history form answers, gender identity and availability of space. 

• Incoming First-Year Students: Assignments begin in the residence halls and apartments of the college of registration, then may continue to other on-campus residential housing communities as needed based on availability of spaces.
• Incoming Transfer Students: Assignments will begin at The Village (Pepper Canyon and Matthews Apartments), The Rita, and Pepper Canyon West. Due to higher number of incoming transfer students for Fall 2024, transfers may be assigned to residence halls and apartments in other on-campus residential community housing areas with other transfers students. Transfer students assigned to other housing areas will be required to select a dining plan as outlined in their legal housing contract.
• Continuing Students: Participate in Room Selection and self-select into a space. Please review the Room Selection: Deadlines and Details page for more information on selecting spaces. 

If you have any questions regarding the housing contract process, please submit a Service Now request, email us at housingcontracts@ucsd.edu (be sure to include your full name and PID) or give us a call at 858.534.4010.

If your question is specific to your room assignment, please contact the Housing Allocations team at uscdhousing@ucsd.edu.