Happy National College Decision Day, baby Gauchos! If you’ve just committed to UC Santa Barbara, you’ve likely begun to explore the housing options that UCSB offers its first-year students. I was in your shoes a year ago, and although this was a very exciting and pivotal time in my life, I did find it difficult to sift through all the information available online and navigate my options. With the help of fellow UCSB students, I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of every UCSB residence hall available to you to help you familiarize yourself as you prepare for this new chapter! From the Chi-5 (the five first-year dorms on campus named after the Channel Islands), to off-campus buildings and mixed-year communities, there are many great options to choose from. Read to the end for some valuable pieces of advice from fellow UCSB women!
- Santa Rosa Hall
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Santa Rosa Hall was built in 1954 and is the oldest UCSB residence hall. It houses 575 students in doubles, triples, and two quads — the only quad rooms in Chi-5! Santa Rosa has communal bathrooms like the rest of Chi-5, but if you’re lucky enough to land one of the quad rooms, you’ll have a private bathroom! Santa Rosa is home to two Living Learning Communities: the College of Creative Studies LLC, and the Black/African-American Scholars LLC.
My friends in Santa Rosa love how centrally located it is to everything! It’s super close to classes, the library, and DLG (the main dining hall for Chi-5), and just a few minutes’ walk from the beach. However, the interior of Santa Rosa is a bit outdated, and its layout can be very confusing at first. The wings are like a maze if you’re not familiar with the building, and I’ve even heard it compared to the “back rooms.” Despite this, Santa Rosa is a great option for those wanting a good mix of all the benefits of on-campus living!
- Anacapa Hall
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Built in 1958, Anacapa Hall was the second dorm to be built on UCSB’s campus. It is home to 600 students in nearly all triples. In Anacapa, you’ll find the Asian American & Pacific Islander Scholars LLC, as well as the Scholars LLC!
One of Anacapa’s largest appeals to new students is its proximity to the ocean. It is just steps away from the beach, and many students that live in Anacapa will be blessed with an ocean view from their dorm room! Anacapa is also a very social building, which is a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
The downside to Anacapa’s oceanfront location is that it is quite a bit farther from Isla Vista compared to other buildings. It is also not as conveniently located near classes and other spaces on campus. However, if you are excited to experience life so close to the beach, Anacapa is a great option!
- Santa Cruz Hall
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Santa Cruz was built alongside Anacapa in 1958. In fact, their layouts are virtually identical! Just like Anacapa, Santa Cruz houses 600 students in triple occupancy rooms. The Chicanx/Latinx Scholars LLC and the First Year Residential Experience (FYRE) LLC are located in Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz’s location is hard to beat — it is just steps from the beach, and although you’ll be a bit far from classes, you may get lucky with an ocean view! It has also been recently renovated, so Santa Cruz’s shared spaces like the lounges, kitchenettes, and lobby are among the most aesthetically pleasing of UCSB’s dorms. Santa Cruz is also known as one of the most social dorms (however, this means that it can be noisy at times). The proximity of Santa Cruz to the beach, combined with its recent renovation and reputation as a social dorm can make it difficult to snag a spot, so definitely have a backup if you decide to make Santa Cruz your top preference!
- San Miguel Hall (AKA San Mig)
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San Miguel was built in 1962 as one of the two towers in Chi-5. It houses 475 students in triples, doubles, and a few (very limited) singles. San Miguel is home to a Scholars Floor LLC and Chicanx/Latinx Scholars LLC. I am happy to call San Miguel home!
One of the best things about San Miguel is its location. It is the closest dorm in Chi-5 to Isla Vista, which makes the walks to and from going out a bit less brutal. It is also just steps from the UCEN, the lagoon, and Ortega (UCSB’s takeout-style dining hall). There is a large lawn behind the building that is a super popular tanning spot on sunny days. San Mig is also eight stories tall, so it offers beautiful views! Depending on which side of the building you’re on, many rooms will have an ocean or lagoon view and beautiful sunrises or sunsets.
Like I mentioned before, San Miguel has been my home for the past seven months. My first impression of San Miguel was that it was, simply put, ugly. I don’t think it’s been renovated since it was built. If you can get past the electric green doors and brick walls, though, San Mig definitely has its perks! San Miguel is unique from the rest of Chi-5 because it is made up of two separate towers rather than conjoined, L-shaped wings. This means that each floor is separated by gender. It can be difficult to make guy friends, but at least you won’t have any awkward post-shower run-ins with random men in the hallway (an all too familiar experience in the other dorms).
The floors of San Mig are smaller than other buildings, so it is definitely a more quiet dorm and not very social. However, even as a very social person, I actually preferred this. I always knew that I would have a calm, quiet place to come back to after a chaotic day or late night. Although it may be more a little more difficult to make friends here, I have still met some of my best friends here and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!
- San Nicolas Hall (AKA San Nic)
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In 1964, San Nicolas was built right next to San Miguel to complete the Chi-5 area. Just like San Miguel, it is eight stories high, and many rooms have gorgeous ocean or mountain views. 525 students call San Nic home, and are housed in doubles and triples. There is also a Scholars Floor LLC located in San Nic. If you participate in the Freshman Summer Start Program (FSSP), you’ll live in San Nic for the summer!
Just like San Miguel, San Nic is a bit outdated and not very social. However, its location makes up for this — it is just a five-minute walk to Campus Point and seconds from Ortega and DLG. It also has an outdoor lounge and hammock area tucked away on the ocean-side of the building, which is a great place to study or relax with beautiful views and the sound of the ocean. One small thing to note about the towers is that they are very commonly confused with each other — this has proven to be a bit of a headache when inviting over guests and ordering food or packages.
If you are hoping for a great view and a good chance at a double, San Nic may be a great option for you!
- Santa Catalina Hall (AKA FT, San Cat)
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Santa Catalina is the largest UCSB residence hall. It is home to 1475 students (nearly a third of all freshmen) and is made up of doubles and triples. It is home to the First Generation Scholars LLC and a Scholars Floor LLC. FT is connected to Portola Dining Commons (arguably the best dining hall), and has a pool, gym, and more.
Unlike the Chi-5 dorms, San Cat rooms are suite-style, with two rooms connected by a private bathroom. San Cat is divided into two separate towers: North Tower (eleven floors) and South Tower (ten floors). Many rooms have gorgeous views of the mountains or ocean! The floors are also coed and it is considered a super social dorm, which makes it a great place to connect with fellow freshmen and make friends!
The one major (possibly deal-breaking) downside of San Cat is its location — it is the only freshman dorm located off campus, which can be a real pain. A trip to class that might only take five minutes from Chi-5 would take a ten minute bike ride, thirty minute walk, or a bus trip from San Cat. This can make it difficult to make it to class, especially when its raining, super early in the morning, or if you miss the bus. While FT is technically located in Isla Vista, it is still quite far from the social scene. If you live in San Cat, be prepared to spend a lot of time commuting and a lot of money on Ubers. Unlike Chi-5, though, the Santa Barbara bus system is very accessible to San Cat with a bus stop directly outside the building, and is within walking distance to Target and other surrounding stores.
The location of San Cat might scare you, but I have so many friends who absolutely LOVE living there and don’t mind the distance. Everyone has different priorities and needs, so make sure you weigh every option and consider what will be the best fit for you!
- Manzanita Village (AKA Manzi)
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Manzanita Village was built in 2002 and is the newest housing option offered to first-year students. The community is comprised of seventeen small buildings home to a total of 1100 students (mostly second-years) in triples, doubles, and limited singles. It is home to the Rainbow House (an LLC for queer-identifying students) and the Women in STEM House. It is super close to Carrillo Dining Commons, which is my personal favorite dining hall! Manzi is located on the bluffs, which offers beautiful ocean views. It also has its own pool and a large grass area.
For students hoping to take advantage of the social scene that Isla Vista has to offer, Manzi is a great option. It is located on the outskirts of IV and is just a couple minutes from Del Playa, the oceanside street known for its nightlife. Its caveat is that Manzi itself is not a social dorm. Because each of the seventeen “houses” only house a small number of students, there aren’t very many opportunities to socialize with other students. This can feel especially isolating for freshmen, since Manzi is mostly occupied by second-year students. Living in Manzi, it can be hard to connect with other freshmen in the same way that you could in an exclusively-freshman building.
- San Rafael Residence Hall (AKA SAN RAF)
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Built in 1967 near the outskirts of campus, San Rafael is made up of one seven-story tower and two smaller clusters. San Raf is home to 575 students in singles, doubles, and suite-style rooms of four, six, or eight.
San Raf is mostly home to sophomores, but some freshmen do choose to live here as well (however, I’ve only met a couple). Located right next to Manzanita Village on the outskirts of Isla Vista, it is just a short walk from all the restaurants, shops, and events that IV has to offer. Similar to Manzi, San Raf is not the most social, since residents have private bathrooms and do not share many communal living spaces compared to those who live in more traditional residence halls. It may be quite difficult to meet other freshmen compared to living in a freshman-only dorm, but San Raf may be a great option if you want a separation between your personal living space and your social life.
As you’ve likely noticed, there are pros and cons to every residence hall, and there is no “perfect” or “best” choice. I hope that you are able to use the information provided her to decide what might be the best fit for you. However, just know that even if you don’t get your first choice (or second, or third, or fourth…), you will be fine! As one student affirms, “it’s not about the residence hall, it’s about the people!”
Before room selection, my roommates and I had mapped out our three favorite buildings and ranked our top choices for rooms within those buildings. Despite all of our planning and finger-crossing, we received our dead. last. choice. To be quite honest, I thought my freshman year was doomed. When getting ready to live on your own for the first time, these things seem like the biggest deal in the world. But I promise, you will be okay! My roommates and I have bonded through the tough parts of dorm living and have absolutely loved our experience despite the small inconveniences that come about. I’ll leave you with a few valuable pieces of advice from fellow UCSB women to help you survive your first year as a Gaucho. You got this, Gauchos!
“There’s no such thing as the ‘college experience’ so go through college at your own pace and explore the new area you’re in. Don’t be afraid to meet new people because you never know who you might meet!”
“Do not commit any acts of dorm incest…do not get with a cute guy or girl a door away from you. It will save you the awkwardness!!”
“Don’t stress about finding a roommate. If it’s getting hard to find one, going random is always an option!”
“Don’t worry about communal bathrooms! It’s so nice once you get used to it and you will make so many friends.”
“Finding people who will engage with you, push you socially and academically, and be there for you through your first experiences for college is some of the best advice I can give. Also, don’t take “hard” classes your first quarter…you don’t need all that pressure academically for your first quarter.”
“Know where the buses go and take them, go outside of UCSB and explore around the bubble!”
“Get involved early and try not to miss too much class because the quarter system catches up to you!”