Undergraduate Students Living in Washington, D.C.

The UCDC Center

All undergraduate students studying in the Washington, D.C. Programs are required to live at the University of California, District of Columbia Center. The center is located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, close to the Washington University Suite.

Approximately 270 students from eight University of California campuses, as well as Washington University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Notre Dame and University of Michigan Ann Arbor live at the center, sharing courses, extracurricular activities and living space.

The UCDC Center location:
1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 974-6214
E-mail: residentialservices@ucdc.edu

The Center is located between 16th and 17th streets.

Getting to the UCDC Center

The three major airports in the area are:

• Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)
• Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Transportation vendors

Please consult these providers directly for rates and schedules.

• Taxi (202) 331-1671
• Super Shuttle 1-800-BLUEVAN.

Metro

• National Airport: Take the Blue line to Farragut West station.
• Dulles: Board Metrobus 5A, at Rosslyn, transfer to the Blue/Orange line and exit at Farragut West. It is about a ten-minute walk from the Farragut West station on the Orange/Blue line to the UCDC Center.
• BWI: MARC trains, weekday commuter trains or Amtrak trains run from BWI to Union Station approximately every hour. From Union Station, take the Red line on the Metro to the Farragut North station.
  It is about a ten-minute walk north on 17th street from the Farragut North station to the Center.

Driving

There is street and garage parking near the UCDC Center. An outdoor pay surface parking lot is available next door and there are covered garages in the surrounding blocks on M street and 17th Street. Please note: students are not allowed to have a car with them for the semester while in D.C.

Train

If you arrive in D.C. via Amtrak, you will arrive at Union Station. You can take a cab from Union station (usually $10-$15 dollars), or take the metro to Dupont Circle or Farragut North stations.

Move-In

Plan to arrive in D.C. on one of the two designated move-in days. Once you get to the UCDC Center, you must:

• Check-in
• Get your photo taken for your UCDC I.D.
• Attend a mandatory orientation meeting at 7p.m. on the second day of move-in. There is a $50 fine if you do not attend this meeting.
• Undergraduate students must attend an additional meeting following orientation.

Students who arrive in D.C. prior to the scheduled move-in days are responsible for their own lodging until the UCDC center opens for move-in.

Nearby Hotels

If you mention that you are with the UCDC Center you may get a better rate.

• The Beacon Hotel - For information, rates and reservations, please call 1-800-821-4367.
• The Courtyard by Marriott - For information, rates and reservations, please call (202) 293-8000.

Hotel Rouge will give a 15% discount to UCDC guests. Guests can confirm their reservation by using the rate code "UCD."
Hotel Rouge
1315 16th Street, NW
1-800-556-6087

Mailing/Shipping Information

The address for the building is:
UC Washington Center
Your Name
1608 Rhode Island Ave., NW, 4th Fl, Box ___
Washington, D.C. 20036

UCDC will provide you with your box number when you arrive. If you are mailing anything to arrive here prior to your arrival, you can use the above address without the box number.

Important Mailing Information

• Due to limited space, we ask that you do not mail anything to the UCDC Center more than 3 days prior to your arrival.
• Perishable items mailed or shipped to the Center cannot be refrigerated. Please do not send anything that is perishable.
• Due to the volume of student turn-over each semester, the Center cannot forward mail at the end of the semester.
• The U.S. Postal Service will not accept address forwarding cards from 1608 Rhode Island Ave., NW.

Building amenities

The building's fitness center includes lifecycle, small universal weight set, treadmills, stair climbers.

You can also check out student membership rates at local gyms:

• Curves Downtown
• Bally Total Fitness
• Fitness First
• Gold’s Gym International
• Washington Sports Club
• YMCA

Community lounge on the 4th floor

• VCR
• DVD
• surround sound theater speaker system
• 61” TV
• resource library

Laundry facilities on the 4th, 6th and 10th floors:

• $1.00 per wash
• $1.00 for 45 minutes of drying time

Vending machines located on the 1st, 4th, 6th and 10th floors:

• snacks
• soda
• water

A student computer lab is located on the 3rd floor and is open 24 hours a day. Network printers cost 5 cents per page.

Transportation in and around Washington, D. C.

Metro

WMATA (Washington Metro Area Transit Authority) runs busses, metro, shuttles and other systems in the metro D.C. area.

The easiest way to use the system is by purchasing a SmarTrip, a card that can be used on both a bus and a metro. The SmarTrips can be purchased at select metro stations, as well as at local CVS pharmacies for $5.

Benefits:

• will not demagnetize
• insured for the value if lost, broken or stolen
• expedites traveling process by using a "tap” system
• can carry a negative balance for a ride, so you don’t have to worry about always having the right amount on your card
• receives discounts on bus fare

How to refill your card: SmarTrips can be refilled at metro stations, on busses or at select CVS pharmacies or Giant supermarkets. Busses are cash only; metro stations will accept debit or credit card for payment. In order to refill your card, simply tap your card, then add your desired amount, and tap your card again where you see the symbol. The card is electronic.

Lastly, you will receive discounts for transfers between bus and rail or rail and bus with a SmarTrip and free transfers between busses. No transfers are given without a SmarTrip.

Fares for the metro are:

• Peak (5 am-9:30 am and 3-7 pm): $1.95 for most rides
• Peak-of-the-Peak (4:30-6 pm): $2.15 for most rides
• Off-peak (non rush hour): $1.60 for most rides

Fares for the bus are:

• With SmarTrip: $1.50
• Without SmarTrip: $1.70

The UCDC Center can be reached via Metro on the Red or Orange/Blue lines. It is approximately three blocks north up 17th Street (about a ten-minute walk) from the Farragut North Metro station on the Red line or Farragut West on the Orange/Blue line. It is approximately 3 blocks southeast down Massachusetts Avenue (about a fifteen minute walk) from the Dupont Circle Metro station on the Red line.

Maps, schedules, trip planners, and more are available at www.wmata.com.

Taxi

Taxis are available all around Washington, D.C. and run 24 hours a day. Allow ample time for them to arrive. They are on the meter system, but be aware of any extra charges that are added for additional people, luggage, etc.
Diamond Cab: (202) 387-6200