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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis change reflects the university\u2019s ongoing process in increasing housing capacity and providing greater stability for undergraduate students,\u201d Michels said in an email. \u201cThe campus can now extend housing guarantees that better support students\u2019 transition to Berkeley and strengthen their sense of belonging in their first years on campus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that having an option for them to continue to stay in an environment that they\u2019re comfortable with and aware of \u2026 is really good and helpful,\u201d Bansal said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The change \u201cwas made possible\u201d 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
The Bancroft-Fulton Student Housing will include a 23-story high-rise and is projected to be completed in summer 2028.\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n