• Apply on-line between April 1st and June 1st for university-owned single student apartments and residence halls. 
• Access the Application.
• To apply, you will need to use the same Username and Password that you set up with the Graduate Division when you applied for graduate school. If you have forgotten your password, you can request it from the Graduate Division website.
• Students without a Username should consult the web application for instructions.
• Your application will only be processed if you have stated your intent to enroll at UCSB.
• Contracts are allocated through a lottery – not first come, first served.
• Results of the lottery will be available the last week in June.
• Questions? Call 805/893-4021 or email:

Santa Ynez Graduate Apartments are shared by 2 students and each have their own bedroom. 
Graduate students are also eligible for all other university-owned Single Student Apartments in which each bedroom is shared by 2 students.

• Access the Application.
• Contracts are allocated through a wait list process.
• Priority is given to family students with children.
• Average wait for families without children is 20-24 months and 3-7 months for families with children. Non-traditional and extended families are welcome.
• You need not be an enrolled student at the time of application.
• Factors influencing when you will be offered a contract: when you applied, type of apartment preferred, and whether or not you have children. 
• Questions? Call 805-893-4021 or email

Family Student housing is available to full-time registered family students.

If you are not interested in, or did not receive university-owned housing, you can secure housing through the Community Housing Office's On-line Rental Listing service at www.housing.ucsb.edu. It is important that you come to Santa Barbara to finalize housing and not try to make arrangements over the phone. C.H.O. staff recommends that you make appointments to see apartments ahead of time so you can maximize your time and efforts while you are here. Get a sense of the local housing market and areas to live within the community by visiting our website at www.housing.ucsb.edu. You will need your perm number (your official university identification number indicated in your admissions packet) to access the listings.

Many students choose to live in Isla Vista (a.k.a. IV) because it's conveniently located next to the campus. Most rentals in I.V. maintain 12-month lease agreements. Many of the June-to-June leases for the upcoming year are signed in February and March. But several households will have vacancies for roommates. Only a few month-to-month leases are available. Generally students share apartments with other students. I.V. is a college town and certain parts are considered very noisy. Therefore you may also want to consider looking for housing in the surrounding communities of Goleta and Santa Barbara. An additional place to look for listings is our local newspaper, the Santa Barbara News-Press.

Securing your housing if you plan to move-in in June
Finding a shared space in the community is easy in June. Summer sublets are also plentiful at this time.

Securing your housing if you plan to move-in in July or August
Students who arrive in July or August will usually find plenty of housing on the market.  July or August is also a good time to begin your search if you have a pet or any other special needs where you may need more time to secure a place to live.

Coming to search for housing right before classes start in September
Your options for housing will become more limited as the school year approaches. Options include: a few month-to-month rentals, sharing an apartment with other students or renting a room in a private home. 

For more information about renting an apartment in the community, please call 805-893-4371 or email. The Community Housing Office is located in the University Center, Room 3151 and is open Monday – Friday, 8AM - 5PM. C.H.O. is open Monday - Friday, 8AM - 5PM. Or, call: 805-893-4371: email:

The Santa Barbara Student Housing Co-op is owned and controlled by the students who live there. Housing options include single and double rooms in group houses as well as studios and two-bedroom apartments. SBSHC is a non-profit operation, thus rents are low. Contracts are allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

• Visit the Santa Barbara Student Housing Co-op website
• Questions? Call for an application at 805-685-6964 or e-mail at: info@sbcoop.org