2008-2009
Parents & Visitors FAQ
- How does my son/daughter apply for student housing?
- Incoming undergraduate students apply for housing online, after receiving notification of admission from the University. The online housing application process is linked to the online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), and full instructions can be found on the General Information for New Freshmen Web page or the General Information for New Transfer Students Web page. The application due dates to receive guaranteed housing are May 1st for Freshmen and June 1st for Transfer students. Students must also return their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) by May1st (June 1st for Transfer students) and meet all contract deadlines in order to be guaranteed. Students applying for housing after those dates will be placed on a wait-list.
Please Note: All Housing Applications must be submitted with a $20.00 non-refundable processing fee which can be paid either online with a credit card or by printing a payment coupon and mailing it with a check* or money order*, payable to "UC Regents" to:
Housing Cashier
G459 Student Center
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697-6175
* Checks and money orders must be payable through a U.S. bank.
* NOTE to International Students: Payments must be in US dollars in the form of an
international money order, or a check, payable through a U.S. bank. - What are the housing options for Freshmen?
- Roughly 80% of UCI Freshmen live on campus. Freshmen will be assigned to the Residence Halls (Mesa Court and Middle Earth) or (between 300-400) in the Arroyo Vista Theme Houses. The main differences between Arroyo Vista (AV) and the Residence Halls are that in AV, (1) meal plan is not included, and (2) all freshmen housed in AV will be housed in triple occupancy rooms. These differences result in different costs. To view 2007-08 housing rates, go to the UCI Student Housing Rates Web site. All Freshmen housing communities provide furnished rooms, live-on student staff, Internet and cable TV connections in each student room, a hall/house living room, study rooms, laundry facilities, recreational facilities, computer labs, and custodial service for public areas and bathrooms.
For more information on Freshman housing, please visit the General Information for New Freshmen Web page. - What are the housing options for Transfer Students?
- Transfer students will live in Campus Village, an undergraduate apartment community, or Arroyo Vista's theme house community. However, a limited number of spaces will be available in Vista del Campo Norte. For more information on Transfer student housing, please visit the General Information for New Transfer Students Web page.
- Can I take a Housing Tour at UCI?
- Tours of UCI Housing are offered year round. For a complete tour schedule and to see which communities are currently being shown, please visit the Campus Tours Web site and select the day you wish to visit. No reservations are needed to go on a housing tour.
- When will we learn which community, hall, and roommate(s) my son/daughter will be assigned to?
- Housing assignments are mailed around Labor Day in early September. Students who are assigned to Arroyo Vista will know their community assignment when they receive their housing contract.
For other important deadlines and dates, please visit the Important Dates Web page.
- How much does it cost to live on campus? To eat in the dining commons?
- The cost of on-campus housing depends on which community you live in and which meal plan (if any) you participate in. All students living in the Residence Halls have a mandatory meal plan, the cost of which is included in your housing rate.
To view 2007-08 housing rates, go to the UCI Student Housing Rates Web site.
For information on the cost of optional meal plans, go to the UCI Dining Web site at www.ucidining.com - Where are housing payments made? Can I pay by mail? Can I use a credit or debit card?
- Housing payments are made to the Housing Cashier in the Housing Administrative Services office, located on the 4th floor of the Student Center. Payments can be mailed or submitted at the Housing Cashier's window. All housing payments must be accompanied by a payment coupon (6 Kb, PDF) listing the student's name, ID #, campus address, and payment amount. The student's UCI ID# must also be written on the check. See hours of operation below.
Mail Housing Payments to:
Housing Cashier
G459 Student Center
Irvine, CA 92697-6175
Housing Administrative Services Office Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, CLOSED
Housing Cashier Hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, CLOSED
Credit cards, debit cards and cash cannot be used to make your housing payment. Housing payments must be made by check or money order, payable to "UC Regents". [NOTE to International Students: Payments must be in US dollars in the form of an international money order, or a check, payable through a U.S. bank.] In-person payments can be made with check or money order. Always write your UCI Student ID# on your check. Students who wish to get a receipt must make their payments directly to the Housing Cashier during the Housing Cashier Window Hours (listed above).
- Does Financial Aid pay for housing? What if my son/daughter is waiting for a financial aid check?
- Some (but not all) financial aid awards include funds to cover housing costs. Students can obtain information about their financial aid award via Visual Aid on the Financial Aid Web site, www.fao.uci.edu. Or you can call Financial Aid at (949) 824-8262 (or go to the Financial Aid Office in room 102 of Aldrich Hall) to find out if your child's financial aid award covers housing expenses, and when award monies will be disbursed. Even if your child's award includes funds for housing, Financial Aid does not make housing payments for students. Once your child receives their financial aid disbursement, they should make their housing payment. If their disbursement is scheduled to be made after the housing payment deadline, your child should contact the Student Housing Assistant Accounts Counselor in Housing Administrative Services at (949) 824-3333 or shac@uci.edu to request a payment deferment.
- What if my son/daughter cannot make their housing payment on time?
- If for some reason your son or daughter cannot make their housing payments by the due date, they should contact the Student Housing Assistant Accounts Counselor in Housing Administrative Services at (949) 824-3333 to arrange for a deferment or alternative payment plan. To avoid late fees, students must contact Student Housing and make their arrangements before the end of the grace period (10 days after the payment due date).
- What does my son/daughter need to bring to campus?
- A list of suggested items to bring will be sent with their room assignment prior to move in. Some of the more important things include bed linens (twin extra-long), blankets, a pillow, desk clock, desk lamp, and disaster preparedness supplies. You may also refer to the "What to Bring?" Web site for a detailed list of items.
Please note that upon move-in, residents will be provided with a Student Housing Handbook & Planner that runs through June 2009. - My student's mailing address has changed. Who do we need to tell?
- Students who have had a change of address should first notify Admissions of the change. The fastest way to do this is via the Admissions Web Site, www.admissions.uci.edu. Click on "MyAdmissionsApplication@UCI" for instructions on how to update your personal information. Once your student has updated their contact information with Admissions, they should confirm the address change with housing by e-mailing their new information along with their name and Student ID # to housing@uci.edu. They can also call Student Housing (949) 824-6811 to confirm that their housing information has been updated.
- How much does it cost to live off campus?
- Rental rates in the surrounding communities vary, depending on the area and the size of the apartment. You can check out rental rates online at www.housing.uci.edu/och/localapt.asp and visit the Off-Campus Housing Web site for additional information.
- What is the role of Resident Advisors (RA)/House Assistants (HA) living in Student Housing? What rules of behavior are established?
- A Resident Advisor (RA)/House Advisor (HA) is assigned to each Residence Hall, theme house and apartment cluster, and it is their job to provide leadership, support, and fun for our student residents! Resident Advisors and House Assistants play an especially important role in our Freshmen and Transfer communities, where they help new students make a smooth transition to UCI.
A complete list of Student Housing policies can be found in the Undergraduate Student Housing Handbook. Every undergraduate resident receives a copy of the handbook when they move in. Click here to view the current Undergraduate Student Housing Handbook online. - How safe is housing on- and off campus? Where can I get crime statistics?
- Safety and security are of the utmost importance in each of our on-campus communities. Emergency phones, which connect directly to the UCI Police Department, are located within each housing community and throughout the campus. UCI also provides a safety escort service for students who are traveling by foot at night. Although there is no curfew in any on-campus Housing community, all residential facilities are locked 24 hours a day. Residents' keys open the front doors as well as their own rooms, allowing them to come and go as they please. Residents are discouraged from permitting access to strangers, propping doors open, or leaving their room doors unlocked.
Crime bulletins and statistics can be found on the UCI Police Department Web Site: www.police.uci.edu - Are there any employment or community involvement opportunities available in Student Housing communities?
- All Student Housing communities offer many opportunities for involvement, leadership, and employment. To learn more, look for the Involvement & Leadership link on each housing community home page.
- What is the two year guarantee for Freshmen students?
- UCI guarantees two years of on-campus housing to all Freshmen who are single, under the age of 25, who are enrolling in Fall Quarter, and who meet the housing application and contract-return deadlines. Freshmen housing applications are due on May 1, 2008. A Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) must also be filed with Admissions by May 1, in order to qualify for the housing guarantee.
Housing options for the first year include Residence Halls or Arroyo Vista. Students must live on-campus for their entire first year to qualify for guaranteed housing in the second year.
Housing options for the second year include Arroyo Vista Theme Houses, Campus Village Apartments, and the two Vista del Campo apartment communities on the east campus. You can learn about these housing communities on the Student Housing Web site. Although students will be asked their community preferences for their second year of guaranteed housing, they will not be guaranteed placement in their first choice community. More information about the second year housing process will be available on the Housing Web site in fall quarter. - What housing options are available for continuing students who are not guaranteed housing?
- On-campus housing space for non-guaranteed students is extremely limited.
Continuing students may be able to apply for housing in Arroyo Vista (academic theme houses, and fraternity and sorority houses), Campus Village Apartments, or a limited number of Vista del Campo and Vista del Campo Norte apartments after the second year guaranteed housing process is completed in Winter Quarter.
Off Campus Options
There are many housing options in the communities surrounding UC Irvine, including apartments and homes for rent, as well as rooms in private homes. The Housing Outreach Services office, located on the 4th floor of the Student Center (G465), provides a wide range of information and resources for finding off-campus housing. For information on off-campus housing options, go to the Off Campus Housing Web site .
