Housing Contract and Lottery
Caltech guarantees housing for first-year and transfer students and offers a wide range of living accommodations for returning students through a lottery. First and second year students are also required to live in campus housing. Every spring, undergraduates must participate in a housing lottery in order to secure housing for the following academic year or summer research period. Please read the lottery procedures thoroughly.
Students
Incoming students are guaranteed housing and will live in one of the 8 undergraduate houses or in the Bechtel Residence. Students have the option to request a permanent assignment in Bechtel before arrival in the fall; otherwise, students will be assigned a temporary housing assignment until the end of Rotation at the beginning of fall term.
If you have a need for special housing arrangements due to a disability, please register for accommodations through Caltech Accessibility Services for Students.
Returning students will participate in a fall lottery process to select housing for the following academic year. Details and a timeline for this process are available near the start of spring term. Additionally, students participating in summer research programs on campus will be able to select housing for summer during a separate summer housing lottery.
Returning students seeking housing after the lottery process has been completed or at any other time during the academic year should email us to inquire about availability.
Caltech students participating in summer research programs on campus or in the local area will be able to select housing for the summer housing period during a separate summer housing lottery process. The summer housing period begins immediately after the spring term housing period and runs the duration of the 10 week SURF research program. Housing outside of these dates is not guaranteed.
Caltech students seeking summer housing after the lottery process is completed or at any time up until the start of the summer contract period should email us to inquire about availability.
Caltech students living on campus during the summer are eligible to request to extend their summer contracts beyond the end of the summer contract period by submitting the Summer Extension/Storage Form.
Contracts
Rates, Fees, & Deadlines
2024-25 Academic School Year
All undergraduate residences have a base rate of $3,899.00 per person, per term. For the purpose of calculating fees, academic terms are defined as:
- Fall Term: September 25, 2024, to December 21, 2024
- Winter Term: December 22, 2024, to March 19, 2025
- Spring Term: March 20, 2025, to June 14, 2025
Fall Term
- Sept. 25, 2024: Housing contract commences at 9 am
- Sept. 25, 2024: First-term billing begins
- Dec. 21, 2024: First-term billing ends
Winter Term
- Dec. 22, 2024: Second-term billing period begins
- March 19, 2025: Second-term billing period ends
Spring Term
- March 20, 2025: Third-term billing period begins
- June 14, 2025: Third term housing billing period ends
- June 14, 2025: Housing Contract Terminates at 11am
Lottery for Fall and Summer 2024
- April 3, 2024: Summer Housing Lottery Application goes live
- April 12, 2024: Summer Housing Lottery Application due by 12 PM (noon)
- April 15, 2024: Housing Office sends lottery appointments to participants
- April 15, 2024: List of Eligible Students Posted
- April 18 - 19, 2024: Summer Lottery Appointments
- April 22, 2024: Deadline to Request to be Added to the Lottery
- April 23, 2024: Lottery Numbers Posted
- April 30, 2024: Round 1 House Assignments Due to Housing Office
- May 6, 2024: Updated Lottery Numbers Posted
- May 13, 2024: Unaffiliated Suite Lottery Application Due
- May 15, 2024: Unaffiliated Suite Lottery Appointments
- May 17, 2024: Unaffiliated Double Lottery Application Due
- May 20-21, 2024: Remaining Unaffiliated Lottery Appointments
- May 31, 2024: Fall and Summer housing contracts submission deadline
Contract Cancellation
- Contract Cancellation by August 15, 2024: None
- Contract Cancellation by September 24, 2024: $200.00
- Contract Cancellation on or after September 25, 2024: $350.00
Room Moving, Checking In, and Checking Out
- Failure to complete check-in procedures at the Housing Office: $100.00
- Failure to complete check-out or room move procedures: $100.00
- Failure to vacate premises by license contract revocation date or expiration date: $300.00/per calendar day
- Surcharge for staying past 5th day of academic ineligibility: $300.00/per calendar day
- Unapproved room move: $100.00
If you are currently living in Caltech housing, you must participate in Caltech's Meal Plan.
If you do not live in Caltech housing and would like to enroll in the meal plan, please contact Dining Services.