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 housing 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
2023-24 Academic School Year
All undergraduate residences have a base rate of $3,749.00 per person, per term. For the purpose of calculating fees, academic terms are defined as:
- Fall Term: September 20, 2023, to December 18, 2023
- Winter Term: December 19, 2023, to March 17, 2024
- Spring Term: March 18, 2024, to June 15, 2024
Fall Term
- Sept. 20, 2023: Housing contract commences at 9 am
- Sept. 20 2023: First-term billing begins
- Dec. 18, 2023: First-term billing ends
Winter Term
- Dec. 19, 2023: Second-term billing period begins
- March 17, 2024: Second-term billing period ends
Spring Term
- March 18, 2024: Third-term billing period begins
- June 15, 2024: Third term housing billing period ends
- June 15, 2024: Housing Contract Terminates at 11am
Lottery for Fall and Summer 2023
- April 10, 2023: Fall lottery housing list of participants available online
- April 13, 2023: 12 pm (noon) deadline to be added to the general lottery housing list
- April 14, 2023: Housing Office posts general lottery numbers
- April 18, 2023: Deadline to apply for Early Unaffiliated Lottery - 12 noon
- April 20, 2023: Round 1-Early Unaffiliated Lottery at 1:30 pm
- April 21, 2023: Housing Office reposts general lottery housing numbers
- April 27, 2023: Affiliated house lottery results due to the Housing Office
- April 28, 2023: Housing Office reposts general lottery numbers & availability left in Bechtel
- May 2, 2023: Deadline to apply for Final Unaffiliated Lottery (groups only) - 12 noon
- May 4, 2023: Round 2- Final Unaffiliated Lottery at 1:30 pm
- May 9, 2023: Summer lottery information and application available online
- May 15, 2023: Summer lottery application due to the Housing Office by 12 pm (noon)
- May 17, 2023: Housing Office posts unaffiliated summer lottery numbers
- May 18, 2023: Summer Lottery appointments
- May 19, 2023: Summer Lottery appointments
- May 31, 2023: Fall and summer housing contracts submission deadline
Contract Cancellation
- Contract Cancellation by August 15, 2023: None
- Contract Cancellation by September 19, 2023: $200.00
- Contract Cancellation on or after September 20, 2023: $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.