Founded in 1933, the Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC) is the largest student housing cooperative in North America, housing over 1,200 people. Although a private nonprofit corporation, the BSC works in cooperation with the University of California to provide housing for its students.
The mission of the Berkeley Student Cooperative is to provide a quality, low-cost, cooperative housing community to university students, thereby providing an educational opportunity for students who might not otherwise be able to afford a university education. Membership is generally limited to full time students. Most members attend UC Berkeley; however, the co-ops are open to full-time students at any college or university.
About 900 of the BSC’s members live in room-and-board houses scattered around the Berkeley campus that each function as a separate cooperative household with elected managers for room assignment, work organization (housekeeping, food service, etc.), and maintenance. The other 300+ live in apartment complexes where members share 1-4 person apartments and take turns with grounds maintenance and recycling. Food service is not provided by the co-op at the apartments.
Our Board of Directors is made up of students elected by each of our houses. A central support staff of about 25 non-members provides technical information to members as well as oversees day-to-day administration (such as housekeeping applications and organizational financing). We also provide warehousing and support services to individual house food programs.
Communities within the BSC include Andres Castro Arms, African American Theme House, Casa Zimbabwe, Cloyne Court (substance-free, academic theme), The Convent (Graduate & Re-entry students), Davis, Euclid, Hillegass-Parker House (Graduate & Re-entry students), Hoyt (woman-identified only), Kidd, Kingman, Lothlorien (vegetarian), Ridge, Sherman (woman-identified only), Stebbins, Wilde (LGBTQIA & Queer), Wolf, Fenwick, Rochdale, and Northside.
The BSC also maintains an Alumni Association for former members to stay in touch and support the cooperative’s mission. https://www.bscaa.coop/
The mission of the Berkeley Student Cooperative is to provide a quality, low-cost, cooperative housing community to university students, thereby providing an educational opportunity for students who might not otherwise be able to afford a university education.
All members must meet our student status requirements. We do not accept non-students or part-time students.
Tours for prospective members are available, please contact ho*****@*sc.coop For other visits, please contact our VP of External Affairs at vp**@*sc.coop During the summer (June-August) please contact our President at pr*******@*sc.coop
One person or partnership has ultimate authority.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
Each of the 20 communities has a house council, and also elects representatives to the central level board of directors
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Join fee: $50
Labor: Yes
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
We give about $100,000 during the academic year in scholarships.
Each person works 5 hours per week to support the community.
$50
Common House, Large Scale Kitchen, Internet
Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.
Cooperative housing primarily for students, often with shared chores,
meals, and democratic decision-making.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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