- How can I view an apartment?add
To make an appointment, please contact Housing at 510-642-4109 or at: apts@berkeley.edu (Please note that appointments need to be made with at least 48 hours’ notice.)
We highly recommend viewing the apartment before you accept an offer. If you are unable to view an apartment, view the University Village map to see the location of your apartment offer.
- What is the difference between INACTIVE and ACTIVE statuses on the wait list?add
INACTIVE – Your application is incomplete and missing documentation. We are unable to make offers to the INACTIVE wait list, unless we have exhausted the ACTIVE wait list. Regardless, if you still want housing, please submit all necessary documentation to complete your application as soon as possible. Official housing offers can only be made after the application is complete.
ACTIVE – Your application is complete and all documentation has been submitted. You are eligible to be offered housing.
- What happens if I decline an offer?add
You will be moved to the end of the wait list.
- What happens if my preferred move-in date passes without receiving an offer?add
If you are still interested in receiving housing, update your preferred move-in date on your application. If we do not hear from you after your want date passes, then we will assume that you are no longer interested in Family Student Housing and will cancel your application.
Your application will be automatically cancelled if the preferred move-in date you indicated has expired by three months.
- How is priority determined in Family Student Housing?add
Students receive housing priority over PD applicants. PD applicants are accommodated after students are offered housing. Please refer to the priority list below:
- Single (unpartnered) students with children.
- Married or partnered students with children.
- Single (unpartnered) student under the age of 18, dependent and living with parent or guardian.
- Married or partnered students without children.
- Single (unpartnered) students with a dependent over 18.
- Postdoctoral fellows with children.
- Postdoctoral fellows without children.
- If I am offered housing, for how long is my contract? Do I have to provide notice when vacating my apartment?add
The Family Student Housing (FSH) agreement is month-to-month. When you decide to leave FSH, you must complete and submit an Intent to Vacate (IV) notice at least 30 days before you will vacate your unit. You may download the IV form.
You may also pick up an IV form from the Housing office at 2610 Channing Way in Berkeley or the Village Office at 1125 Jackson Street in Albany. The IV form may be submitted to either the Cal Housing or Village Office. You must submit it at least 30 days before the day you intend to vacate. You can also submit the IV via a scanned attachment email to apts@berkeley.edu, or fax to 510-642-4026.
- How soon can I expect to receive an offer?add
Housing offers are determined by a number of factors: when you apply, your priority, the length of the wait list, how many apartments we have available and the time of year (the summer months and the beginning of spring semester tend to be our busiest times of the year). Typically, we will begin making offers about a month before your preferred move-in date. Since our tenants are on a month-to-month agreement, they can vacate their apartment at any time providing at least 30 days’ notice; therefore we cannot predict or guarantee that something will be available when you need to move in. We are unaware of what apartments will be available in the future until we receive a vacate notice from our tenants.
We will notify you by email when an apartment becomes available and your name is reached on the wait list. Please be sure to check your email.
- Is subletting allowed in Family Student Housing?add
Summer subleasing to UC affiliates is allowed during June to August only.
All sublets MUST be approved by the Housing office.
For information about subletting, please contact Housing at 510-642-4109 or: apts@berkeley.edu
- Is Family Student Housing guaranteed?add
Family Student Housing is not guaranteed. We suggest checking out Cal Rentals, which can help you look for off-campus housing.
- Can I transfer to a different apartment in Family Student Housing?add
Transfers within Family Student Housing are not guaranteed, and your ability to transfer will depend upon a number of factors. New eligible applicants on the wait list receive priority for vacant apartments. Residents wishing to transfer should first review the Family Student Housing transfer policy.
If you meet our transfer criteria, please submit a transfer application and the appropriate supporting documents to the Cal Housing Office, 2610 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-2272. If your request is approved, and there are no new eligible applicants on the wait list, you will receive an offer according to your position on the transfer list.
- Do Family Student Housing apartments come furnished?add
No. Each apartment will be equipped only with a stove and a refrigerator.
- What utilities are included in University Village?add
Amenities include data lines for internet access, basic cable, carpeting, window coverings, tiled kitchen counters, storage closet, a balcony or patio (patios are toddler-friendly with fencing and a gate), and a parking space. The community areas include laundry facilities, grassy courtyards with outdoor benches, and play areas for children. Please see the University Village amenities page for more details.
- How do I get a rental verification?add
For all rental verifications, please send an email to BusOps@berkeley.edu with the subject line "Rental Verification," and a Student Affairs Cashier's team member will process the verification.