Imagine walking from bed to class in your pajamas. A near-zero commute is just one of the reasons that living on the San Francisco State University campus translates to academic success and a fast track to graduation. Application for student housing at SFSU for 2025 – 2026 opened March 3 at 9 a.m.
All freshman applicants who have accepted their admission offer and submitted the housing application with their initial payment are guaranteed a bed in one of the University’s seven residential communities; new transfer students and continuing students must accept their admission offer and submit a housing application with their initial payment by Sunday, April 6, to receive a guarantee. All units are all-inclusive: fully furnished with Wi-Fi and utilities. They also offer exclusive student services, study spaces and shorter license terms than the standard 12-month duration on the rental market.
“I feel it’s very beneficial to live on campus as a student — especially if it’s one of your first years away from home,” student Keely said. “It’s just nice to have others who are going through the same experience as you and who are able to relate with you about being a student and going through the college life.”
SFSU research has found that students who live on campus are more likely to take additional units each semester. Their four-year graduation rate is 58% higher than students who live off campus. Additionally, first-year students who live on campus achieve a grade-point average 10% higher than those who live off campus.
Based on a new survey of SFSU students and families compiled by Know Research and Lexicon & Line, more than two-thirds of first-year and returning residents find that living on campus has improved their academics. More than three-fourths of parents state that living on campus has improved their students’ academics.
SFSU’s campus and residential community are equipped with security, including 24/7 availability for on-campus police and Residential Life staff, key access to all residential buildings, lighted pathways, emergency phones and a free accompanied safe-walking service.
“At San Francisco State University, you can have peace of mind knowing that your student is in a safe living and learning environment where they are poised to grow professionally and personally,” said Jeny V. Patiño, associate vice president for Housing, Dining and Conference Services. “With a scenic location just one mile from the beach and free public transit throughout the Bay Area for students, a world of opportunity awaits outside your door.”
A reduced-rate student housing program for first-time freshmen launched last year. The first program of its kind in the CSU system, it provides reduced rates for 725 students in any of the residential communities available to first-time freshmen who meet the qualifications to receive a Cal Grant A or B financial aid award.
Photo Credit: Juan Montes
SFSU’s residential communities:
West Grove Commons opened in fall 2024. The 751-bed, six-story building for freshmen covers 120,000 square feet. Each floor is designed “pod-style,” including a shared all-gender bathroom and study and lounge spaces. The Towers at Centennial Square is a 16-story high-rise with one- and two-bedroom suites for freshmen and sophomores. Rooms are double or triple occupancy with a private bathroom, kitchenette and a living and dining area. Towers Junior Suites is a five-story building with partial suites, all for freshmen. Rooms are double occupancy and include a private bathroom. The Village at Centennial Square, which opened in 2001, features two- and three-bedroom apartments for junior/senior transfer students and international students. Rooms are single or double occupancy with a private bathroom, full kitchen and a living and dining area. Manzanita Square, built in 2020, is a mixed community for sophomores, juniors, seniors and transfer students interested in living year-round. This community offers apartment-style living: private bathrooms, full kitchen, and a living and dining area, with single and double occupancy available. The eight-story building also features lounge and study spaces, a gym and a community courtyard. University Park North was built in the 1950s as the Stonestown Apartments before being purchased by SF State in 2005. It is a mixed community for junior and senior continuing students and graduate students. It has apartments of one, two and three bedrooms. Rooms are single or double occupancy with private bathroom(s), a full kitchen and a living and dining area. University Park South, enmeshed with the Parkmerced apartment community next door to campus, is for junior and senior continuing students. It has apartments of one, two and three bedrooms. Rooms are single or double occupancy with private bathroom, a full kitchen and a living and dining area.Students will move into their new campus residences at SFSU in mid-August. Apply early for on-campus housing, as spaces are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Learn about on-campus housing and apply online.
Latest SF State News V2
- Gators take the lead: SFSU alumni make political history in 3 Bay Area citiesRobin López and his family attend his mayoral swearing in ceremony at Albany City Hall in December. Two alums sworn in as mayor, another as city council member Three San Francisco State University alumni made history in late 2024 after two were sworn in as mayors and another won a city council seat. Robin López (B.S., ’15) became the first person of Latino and mixed-Indigenous (Purépecha) ancestry to serve as the mayor of Albany. Eddie Flores (MBA, ’19) is the first Salvadoran immigrant mayor in South San Francisco and in the history of the Bay Area. Belle La (B.A., ’04) is the first Asian American elected to Pleasant Hill’s city council. Elected in 2022, López and Flores rotated into the mayoral seat of their respective cities in positions they’ll hold for a year. Meanwhile, La ran and won her Pleasant Hill city council seat. Getting involved in local politics, they said, was about more than just solving problems in their communities. It was also about showing future generations what’s possible. “If we don’t see people who have similar experiences or shared values and cultural experiences, it’s really hard to project ourselves into those spaces,” López said. The whole community benefits from a government that’s reflective of the community, López added. “It’s more than the color of someone’s skin, or their national origin. It’s bringing in different experiences, different cultural perspectives to that decision-making table,” he added. “Sometimes when we think about solutions, we don’t always consider the impact it may have on someone, the way they live or the way they go about their lives. Having this type of representation as a leader of a community can go a long way.” All three alums recently shared their journeys to public office with SF State News, offering advice to students interested in serving their communities.
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