Frequently Asked Questions

A private residence hall is one that is owned and operated by a private company instead of a college or university. At Tropicana Del Norte, we are dedicated to providing the best possible college living experience for our residents. We sponsor a large number of social, recreational and community events each year and are committed to providing an environment where our residents can establish strong personal relationships and excel in their academic and athletic pursuits.

Tropicana Del Norte is centrally located directly adjacent to the main UCSB campus, on the edge of the lively college community of Isla Vista. We’re a leisurely 10-minute walk from the beach, a 5-minute bike ride to most classes, and on a direct bus route to nearby shopping and entertainment.

Street Address:
6525 El Colegio Road
Goleta, California 93117

Contact:
Phone (805) 968-0351
Fax (805) 961-9702
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Driving directions to Tropicana Del Norte from the south:

1. Take the Ventura Freeway (101) north. Exit at Los Carneros (it is past the UCSB exit), turn left towards the ocean.
2. Follow Los Carneros until it dead-ends at a stoplight on the corner of Los Carneros and El Colegio Road. Turn left on El Colegio Road.
3. Continue past Embarcadero Del Norte and make a right into the Tropicana Del Norte parking lot just past the Tropicana Del Norte building.

From the north:

1. Take the Ventura Freeway (101) south. Exit at Los Carneros, turn right towards the ocean.
2. Follow Los Carneros until it dead-ends at a stoplight on the corner of Los Carneros and El Colegio Road. Turn left on El Colegio Road.
3. Continue past Embarcadero Del Norte and make a right into the Tropicana Del Norte parking lot just past the Tropicana Del Norte building.

Front desk hours:

Monday-Thursday: 8AM-11PM
Friday: 8AM-1AM
Saturday: 10AM-1AM
Sunday: 10AM-11PM

Business office hours:

9AM-5PM

Tropicana Del Norte is one mile closer to the Main Campus than Santa Catalina Residence Hall which houses approximately one-third of the freshman class. We are located directly adjacent to UCSB at El Colegio and Campus Road. You can walk or bike to class and you don’t have to take a bus.

It takes approximately five minutes to bike to class, and 10-15 minutes to walk to class depending on where your class is located. If you are biking to Campbell Hall, Phelps Hall, Engineering Science, Chemistry, Cheadle Hall, North Hall, Student Affairs and Administration Services, Ellison, Buchanan, Davidson Library, Broida Hall, Webb Hall, Noble Hall, Psychology, or Kerr Hall your bike ride time will be roughly five to ten minutes. If you are biking to the UCEN, Arts, Snidecor Hall, Events Center, Music, Student Resource Building, or Girvetz Hall your biking time will be roughly five minutes.

With only 51 suite-style units built around a courtyard, we are a small and friendly community where it is easy to meet people. Our 3 bedroom/2 bathroom suites have much more space than a typical dorm room and feel like an apartment. There is a shared living room and your bathroom is in your suite, not down the hall. Our onsite cafe offers unlimited all day dining -- no need to count meals or walk to a campus dining common. Residents enjoy our resort-style amenities such as a heated swimming pool, fitness center, study lounge, rec room, massage room, tanning booth and private movie theater. Our RAs organize dozens of social and recreational programs every quarter.

Our prices are a better value since they include unlimited dining. We have singles, doubles, triples and quad bedrooms -- your choice, depending on your budget.

Updated as of April 2, 2013. Tropicana Del Norte prices valid through May 1, 2013. All rates are per person.

No, UCSB does not require that you live on campus your freshman year.  You can choose to live off-campus in a private residence hall or apartment.  If you choose to live at Tropicana Del Norte Residence Hall you will be one mile closer to your classes than if you are assigned to Santa Catalina, the UCSB Residence Hall that houses one-third of the freshman class.  You will be equidistant to the rest of campus if you are placed in any other UCSB Residence Hall.

Many residents take the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) bus to and from nearby shopping and downtown activities. With a student ID card, it is free to ride any MTD bus. There is a southbound bus stop next to our parking lot and a northbound bus stop directly across El Colegio Road. For more information, please visit www.sbmtd.gov.

• Bank of America ATM is located off of Embarcadero Del Norte, across the street from Woodstock's.
• Chase Bank and ATM is located on the corner of Embarcadero Del Norte and Pardall.
• Montecito Bank & Trust branch is located at Hollister and Storke with drive-thru ATM and with ATMs on the UCSB campus inside the Coral Tree Café next to Cheadle Hall and inside the Courtyard Café.
• Santa Barbara Bank & Trust branch is located at the Camino Real Marketplace.
• Wells Fargo ATM is located off of Pardall near the Starbucks and Subway shopping center. Another one located near the UCEN on the UCSB campus.

Located on Storke Road, Camino Real Marketplace is your best bet for all basic shopping needs. The shopping center includes Home Depot, Staples, Costco, Best Buy, Sports Authority and Ross. You can find this marketplace by going west on El Colegio and turning right onto Storke Road; it will be located a few blocks down on your left-hand side. In addition, K-Mart is located across the street from Camino Real Marketplace. Bed Bath and Beyond is located off of the Fairview exit.

You can find a couple of restaurants in Isla Vista like Freebirds (Mexican), The Habit (burgers) Woodstock's Pizza, Subway, Silvergreen's, Sam's to Go (sandwiches), Southcoast Deli, Dominos, and Sushiya (sushi). In Camino Real Marketplace you can find an array of nice restaurants. They include: Mika Sushi, Gina's Pizza, Sweet Alley, Anna's Bakery, Chili's, Kahuna Grill, Baja Grill, Blenders in the Grass, Starbucks, Hollister Brewing Company, Pasteria, and McDonald's.

Please call our front desk at (805) 968-0351, e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or click on the live chat icon on our webpage. Our Executive Director, Associate Director of Residence Life and Leasing Director, can all be contacted through the front desk.

Customer Service/Desk positions and jobs in the café are available to students. Resident Assistants are chosen in February-March for the following school year.

Each contract includes an unlimited meal plan for the academic year, internet connection (wired and wireless), basic cable television, all utilities (with the exception of telephone), light housekeeping twice monthly, and access to all of the amenities provided (fitness center, tanning bed, massage table, movie theater, study lounge, laundry room, rec room).

Changes can be made. However, they are only accepted in writing or through e-mail by the resident or guarantor. CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE OVER THE PHONE. Please contact Laura Versola at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We take check, cash, and Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit card payments in our office or through My Trop Account on our website (click on the Accounts tab,  then select "Make A Payment" in the left column). Mail payments can be sent to our Tropicana Student Housing Business Office located in Tropicana Gardens at 6585 El Colegio Rd, Goleta, CA 93117. If you wish to make a contract payment with a credit card, you can do so in person at the Tropicana Del Norte front desk, or online.

Yes. Tropicana Del Norte offers academic year contracts of 9 months as well as 1 quarter, and 2 quarter contracts. If you are interested in any contract other than the Academic Year contract you need to contact Laura Versola by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information. You may apply for the Winter or Spring quarter during the academic year, as there may be vacancies available.

BEFORE THINKING OF CANCELLING -- HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:

1. Try resolving any issues you may have with roommates that may be potentially causing conflict?
2. Have you tried including a Resident Assistant or another Tropicana Staff member to help resolve any potential conflicts?
3. Have you considered requesting a room change (Note: there is a $200 room move fee)?
4. Have you considered placing an ad on Craigslist, UCSB's Housing Site, to see if someone would be willing to take over your contract?

Tropicana Student Housing has a cancellation policy as follows:

A. Cancel by June 30, 2013 - $500.00 cancellation fee
B. Cancel between July 1, 2013 - July 31, 2013 = $1,500.00 cancellation fee (plus pro-rated daily rate, if any)
C. Cancellation between August 1, 2013 - first day of the contract = $2,500.00 cancellation fee (plus pro-rated daily rate, if any)
D. Cancel after the first day of the contract - The greater of $2,000.00 or 50% of the remaining contract (based on the pro-rated daily rate) fee

Notes about the Cancellation Policy:

1. Student/Guarantor has the right to find an acceptable replacement student that Tropicana Student Housing agrees is a suitable replacement to avoid paying cancellation fee. A $500.00 Administrative Fee will be assessed for lease takeovers.
2. If you cancel your contract, to finalize your bill, we will take the following steps: (a.) We will calculate the total contract amount for the year and prorate the number of nights responsible during the contract.  (b.) We will  then add the cancellation fee according to the date of the cancellation. (c.) We add the cancellation fee, plus the nightly rate and number of days in contract and add any other fees or outstanding balances remaining on your account to determine your final account balance.
3. If you cancel your contract, you lose the right to park at our facility or to resell your space, and you will not be refunded any money for parking.
4. Your Tropicana Student Organization Fee will be forfeited.
5. Your security deposit will be returned less the $50.00 cleaning fee and any other damage charges and outstanding balances. (The $50.00 cleaning fee includes steam cleaning of the carpet and normal cleaning, but does not include removal of items, etc.)
6. Once you have checked out, signed a cancellation form and your account is paid in full, you will be relieved of your contractual duties.

Note: If you are a member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty and receive change-of-station orders to permanently leave the local area; are returned to active military duty; or are a national guard or reservist called to active duty, then you may terminate the Contract by giving written notice to us from the US Government.

Residence Halls traditionally close for the Thanksgiving holiday, Winter Break (includes Christmas and New Year's) and Spring Break. If you are unable to go home during UCSB's academic breaks because of school, athletic or work obligations, you may make arrangements to stay at Tropicana Del Norte. Requests must be made in advance at the front desk and are approved on a case by case basis. Please note that there is a fee of $50 per day and there is no food service during academic breaks. We are open Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. Please see our Academic Year Calendar. Please note that Academic Calendars are different for SBCC and UCSB.

There are two options for students to move in early. The first option is that residents can pay a fee to move in up to two days early. If you are interested in this early move in option, please CLICK HERE

The second option is the TEMPO, Tropicana Early Move-in Program and Orientation program.

Trop Early Move-In Program and Orientation (TEMPO) starts Tuesday the week before UCSB move in. TEMPO is an orientation program that covers the top 10 important things concerning incoming freshmen, including healthy eating, dealing with relationships, touring the campus, getting books, finding classes, field trips around the city and getting to know 60+ other Trop students. If you are interested in TEMPO, please click here to register.

Tropicana Student Organization (TSO) is a group of residents that contributes ideas and votes on how to spend a budget of over $35,000. Some of the $150 activity fee that is paid at the beginning of the year goes towards this budget. TSO approves how this budget is spent. All residents are invited to participate in TSO and run for positions such as President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Quad Representatives at the beginning of the year.

By definition, a security deposit is money paid in advance of a transaction to protect seller or renter against damage or non-payment. The $350 dollar payment at the beginning of the year is refunded, less a $50 cleaning fee, if the room is in the exact shape as it was before the residents moved in. A Room Condition Report (RCR) is done at the beginning of the year by our summer staff, as well as when each resident moves in. The purpose of the RCR is to document any damages that in the room prior to any residents moving in. This prevents money getting deducted from the security deposit that were not the fault of the residents. The amount refunded from the security deposit depends on the extent of damages caused throughout the year. A damage in any location of the suite is divided by the amount of residents that live in the suite. For example, in a 6-person suite, damage in the living room (a common area for all 6 residents) is divided by six, while a damage in the double bedroom is divided by 2 (amongst the people that live in said bedroom). Unless a resident takes responsibility for any damages, each person in the suite is charged from their security deposit for a damage.

Each suite has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms

A bedroom - single or small double
B bedroom - double (The A & B bedrooms share one bathroom)
C bedroom - triple, or quad (The C bedroom has its own bathroom)

Our Typical Suite Layout:

Yes, both men and women live in the same building together. The individual suites house only men or women, with the opposite gender potentially living in an adjacent suite or quad.

New residents will be able choose their suite or room though our online Roommate Matching and Room Selection service. Room choices will become available in late summer. As a returning resident at Tropicana Student Housing, you have the ability to choose your room and/ or suite preference.

Once your contract has been accepted, we will use your Profile to match you with compatible roommates or you can find your own roommates by comparing profiles with other Trop residents. To use this feature, log in to My Trop Account. Choose your Term under the Application Tab, then click on Roommate Profile in the left column. Set up your own Profile

Screen Name (for privacy reasons, we recommend using a nickname). Enter a short description of yourself that will be viewable by potential roommates. You may search for roommates in three ways:

1. Know who you want to room with? Search by first and last name, email and birth date.
2. Search by Profile, selecting which questions are most important to you.
3. Browse through other student profiles and see your compatibility score with them.

Find someone interesting as a potential roommate? Send a message, using this feature as a sort of interview for each other.  Only your screen name is used during this interaction, so if you decide not to room with that person, your privacy is still protected. Once you find a good match, you can choose to room together by clicking “Accept” or “Decline” on the Roommate Matching page. Please remember that roommate request must be mutual and accepted by both people for us to place two people together.

There are two bathrooms in each suite shared by 3-4 people. Bathrooms are not co-ed.

All bedrooms come with privacy locks installed.

Your 3-Bedroom suite comes furnished as follows:

LIVING ROOM
Sofa, 2 chairs, coffee table, side table and large-screen TV

SINGLE IN A BEDROOM
Twin XL bedframe and mattress
1 large dresser
1 desk and desk chair

SMALL DOUBLE IN A BEDROOM
2 Twin XL bedframes and mattresses
(bunked due to space)
2 small dressers
1 shared desk and desk chair*

DOUBLE IN B BEDROOM
2 Twin XL bedframes and mattresses
2 large dressers
2 desks and desk chairs

TRIPLE IN C BEDROOM
3 Twin XL bedframes and mattresses
3 large dressers
2 desks and desk chairs to share*

QUAD IN C BEDROOM
4 Twin XL bedframes and mattresses
(must be bunked due to space)
3 small dressers
2 desks and desk chairs to share*

BATHROOMS
Shower curtain liners are provided

* Shared desks are at the request of the majority of students that have lived with us in the past, to allow as much space in the room as possible. We will honor requests to add a desk/chair. We HIGHLY recommend waiting for 2 weeks until after move in to determine if the desk/chair is really needed.

If you bring your own furniture, note that the furniture provided by Trop must stay in your suite.

Things that you should bring are sheets (extra long twin), blankets, pillows, pillowcases, bedspread, towels, washcloths, toilet paper, alarm clock, computer, radio, beach towel, answering machine, bicycle, bike lock, iron, non-halogen study lamp, and toiletries. You may also want to bring a TV, personal items, laundry soap, and a personal refrigerator which does not exceed 3.8 L. All rooms have blinds on the windows and all bedrooms are carpeted.

Pianos, organs, drums, electric guitars, hookahs, guns, weapons, dart boards, pets, candles, incense, water beds and fire arms/explosives are not allowed at Tropicana Del Norte. Cooking equipment is not needed.

All suites come furnished with a microwave and refrigerator. Please know that cooking is not permitted in the suites. Coffee makers are allowed. Rice cookers, hot oil popcorn poppers, open coil heating devices and blenders are not allowed.

Yes, there is an Ethernet connection in each suite. Each resident may have several devices (laptop, smartphone) registered on our wireless connection.

Tropicana has an outside provider named Pavlov Media that hosts all of our Internet-related questions. Tropicana has both wireless and hard-wired Internet for your convenience. The Pavlov Media staff is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Their number is 1-888-472-8568 and their website is www.pavlovmedia.com.

With our 500 Mb of bandwidth, Tropicana should have high-speed service with excellent coverage. However, if you do experience slowdowns or other issues, be sure to email our Director of Technology at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if and when you experience any Internet issues, giving as much detail as possible (date/time, computer & browser used, wired vs. wireless, etc.).

There is a 24-quiet hour study lounge located on property. In addition, there are other study buildings on the UCSB campus.

Yes, if you choose to have a landline, wiring is available. The telephone line is an additional cost. You must provide your phone number to us as soon as you register.

We have vehicle parking above ground and underground available for sale, and plenty of bike parking. For parking information please contact Laura Versola at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please note prices will not be available until early August with move-in information.

Tropicana Del Norte has an on-site laundry facility which is located adjacent to the cafeteria. One load of laundry will cost $2.00 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Our laundry machines are card operated only. You will receive a laundry card upon move-in and can add money to it throughout the year using cash or a credit/debit card; the credit card add-value machine is located in the laundry room and the cash add-value kiosk is at the front desk. Our washers and dryers will e-mail you a message when your laundry is done, if requested.

Yes, our housekeeping staff will provide light housekeeping services twice a month. Light housekeeping includes: vacuuming, dusting, bathroom cleaning and emptying the trash can. If a suite is too dirty, housekeeping reserves the right not to clean it.

We have staff that takes care of any maintenance problems residents may have, from a broken window to a faulty toilet. Just come down to the front desk or log into My Trop Account and fill out a Maintenance Request. If the issue is an after hour emergency, please contact the Tropicana Del Norte RA Duty cell phone at (805) 637-5046.

Residents under 21 years of age may not consume alcohol at Tropicana Del Norte. Residents over 21 years of age may consume alcohol in their room but not in the presence of minors or in public areas. If we become aware that alcohol is being consumed, it is considered public, visible, and in violation of this policy. By contract, any staff members who witness this (by sight, smell, or noise) may enter and search the suite and/or room for policy violations.

Guests are welcome up to three days in a fourteen day period if all suite-mates are in agreement, with the exception of Halloween, when no guests are allowed on the property. You will find out more about this from your RA during a suite meeting during your first month here at Trop.

Tropicana Del Norte is a 100% smoke-free building. However, we do have a designated smoking area located in our outside parking lot.

The Community Standards can be found in the Tropicana Student Housing Student Handbook, located online. Each resident will also receive an orientation to our community standards during the Town Hall meeting on move-in day and during a suite meeting with their RA during the first month of school.

Students must use their suite key to enter the building, or go through the front office when open. RAs secure the building each evening. In addition, RAs perform community walks of the facility in the evenings on a regular basis. Many staff members live on site and are available 24-hours a day.

The Front Desk can assist if you are locked out. There is no charge for the first three lockouts per quarter. Starting with the fourth lockout there is a $5.00 key charge. If the key is permanently lost, there is a $25.00 replacement fee.

The best place to start is with your Resident Assistant (RA), who is a student staff member living on your floor. The Director of Residence Life and the Executive Director are professional staff members who focus on the students' concerns while living at Trop. There are also services on campus available to serve students such as Counseling and Career Services staff, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Advisors, Student Health Center, and Academic Advisors.

Tropicana Del Norte only offers an unlimited, all day meal plan, which is already included in the total contract rate. There is no need to count or keep track of your meals. Through Bon Appétit Management Company, we offer one of the finest university dining service programs available. Each meal is prepared daily with a strong emphasis on nutrition using fresh, grade-A ingredients. A variety of menu items are offered at each meal, including low-fat, vegetarian, and vegan options. A salad bar and fresh-baked desserts are offered daily. Our menu is listed and updated weekly in the café. For daily menu updates, follow us on Twitter (@tropcafe).

When you enter the café at Tropicana Del Norte, which is located on the ground floor across from the swimming pool, you go to the check stand by the entrance and place your finger on the scanner. This registers you and will allow you into the café.

We work hard to accommodate a wide variety of tastes and needs. Each meal is properly labeled and offers at least one vegetarian meal option. It is best to alert Jeremy Glennon, Bon Appétit General Manager, to your needs. A copy of the weekly menu is available. Jeremy Glennon can be reached at (805) 968-2501.

Monday- Friday

The café is open from 6:45am-8:00 pm Monday-Thursday and 7:00am-7:00pm on Friday with hot meals served at the following times:

Hot Breakfast: 6:45am - 9:15am
Continental Breakfast: 9:15am -11:15am
Lunch: 11:15am-1:15pm
Snack: 1:15pm - 5:00pm
Dinner: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Grill: 7:00pm - 8:00pm (Mon. - Thurs. only)

There will be a salad bar, sandwich bar, and various other quick serve items available for your convenience during the times in between the hot-meal hours.

Saturday and Sunday:

Continental Breakfast: 8:00am-10:00pm
Brunch: 10:00am-12:30pm
Snack: 12:30pm - 5:00pm
Dinner: 5:00pm-7:00pm

If you will miss a meal, be sure to schedule a late meal or sack lunch in advance with the café.

The Trop meal plan is only valid at our onsite café at Tropicana Del Norte and at Tropicana Gardens (2 blocks away).

Yes, your friend may purchase a meal for $13 at the Café.

Non-residents are welcome to purchase meal cards. Meal Card are: 10 meals for $100.00, 20 meals for $190.00.

No, pricing is the same for all students.

No, international students are welcome to stay at Tropicana Del Norte during all academic breaks as we realize it is much harder for international students to travel home or to arrange alternate housing.

All early arrival scheduling can be arranged through Laura Versola, the Director of Leasing, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tropicana has summer camps moving in immediately upon closing of the academic year, but we may be able to accommodate you. If you will be departing later than the closing date of Tropicana Del Norte please contact Laura Versola, the Director of Leasing, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Every year we house more than 50 international students at Tropicana. We have welcomed residents from all over the world including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and many more.

Most international residents choose to live with Americans, but depending on how late or early you apply for a contract, your housing situation may differ. In our three Tropicana communities we house around 1,000 students, so you will be surrounded by people from all around California, the United States, and other countries.

When you arrive at Tropicana, you will meet your Resident Assistant (RA) for the year. Your Resident Assistant is responsible for assisting you with any issues related to your suite or roommates.

Programs are held at Tropicana Del Norte every week. When you arrive, speak to your Resident Assistant for details about upcoming trips. Past programs include trips to Disneyland, Big Bear and Six Flags.

Yes. Most UCSB students bike to class, as it is the most convenient form of transportation to and from school. Tropicana Del Norte has a bike loan program in which all international students receive a bike for free upon check-in. Many residents take the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) bus to and from downtown Santa Barbara and the nearby Camino Real Marketplace. With a UCSB student card, it is free to ride any MTD bus. The 24x bus line south takes you downtown and 24x heading north takes you to Camino Real Marketplace.