Campus will provide incoming freshmen with two years of guaranteed housing and incoming transfer students with one year of guaranteed housing starting in the 2026-27 academic year.
In previous years, campus has only guaranteed one year of housing for incoming freshmen and provided housing priority to incoming transfers who applied on time, according to campus spokesperson Lindsey Michels.
“This change reflects the university’s ongoing process in increasing housing capacity and providing greater stability for undergraduate students,” Michels said in an email. “The campus can now extend housing guarantees that better support students’ transition to Berkeley and strengthen their sense of belonging in their first years on campus.”
In order to be eligible for the housing guarantee, students must adhere to certain requirements, such as accepting the housing offer by the stated deadline, meeting all UC Berkeley housing and campus deadlines and applying for housing during their first and second years.
Hitiksha Bansal, co-chair of the ASUC Housing Commission, said it can be difficult to navigate finding off-campus housing after only one year, especially for students who are out-of-state or international.
“I think that having an option for them to continue to stay in an environment that they’re comfortable with and aware of … is really good and helpful,” Bansal said.
The change “was made possible” by recently completed and upcoming housing projects, such as the Judith E. Heumann House Apartments and Bancroft-Fulton Student Housing, according to Michels. According to UC Berkeley’s housing website, the Heumann House Apartments will add approximately 1,000 beds for students, while the Bancroft-Fulton Student Housing is estimated to add up to 1,600.
The Bancroft-Fulton Student Housing will include a 23-story high-rise and is projected to be completed in summer 2028. The site is currently occupied by an office building and a parking lot, both of which will be demolished when construction begins in January 2026.
The Heumann House Apartments are expected to open in fall 2027 and will offer below-market-rate apartments for more than 1,000 undergraduates. The apartments are being built on People’s Park. Campus’s plans for the development include permanent supportive housing for low-income and unhoused residents as well as commemorations of the site’s history.
In addition to providing more beds, Bansal said campus should prioritize addressing concerns around affordability, habitability and maintenance. There is a growing need for transparency surrounding new developments, such as the construction on the site of People’s Park, she added.
“The rent (of a dorm) is significantly higher than the market rate for an apartment or a space off-campus for about the same size and even similar locations,” Bansal said. “The concern there becomes, theoretically … campus-provided housing should be more affordable and market-rate, and that’s just not been the case at (UC) Berkeley.”
According to the UC Berkeley housing website, campus has also identified several additional properties for housing developments.
These properties will be developed after existing programs are relocated or freed from legal restrictions, among other hurdles, according to the website.
“The expanded housing guarantee offers students greater stability and predictability during their early years at Berkeley,” Michels said in the email. “Secure housing helps students focus on academics, connect with campus resources, and build a sense of community.”