I: BSC Membership
Section I: BSC Membership
I.A. Membership Eligibility Categories1
1. Student Status: The status of any registered, full time or half time students working toward an academic degree or teaching certification at a post-secondary school. The BSC recognizes four such subcategories:
- a. University of California, Berkeley Students: Any registered student at UCB as of 5:00pm on the last day UCB normally allows a student to withdraw from the semester in which the student initially joins the BSC. This subcategory includes students in the UCB Freshmen Extension Program3.
- b. Graduate students on filing fee status.
- c. Community College and other Students: Any full time or half time registered student that meets the BSC student status requirement according to the definitions (such as “full or half time” or "trade school accreditation" or “degree program”) used by the specific school attended by the student. Community College students are welcome in the BSC.
- d. Visiting Student Researchers (who are currently enrolled in a degree program and are working to obtain a degree) meet BSC student eligibility requirements. Postdocs and Visiting Research Scholars (who have already obtained a PhD), however, do not meet BSC student eligibility requirements. Updated by Board 5/07/20
- e. Students who take a reduced course load (below half-time) with approval from their institution as a reasonable accommodation or students who can qualify for an exemption from the half/full time status requirements via the Administrative Committee.
[Updated 1.e. per Board #7 (05.01.2025)]
2. Grace Status: The status of any person who does not meet the student status requirements of section I.A.1 but is deemed by the BSC to be part of the student community in accordance with the guidelines below.
- 1. Members may not hold grace status for their first semester in the BSC.
- 2. Administration of grace semester contracts will be done by the Housing Department.
- 3. Members may have a total of six grace semesters, which may be taken before or after graduation. No more than three grace semesters shall be consecutive.
- a. Members on grace status after graduation will have access to the normal self-select, contract renewal, and transfer processes in the BSC, but may not live in properties that require residents to be UC Berkeley students.
- b. Grace after graduation is only available to members who fit all contract eligibility criteria except for student status.
3. Professional Staff Ineligibility
- a. Individuals employed as BSC professional staff are ineligible for BSC membership.
- b. If a current BSC member accepts a professional staff position, they may retain their BSC membership only through the remainder of the contract term for which they accepted employment.
- c. Upon the conclusion of that term, their BSC membership will end, and they may not renew or sign a new membership contract while employed as BSC professional staff.
[Added #3 per SumCom #7 (08.14.2025)]
[Updated per Board #7 (05.01.2025)]
[Updated per Board #6 (04.10.2025)]
I.B. Unit Eligibility
Only UC students may live in units leased from the University. This includes the summer term for Cloyne. In the summer, non-UCB students may reside in Rochdale, Fenwick and Convent.
I.C. Summer Eligibility
Students meeting any of the following requirements may reside as a member in the summer: Any student enrolled for the summer; Any student who met the status requirements of IA1 Student Status or IA2 Grace in the prior Spring; Any student who can document that they will meet the status requirements of IA1 Student Status or IA2 Grace in the following Fall. To be eligible to live in Cloyne, residents must be enrolled in at least 5 units of UCB summer session or must be able to verify that they were UCB students the preceding Spring or will be UCB students the following Fall.
I.D. Rules and Obligations
1. Any member not a full time UC Berkeley Student shall be required to fill out, and turn in to the BSC office a form reporting student status for each semester of residency. Any member whose qualification is deemed debatable by Central Level staff, and members who fail to submit the student status form before the university withdrawal deadline for the semester in which such status is desired, must also obtain the approval of the Administrative Committee before or within the semester in question to continue residency in the BSC or be terminated in bad standing.
2. Each member is obligated:
- a. To pay all bills within the time specified by the proper authorities.
- b. To perform faithfully and as efficiently as possible all work assumed under the workshift system.
- c. To abide by the rules and regulations governing conduct in the house and to maintain and promote fairness and cooperation essential to congenial, comfortable and studious living conditions.
- d. To respect all rights of neighbors and to protect the organization from public censure arising out of individual or group conduct which may be construed as representative of the organization.
- e. To keep their room in a condition satisfactory to the house manager.
3. Any applicant who does not meet or give evidence of intending to meet the above qualifications will have their membership terminated that same semester. Any complaints are to be handled by the Administrative Committee.
4. The Operations Manager or their appointed agent shall be responsible for checking the registration status of all members and distributing proper forms to non-registered student members.
I.E. EAP Exception
EAP students who study abroad but are denied attendance at UCB for a whole year may live in the BSC during the semester that they are not abroad
1. All requirements under I.A. are for regular academic terms (Fall & Spring); see I.D. for Summer requirements.
2. For example, one who has a BA/BS must be enrolled full time in a graduate degree program. A student with an AA must be enrolled full time in a BA/BS degree program.
3. This does not include all UCB Extension students. They only meet requirements on a case-by-case basis.
4. Those wanting a grace semester in a non-consecutive academic term must be approved by AdHoc.
5. Fulfillment of the Non-Academic or Mixed Preparatory Grace requirements must be verified by literature from the degree program stating admission requirements and when possible, by an academic adviser, and a supervisor.