Our Communities at UC Merced
Living on campus offers more than just a place to eat and sleep. A significant amount of experiential learning occurs in the residence halls. Students living on campus are presented with opportunities to develop valuable skills as they transition to UC Merced and prepare for life thereafter. Living Learning Communities (LLCs) at UC Merced, as one example, provide structured engagement opportunities for students to develop these skills.
UC Merced has a two-year living on campus requirement. Students may request an exemption from the two-year residency requirement if they meet certain criteria. To request an exemption, a student must submit a Residency Exemption Form with documentation through the Housing Portal by June 1, 2020.
Types of On-Campus Housing
Traditional Shared Bathroom Style Halls
- Groups of rooms surrounding a shared bathroom for 10-15 students.
- Single rooms are limited as priority is given to Resident Assistant staff and Americans with Disabilities Act requests.
Suite-Style Halls
- In Valley Terraces suites consist of two or three double rooms, a common room and a bathroom.
- In Sierra Terraces suites consist of two triple rooms with a shared bathroom.
- Single rooms are limited as priority is given to Resident Assistant staff and Americans with Disabilities Act requests.
More details to come in April 2020
| Area of Campus | Community | Room Style | Room Type | Living Learning Community |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Campus | Cathedral Hall | Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Double, Triple, Quad |
AFRO Hall
|
| North Campus |
|
Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Quad |
Sophomore Year Experience
|
| North Campus | Tenaya Hall | Traditional Shared Bathrooms |
*Single, Double, Triple, Quad |
Fiat Lux (by invitiation only)
|
| North Campus |
|
Suite | *Single, Triple |
Leadership and Service 2.0
|
| North Campus | Tuolumne | Suite | *Single, Triple |
Sophomore Year Experience
|
| North Campus |
|
Suite | *Single, Double |
Transfer Students
Student athletes are also housed in Valley Terraces. |
| South Campus |
|
Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Double, Triple |
Social Justice
Leadership and Service
|
| South Campus |
|
Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Double, Triple |
School of Natrual Sciences maor students (Four LLCs: Aristotle House, Beyond the MD, Carson House, Vaughan House)
|
| South Campus |
|
Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Double, Triple |
No LLCs
|
| South Campus |
|
Traditional Shared Bathrooms | *Single, Double, Triple |
No LLCs
|
Selecting an LLC
When students make selections on the Housing Options and Learning Communities page, they may indicate their interest in Living Learning Communities and select up to two LLCs in which they are interested. Declaring interest in an LLC is not a guarantee of placement. Students will be notified if they are selected to join a Living Learning Community.
UC Merced does not have graduate or undergraduate family housing on campus. Please refer to https://och.ucmerced.edu/ for off-campus housing options with UC Merced.
Gender-Inclusive Options
Gender-inclusive housing is designed to create inclusive communities for students of varying gender identities. Gender identities are numerous and include man, woman, transgender and gender queer, among many others. The Gender Inclusive (GI) housing option provides a safe and inclusive environment for trans, gender-fluid, gender non-conforming and non-binary students. Gender-inclusive housing is not co-ed housing. Gender Inclusive assignments are made based on individual student requests (room type, Living Learning Community, first-year or continuing student status).
Before you sign up for a GI housing option, ask yourself if you can you commit “yes” to these statements:
- I understand that Gender Inclusive housing is designed to create inclusive communities for students of varying gender identities. Gender identities are numerous and include man, woman, transgender and gender queer, among many others. Gender Inclusive housing is intended to be more than co-ed housing.
- I understand that by agreeing to participate in Gender Inclusive housing I may be assigned roommates or suite-mates of varying biological sexes, gender identities or sexual orientations.
Gender-inclusive housing options are available in these communities:
Continuing students – Valley Terraces, Half Dome, Mariposa and the fifth floors of El Portal and Sentinel Rock
First-year students – Half Dome, Mariposa, Glacier Point, Granite Pass, Sentinel Rock and El Portal
Students interested in gender-inclusive housing should be sure to check the gender-inclusive housing option in their housing application. During roommate selection, students will be able to see and select others who have signed up for gender-inclusive housing option. Students can only pick a roommate from this roommate group. They can also create a roommate group.