Even if you have a place to live when you get here already, you may find some information that may be helpful in the future, so keep reading! Finding a place to live within your budget in Orange County is not easy. Don’t get scared by the high prices that you are going to see at first glance, there are some options for graduate students that are a little more affordable. In particular, there are 6 apartment complexes on campus with apartments reserved for graduate students: Verano Place, Palo Verde, Campus Village, Vista Del Campo, Puerta Del Sol and Vista Del Campo Norte.
You can find all the details on this website http://housing.uci.edu/grad/index.html. But there is so much information that can be a little overwhelming. Let me make it easier for you, these are key points:
- Before applying for housing, you need to submit you Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), if you haven’t done it yet, visit this page http://www.grad.uci.edu/admissions/admitted-students/statement-of-intent.html
- All rooms are individual and pets are accepted only for medical reasons.
- Ph.D. students have guaranteed housing if they apply before May 1st, all other applicants are placed after them.
- The cheapest room you can get is in the old apartments of Verano Place for only $395!! Keep in mind that the housing office says there is a long waitlist because they are in high demand, but you should still give it a try!
- Palo Verde and Verano Place have no furniture, except for the kitchen stove, oven and fridge. There are also community laundries.
- Vista del Campo Norte, Vista del Campo, Puerta Del Sol and Campus Village (these three are part of ACC apartments) ARE furnished. ACC apartments also have pool, Jacuzzi and gym. However, keep in mind that your tuition includes membership to the university gym, which is amazing and also has pool.
- Some apartments have amenities included, some require you to pay for the electricity or the water, which is usually $10-20 per month. Internet is included in all apartments.
- All complexes have study rooms available to reserve for free, look out for events hosted close to you! You’ll also see barbeques scattered through the communities, feel free to enjoy them!
- If you want to live in Vista del Campo Norte, Vista del Campo or Puerta del Sol you need to submit an application to each of the complexes and pay $150 . You can apply to Verano Place, Palo Verde and Campus Village simultaneously, you need to submit a non-refundable $20 application here https://my.housing.uci.edu/gateway/default.aspx Here you can choose what rooms you are interested in.
- If there is anyone living in another room of the same apartment, the housing office will give you his/her email so you can introduce yourself. I would advise to take this first communication seriously to get to know the basic habits of your future apartment-mate, you (and the person living there) have a chance to say that you are not compatible, and believe me, it is better to not have a bad relationship with someone you’ll see every day.
In addition to this, there are some professors renting rooms for a good price and other students making subleases, make sure to check out the Facebook group UCI Housing and the University Hills add list http://www.uhills.org/ads-list/.
Let us know if you have any further questions, we are glad to help!
Omar C-H says
August 16, 2017 at 8:12 am“Vista del Campo Norte, Vista del Campo, Puerta Del Sol and Campus Village (these three are part of ACC apartments) ARE furnished. (…)”
*the first three are ACC.
Darby Vickers says
July 20, 2017 at 5:27 pmLaia did a really nice job summarizing the options.
Keep in mind (as she mentioned) that Palo Verde and Verano are unfurnished (no beds, desks, no chairs– nothing but a refrigerator and a stove+oven). There are also many places in the apartments that have no lights (like bedrooms) so you will need to purchase lamps and lightbults.