UCDC participants live in student apartments and take courses at the UC Washington Center, along with students from eight other University of California campuses. The Center is an eleven-story building located near DuPont Circle, in the heart of Washington, D.C.
UC Washington Center
Students are required to live at the UC Washington Center. Prior to move-in, students will need to sign and submit a housing contract, a legally binding document, which will secure their spot in the program.
The building is home to students, faculty, and staff, with all UCDC courses taught inside the Center. Students from all UC campuses live in the center, along with students from other universities not included in the UC system.
The center currently offers the following amenities:
- Fully furnished apartments:
- 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Living room with TV
- Housekeeping and maintenance services
- High-speed internet
- Fitness center with elliptical, treadmills, and weights
- Computer lab
- Laundry rooms
- Check-out items such as baking supplies, DVDs, a DVD player, shopping carts, etc.
- Recreation room
Facilities and Computing
Classrooms, computer workstations, student lounges, and a small student library are available for your use at the UCDC Washington Center. While the UC Center has good computing facilities, past students in the program have found it to be very helpful to bring their own computers. Students are encouraged to bring laptop computers.
Library Usage
There are many libraries available for your use for research purposes while you are in D.C., including the Library of Congress and Georgetown University Library. For the most part, books may not be checked out of these libraries. You may also find that there are libraries at the location of your internship.
Group Excursions
The UCDC Office of Residential Services may plan group activities and sightseeing trips, pending Covid safety measures.
UCDC Events
UCDC events are intended to enhance your Washington experience, whether for educational, cultural, or social reasons. Students are expected to act safely and appropriately at all times.
Alcohol and Smoking Policy
The legal drinking age in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia is 21. UC Policy prohibits the consumption of alcohol by minors at UC events. Carry-in of alcoholic beverages at UCDC events is not allowed. Students 21 years of age and older are not allowed to purchase drinks for underage students. Any attempt to use false identification in order to purchase alcohol is illegal. Any UC student guilty of misconduct involving alcohol will be subject to disciplinary action. All home campus requirements and regulations apply to UCDC students.
The UC Washington Center is a smoke-free building.
Life at the UC Washington Center
Review the UCDC Residential Life Handbook to learn more about the following:
- About the Rooms
- Building Amenities
- Security
- UC Washington Center Apartment Tour: https://youtu.be/8JVw24LkPOg
Learn more about life in D.C. and at the UC Washington Center in UCDC’s An Intern’s Guide to D.C.
Location
1608 Rhode Island Ave., NW
Washington, D.C.,20036
Phone: (202) 974-6200
Nearby Locations and Services
Monuments and Sites: National Mall, White House, DuPont Circle, National Geographic Museum
Metro Stations: Farragut North, Farragut West, DuPont Circle
Gym: For additional fitness services, you can visit the nearby Washington Sports Club location. Washington Sports Clubs is a local chain of gyms that offer personal training, weight rooms, various fitness classes, and convenient locations in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. You can find more information on their website.
View on maps to see nearby locations and services
What to Know Before You Go
Learn more about D.C. weather here.
In the Intern’s Guide to DC, the UCDC program has provided much-needed information before your departure to the nation’s capital, including banking information, a checklist of what to bring, how to get to the center, resources within the building, transportation, dressing for DC, behavior on the job, vocabulary to know, and cultural activities to participate in. This is a great way to learn more about Washington, DC as a student.
Mailing/Shipping Information: Find out where to ship items prior to arriving in D.C.
- You can only have items shipped to the Center three days before you arrive. Your address is: Your Name, 1608 Rhode Island Ave NW Apt #New Resident, Washington, DC 20036.
- Mailboxes are on the 4th floor. Packages can be picked up from the Residential Services Office mail window, which is the giant, metal-gated window to the right of the mailboxes. We put notices in your mailbox when you receive a package. If you do not have a slip, we either do not yet have your package, or it has not been sorted. Once you have a slip, you may pick up your package.
Other things to keep in mind:
- Plastic bags at grocery stores cost an additional 5-10 cents, so consider reusable bags.
- For more information about DC local transportation, visit UC Davis Washington Program’s Local Transportation Page.
Before you leave, ensure that you have the following items packed or shipped to the center (you can also purchase some of these items when you arrive in D.C.):
- Debit card and/or credit cards
- Vaccine card (if required by program)
- Student ID and California ID (a REAL ID will be required beginning May 3, 2023)
- Medical Insurance Cards and any necessary medications, prescriptions, or documents
- Pillows, extra-long twin size bed sheets, and hangers
- Travel mug and/or water bottle
- Laptop and charger
- Bathroom amenities including towels, blow dryer/straightener, shower shoes
- Professional Outfits (including shoes/socks and belt). Learn more about appropriate dress here.
- Professional bag, purse, or briefcase
- Umbrella, raincoat, and rain-boots (there tend to be many unexpected rainstorms)
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Travel Bag for Weekend trips
- Other clothes including workout attire, pajamas, casual attire, nightlife attire (winter coat, gloves, and boots if you will be in DC during the winter)