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Newly Admitted Transfer Students

Berkeley Housing wants to offer a warm welcome and a digital introduction to your housing options.

Click links below to jump to location on page:

Explore Campus Housing
Introducing Helen Diller Anchor House
Affordability & Campus Housing
How to Apply for Campus Housing
Off-Campus Housing

Explore Campus Housing

Channing Bowditch kitchen area

Congratulations on your admission to Berkeley! As a transfer student, you’ll want to take advantage of all that Berkeley has to offer. The best way to do that? Living in campus housing. You’ll enjoy prime locations close to classes, club meetings, cafes and shops. Support is always nearby, and you’ll start building your Berkeley community right at your doorstep. Your campus housing options include:

  • Eight apartment buildings, including our newest building, transfer-only Helen Diller Anchor House, opening in Fall 2024. Apartments offer independent living: they are fully furnished and include kitchens and conveniences like wifi, utilities and more.
  • Eight residence halls. Residence halls offer community, support and convenience.  Most residents are first-year students (freshmen), but transfer students are welcome too! Most rooms are triples with bunk beds. A meal plan is included.
  • Family student housing. University Village Albany is an apartment community just for students with partners and families.

Want to see more?

Introducing Helen Diller Anchor House

Helen Diller Anchor House

Designed just for transfer students, Helen Diller Anchor House is UC Berkeley’s newest apartment building, anticipated to open in August 2024. Each fully-furnished apartment features single bedrooms, a full kitchen with appliances, central air conditioning and in-unit washer and dryer. A certified LEED Gold building, Anchor House incorporates environmentally friendly design elements as well as amenities fostering health and wellness, including an indoor-outdoor fitness center, yoga studio, meditation rooms, and multiple outdoor spaces. You’ll build your Berkeley community from day one, with Transfer Student Center offices on site, as well as various gathering areas and the support of RAs and on-site staff.

Affordability & Campus Housing

We know that affording housing is a concern for many incoming transfer students to Berkeley. When considering the cost of housing, it’s important to know that campus housing rates include a wide range of amenities and other advantages:

  • Financial aid applicability: If you receive financial aid, it will be applied to your housing costs. Your award amount will be adjusted based on the type of housing you choose, whether you live on campus or off-campus, in a residence hall or apartment.
  • Utilities, wifi, on-site RAs and professional staff, security, maintenance, and more are included. In residence halls, your meal plan is included too!
  • Academic year contracts (so you don’t have to take on a year-long lease, or sublet your room, if you’re away during the summer)
  • No security deposit for single undergraduate students ( $500 deposit required for family student housing)
  • No credit checks or need for cosigners
  • Furnished including kitchen appliances; laundry access in unit or building
  • Convenience of billing through Cal Central
  • Independent contracts: You won’t be held responsible if a roommate or apartment-mate moves out or fails to pay their rent.
  • Convenient locations near campus (no need to pay for parking, and minimal commuting time) 

If you are concerned about housing insecurity, please check the housing information provided by the Basic Needs Center. To find out more about your financial aid, please visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.

How to Apply for Campus Housing

Ready to apply? Here’s what to know.

  • Accept your offer of admission by June 1. You’ll be prompted to create a Berkeley campus identification (CalNet ID) which you’ll use to access the housing application portal.
  • Apply for campus housing by June 2 through the housing application portal. For a guide to the application, see: How to Apply: New Students.
  • By mid-June, campus housing offers for transfer students will begin to be sent out. You will have about five days to decide whether to accept your offer.
  • By mid- July, you’ll find out about your specific housing location and roommates.
  • Move-In will take place on August 20 and 21, 2024 for new transfer and first-year students.

Housing Priority

Incoming transfer students receive housing priority for their first year, providing they meet all deadlines and eligibility.  

Priority Conditions

In order for the above housing priority policy to apply, you must:

  • Meet all UC Berkeley and UC Berkeley Housing deadlines.
  • Adhere to all Terms and Conditions of the housing contract and residential policies.
  • Have flexible housing preferences (choose “any room, any location” as one of your housing preferences). Housing Priority does not ensure any specific room type, location or amenity. 

Off-Campus Housing

Many incoming transfer students also choose to live off campus. Get started with UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services, a free off-campus housing listings service for Berkeley students. Check out top tips from UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services and read student tips and advice for finding housing. 

Got More Questions?

Visit the Transfer Student FAQs page