Quick Links
When to Arrive
We recommend that new students should arrive in San Francisco, secure housing and be ready to start at UCSF the 1st of September. Classes do not begin until the third week in September, but we have a number of orientation events, bootcamp, journal clubs, lab safety and animal handling classes scheduled during this time. This time will allow you to meet with your graduate advisor and PIs of labs that you may be interested in rotating in, and will also allow you to meet with program administrators to take care of your ID badge, sign stipend paperwork, etc.
Getting Paid
Also see Financial Information. Students receive stipend payments on the first working day of the month. Payments are made one month in arrears, so your first stipend check will be available on October 1. Stipend payments are arranged through the BMS office. You will be asked to sign some paperwork to set up your payments, and you have the option of setting up direct deposit, for which you will need a checking account with a bank in California.
Housing
An email containing detailed information about housing will be distributed in Spring. Briefly:
- allow yourself time to explore the neighborhoods and get to know potential roommates
- the DSCB office has a list of students you may be able to stay with while looking for housing
- If you are interested in campus housing and haven't yet put in your application, please do so ASAP so that you can get on the waiting list. This can be done online in the Housing section of the Campus Life Services website.
- There is plenty of off-campus housing available right around the Parnassus campus. One bedroom apartments are going to be much more expensive than multi-room homes, so it would be a good idea to start looking for roommates early so you can identify the type of housing that will fit your needs and budget. A couple places to start looking for housing are: Off Campus Resources and Craigslist SF. You can narrow your searches by neighborhood as well. Most locations are easily accessible to campus via public transportation and many students/faculty bike to work from all over the city.
- If you look for housing off-campus, Demian can write you a letter to give prospective landlords. This letter verifies that you are a student at UCSF, and gives your income. Contact Demian for more information.
Student Computer Workstation & Student Lounge
The BMS student lounge is located in HSE-1285. All students have access to the BMS office and lounge/conference room. Access is gained using your ID badge. The office/lounge contains seating, refrigerator, water cooler and microwave, all of which you are welcome to use. A student workstation is provided with a computer and a printer that you can use. In addition, with your UCSF student ID and Galen account, you can use the library computers and printers. B/W printing: 14 cents per printed side. Color printing (UCSF only): 30 cents per printed side. The conference room is available to students on an ad hoc basis, but first please check the calendar posted outside the door to be sure someone hasn't scheduled it for classes or meetings. You may contact any BMS staff member to sign up a specific date/time to use the room.
Snail Mail
Communications are generally sent via email, so there is no physical student mailbox. However, if you need to have packages or letters delivered to the BMS office so you can pick them up there, here is the mailing/shipping address.
(your name)
BMS Graduate Program
University of California, San Francisco
513 Parnassus Ave., Room HSE-1285
San Francisco, CA 94143-0505
We will email or call to let you know your delivery has arrived. Once you join a lab, you will pick up your mail there.
Copy Machines
Photocopying is available in the UCSF Library.