Living in International House FAQs

Who lives in International House?

International House UCSD is a residential community of over 350 international and American undergraduate and graduate students which was created to foster multicultural sharing. It is a unique and lively community dedicated to the promotion of international awareness and intercultural understanding. We are looking for resident scholars who are willing to participate in I-House Programs and to collaborate with the I-House staff in the development of programs for residents and for the campus at large.

Why should I live in International House?

I-House has an enviable reputation of being the center of activities that add richness and fun to our residents’ experience. I-House residents not only benefit from the international environment but also feel that they belong to a real community of engaged students who are aware of and excited about the world and the many opportunities available to them.

What types of rooms are available at I-House? Are there singles?

The majority of rooms in I-House are single bedrooms; there are only a limited number of double bedrooms. Please specify your reasons for needing a double room on your personal history form. Although we will do our best to accommodate your request, we cannot guarantee it. Placement in double rooms will be based on the receipt date of your original I-House application.

Is quiet living available in I-House? 

Yes. A small percentage of apartments have been designated as “quiet living”, specifically for residents looking for a quieter living environment. Residents selecting these apartments will agree to abide by the courtesy quiet policies.

Application

To be considered for living in I-House you must submit an online application through the I-House website. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate all students in I-House. The application process for living in i-House is very selective. Housing is not guaranteed until we receive a signed housing contract by the deadline. Please check your emails regularly and respond immediately to all our e-mails.

Steps

1. Apply online before end of deadline (no applications are accepted after deadline)
2. Wait for notification about acceptance
3. Sign housing contract and send it back to us
4. Move-in

Who is eligible to live in I-House?

All registered UCSD undergraduate students are eligible to live in I-House. This includes students from all 6 colleges, international exchange students, and full-time international students.

Do I have to be an ERC student to live in I-House?

No! Although I-House is geographically located in ERC and ERC Res Life is in charge of I-House housing contracts, students from all colleges are eligible to live in I-House.

I am a UCSD extension student. Can I apply to live in International House?

Unfortunately, UCSD Extension students are not eligible to apply to live in I-House; this includes international students. As an extension student, you are not technically admitted to UCSD and therefore cannot live on campus. For housing suggestions, please contact the UCSD Extension Office. 

How much does it cost to live in I-House?

For the 2013-2014 academic year the prices for living in I-House were as follows:

• $11,056 Single Room
• $10,256 Double Room

Prices of rooms for the next academic year are subject to change. The dining plan is included in the room fees. For up the most up to date information, visit http://housing.ucsd.edu/value.asp

Do I have to buy a dining plan?

Yes, all UCSD on-campus residents are required to purchase the dining plan. The dining plan is included in the listed room fees. For up the most up to date information, visit http://housing.ucsd.edu/value.asp

Where can I get information on applying to live in International House?

Information and applications can be found at our website.

What information do I need to access the online application?

You will need your Student ID/PID (ex. A10101010) and Personal Password or PAC (4 digit number) to sign in.

International EAP students will receive their PIDs in June. If you have not received your student ID number, this site may help you get a Student ID.

How do I choose which quarter(s) I would like to live in I-House?

The application allows you to select from the following options, for example:

1. WI14 which means Winter Quarter only
2. FA13, WI14, SP14 which means Fall 2013 through Spring 2014

I can’t find the essay questions. Where are they?

The application essay questions are listed below:

1. Why would you like to live in I-House over another living environment? 
2. How would your interests and past experiences and activities benefit you being an active and engaged resident of I-House? (Please be specific in relating your response to what you wrote in Essay 1).

3. I-House organizes and implements a wide variety of programs and activities, and expects a high level of participation from its residents. If you are new to I-House, how will you fulfill these expectations? (Your response should be specific when relating to I-House programs). 
   If you lived in I-House last year, please describe your participation in I-House programs during the past year and your plans to be further involved in the future (be specific). 

4. What are you passionate about and why? What motivates you? (Your answer does not have to be about anything international, global or multicultural. This question is simply to help us get to know who you are as a person).

5. Please share with us details of an instance where you initiated or participated in a creative project (e.g. Plays, photography, music, game design, fashion, art, etc.)

We recommend that you work on your essays in a separate program, like Microsoft Word, because you will you will have a limited amount of time to fill out the online application while it’s open. Make sure to save your progress if you would like to complete your application at a later time.

I applied last year. Can I use the same essays?

No, the International House Application was revised in Fall 2013. Refer to the essay questions above to complete your application.

When are the applications due?

Applications for the Spring 2014 quarter are due by February 27th, 2014.

I’ve missed all the application deadlines. Do you have a waitlist?

Please email the ERC Reslife office ercreslife@ucsd.edu regarding a waitlist if you have missed the I-House Application deadline. If you have missed all the on-campus application deadlines, Housing and Dining has an online waitlist.

I keep on getting the error message “characters not allowed”. What should I do?

Check to make sure that there are no quotation marks, parenthesis, and other scripts in your application. If you have typed up your application in Microsoft Word, please ensure that the language for that Word document is set to English. If it was set in another language, copying and pasting the answers could set off the “characters not allowed” error message as well.

For reference, the non-alpha numeric letters that are allowed are:

-              single quote (')

-              "at" sign (@)

-              comma (,)

-              exclamation point (!)

-              hyphen (-)

-              period (.)

-              question mark (?)

-              underscore (_)

After I submitted my application, the name “aherold1” comes up. This is not my name. What should I do?

Do not worry! In order to submit your application, you signed in with your PID and password. This will allow us to identify your application. 

How do I know if my application has been received?

You should receive an email with the subject line "Application for I-House Residency" within a few hours after submitting the online application. Make sure to check the email that you indicated in the online application. If you have not received this email within 24 hours, please contact our office at ihouseintern@ucsd.edu. 

I have submitted my application! When do I find out if I was accepted?

Please continue to check back to our website, where we will be posting information regarding acceptance. Generally, we will get back to applicants regarding their application about a month after each application cycle due date. Make sure to check your UCSD email account for housing contract updates and detailed move-in information.

How do I access my UCSD email account?

If you are having trouble accessing your UCSD email, start here https://sdacs.ucsd.edu/~icc/index.php to find your username and ACS server. Then you can log into your UCSD email here: https://acs-webmail.ucsd.edu/squirrelmail/src/login.php

When can I move in?

Make sure to check your UCSD email account for housing contract updates and detailed move-in information. 

We currently do not know the exact move-in date. The move-in period usually starts a few days before the quarter starts.

You may pick up your keys at the offices listed above. The ERC Residence Life Office is located on the grass level between Earth Hall North and Earth Hall South. The ERC Student Activities Center is also on the grass level just north of Pangea Parking Structure. Here is a map for your reference: https://goo.gl/maps/7JOFj. 

I will be arriving before the move-in date. Can I move in early?

Refer to the important Move-In email you received for Early Move-In options, if they are available. Another option would be to sign up with a host family through the Solana Beach Host Family Program. If neither of these options are available or if you will be arriving after office hours, you will need to find a hotel or hostel for the night. Here is a list of hotels in the area: http://icenter.ucsd.edu/pao/sponsors/hotels.html.

When do I have to move out?

Please check back for updated move-in information for the 2013-2014 school year.  

What if I don't get along with my roommate?

The first step is to speak with your roommate or apartment mate about the problem (e.g. cleaning, noise, etc.) If you haven't, talk to them about a possible solution. If you feel uncomfortable approaching them, you can go to your Resident Advisor (RA) for assistance, or to talk about possible approaches. The Resident Advisor has been trained to assist you in working out roommate conflicts. If the problem persists after the RA has been involved, the Resident Dean’s professional staff can assist in a resolution.

Can I have an overnight guest?

Students can have guests stay overnight for up to three days with prior discussion and approval of their roommates. Guests may not sleep in public areas (e.g. residence hall suite lounges). You must notify your RA when you will have a guest staying overnight for security and emergency reasons.

When will I get my mailbox combination?

You will receive your mailbox combination when you have turned in your room inventory form/move-in checklist to the Residence Life Office after moving in and speaking with your roommates.