University of California, Santa Cruz

University of California, Santa Cruz Student Activities

Interested in Greek life?

University of California, Santa Cruz has the Bayanihan. In fact, more students participate in the Bayanihan than any other on-campus activity.

Other popular student organizations at University of California, Santa Cruz include Chinese Scholars & Student Association, College Panhellenic & Inter-Greek Council, Film Production Coalition and Game Design & Art Collaboration.

University of California, Santa Cruz students' favorite campus traditions are Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, Multicultural Festival and Practical Activism Conference.

University of California, Santa Cruz Housing

This table offers information on housing at University of California, Santa Cruz.

University of California, Santa Cruz offers housing for students. Students are not required to live on campus. First year students are guaranteed on-campus housing.

The majority of University of California, Santa Cruz students live on campus. In 2023, 51.3% of undergrads at University of California, Santa Cruz lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 48.7% of students lived off-campus or commuted to University of California, Santa Cruz. First year students are not allowed to park a car on campus.

University of California, Santa Cruz offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.

University of California, Santa Cruz Athletics

At University of California, Santa Cruz there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.

Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.

Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.

Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.

Let's take a look at the athletic options available at University of California, Santa Cruz:

Is University of California, Santa Cruz Safe?

College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.

University of California, Santa Cruz is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The UC Santa Cruz campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night.

UC Santa Cruz offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards so that students can feel confident that they are safe in on-campus housing.

Plan a Visit to University of California, Santa Cruz

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit University of California, Santa Cruz, take U.S. Highway 101 to Santa Cruz, CA. If you need to fly, book your flight to San Jose International airport.

While you're planning, check out other schools in California you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.

Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore University of California, Santa Cruz's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour

Keep Reading About University of California, Santa Cruz

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Overview

Admissions

Academics

Tuition & Aid

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