Student Identification Cards
Student Identification Cards
The Student ID card (which carries the student's picture, name, student ID number, college affiliation, validation sticker, card access proximity number, and library bar code) is issued to new students during their first quarter on campus. Students who start out living in University housing (and have a signed housing contract) pay $25 for their cards as part of their contract. New students who have not signed a housing contract will have their Student Billing Services account charged $25 during their first quarter on campus.
New students receive their card validated with a quarterly sticker (if all their fees have been paid). Continuing students should go to their department graduate advisor or housing office for their validation sticker. The sticker is available to you once you've paid your fees, and serves as proof that you are registered. Please see the ID Card Services website for more information about quarterly validation stickers.
The validated ID card allows you access to various campus offices and services, including the library, health center, field house, dining halls, and all Santa Cruz County Metro buses. Presentation of your student card is required by the Office of the Registrar for access to records and services. If your card is not functioning properly, please bring it to ID Card Services to be examined. Visit the ID Card Services website for information on replacement cards and their pricing, and their customer service hours.
Student ID Photos
Photos can be submitted following the instructions on ID Card Services' photo submission page. Their customer service hours, and other information, can be found on the IDCS website.
Student ID card photos are also included in the My.UCSC system, and can only be seen by faculty using the faculty center class roster or by staff members with appropriate security. Student photos within the class roster are defined as confidential, intended to assist instructors and authorized staff in identifying students and for no other purpose.
Student Life
The campus offers a variety of programs to enhance the quality of student life, all of which are available to graduate students. These include child care, sports and recreation, health services, cultural events, transportation services, and the UCSC Womxn’s Center. See undergraduate Graduate Student Life for information on these services and a description of the local community. See Disability Resource Center for services available to students with disabilities.
Graduate Student Association
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is recognized by both the UC systemwide and local campus administrations as the voice of the Santa Cruz graduate student community. The GSA serves the collective interests of the graduate students by promoting cooperation among the students of the various departments at UCSC; by representing their concerns to the UCSC faculty, administration, and staff; and by providing advocacy services for the graduate student body. In addition, the GSA holds social events during the academic year and makes available small travel grants for graduate students attending conferences at which they present a paper, or traveling for thesis-related research. Questions about the Graduate Dean's Research Travel Grant program can be addressed to gss-group@ucsc.edu.
The GSA Council consists of one voting member from each graduate department or program. The representatives are elected by the graduate students in some departments, and are volunteers in others. The representatives represent the views of their departments to the council and advise the Executive Council on campus issues. The Executive Council recommends graduate students for appointments to university committees and speaks to the administration on graduate student issues. Each year the council elects a president, an external and an internal vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer.
The GSA is a member of the University of California Student Association (UCSA). The UCSA is a coalition of students and student governments that provides a collective voice for all students through advocacy and direct action. Each government sends one voting member to serve on the UCSA Board of Directors, which then serves as the student voice to the UC Office of the President and the UC Regents. Graduate students may attend GSA Council meetings, either as the official departmental representative or as an interested party. For more information on open positions and GSA meeting times, please visit the GSA website or email us at gsainfo@ucsc.edu.
Graduate Student Commons
The Graduate Student Commons (GSC) was completed in 2001 and is located at the Quarry Plaza, across from the UCSC Bookstore. The goal for this facility is to provide a comfortable and welcoming space that for all graduate students and foster graduate student interaction and a sense of community.
The GSC offers a variety of spaces, including small study rooms, a lounge for social interaction, and a small kitchen. The aim is to make it a resource for graduate students to stop between classes where they may check email, hold office hours, attend or hold a meeting, or join a writing group, for example. The Graduate Student Commons is a dedicated space for graduate students and all graduate students can obtain 24 hour access to the space seven days a week.
The GSC is run by two entities, the Director of Graduate Student Life and the GSC Governance Board (GSCGB). The Director of Graduate Student Life is responsible for the day-to-day management of the GSC, while the GSCGB enacts usage policies of the GSC. The GSCGB is composed primarily of 19 graduate students–president, vice president, treasurer and program coordinator, and 15 regular voting members. GSC Governing Board meetings are held once a month. GSC Governing Board members must attend two out of the three quarterly meetings, serve on a subcommittee (Programming, Outreach or Finance), support committee initiatives, and be present and volunteer at three events per quarter. Voting members may earn a quarterly stipend for their involvement. If you are interested in serving on the GSCGB, please contact the Graduate Commons on our contact page.
The Graduate Student Commons (GSC) hosts a variety of student life well-being programming including personal and professional development, social, health, wellness, and financial events that are designed to help graduate students succeed at UC Santa Cruz, and in the world beyond. The GSC designs these workshops as seminars, panel discussions, community work sessions, social events and adventure outings that are offered throughout the academic year. The GSC believes that a strong support community is important to the development and retention of well-rounded and healthy graduate students. All GSC events are open to all currently enrolled graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Housing
As at all UC campuses, finding housing may be a challenge. Students who wish to reside on campus should submit their application as soon as possible. Likewise, students who wish to live off campus should start looking at available rentals as soon as possible.
On-campus Graduate Student Housing is available for a limited number of graduate students. Visit the Grad Housing website, or email gradhsg@ucsc.edu.
Students with families may apply to live in Family Student Housing, a complex of two-bedroom unfurnished apartments. Refer to the Family Student Housing website, or email fsh@ucsc.edu.
To assist students in locating living accommodations in the surrounding communities, the Community Rentals Office maintains a list of available rentals.
Global Engagement
The Division of Global Engagement facilitates international partnership agreements, international research opportunities for faculty, student global learning programs, international student and scholar support, and globally focused programming. The units within the division include: Global Learning, International Student Services & Programming, International Faculty & Scholar Services, and Global Initiatives. For more information, visit Global Engagement: 103 Classroom Unit Building, (831) 459-2858, email: global@ucsc.edu.
International Student Services & Programming
International Student Services & Programming (ISSP), within the Division of Global Engagement, works with students and departments across campus to bring international students to UC Santa Cruz and offers specialized support while they are here.
ISSP provides visa and immigration advising to F-1 and J-1 international students at UCSC. The team also designs and provides orientation programs, events, and activities to foster intercultural learning, build community, and support cultural adjustment. By supporting international students, ISSP advances campus internationalization. Learn more on the ISSP website.
Study Abroad
Global Learning, within the Division of Global Engagement, provides students with the opportunity to graduate with a study abroad or away experience, which promotes an internationalized campus that cultivates an understanding of our diverse global community and encourages students to engage with other cultures to broaden their perspective and involvement in the world.
Opportunities for studying abroad or away include the UC Santa Cruz faculty-led Global Seminars, internship programs, and exchange programs, as well as additional opportunities through the UCDC Washington program and UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), just to name a few. Learn more on the Global Learning website.