University of the District of ColumbiaStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for University of the District of Columbia. Core organization is free for students.

Public Research University in Washington, DC. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

Free for all University of the District of Columbia students. No credit card required.

4K+

Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

2

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall 2026 Semester

The semester, explained for University of the District of Columbia

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall 2026 Semester
Campus terms
9
Local details
13

Academic calendar

Fall 2026 Semester runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

8 entries
  1. Fall 2026 SemesterRelevant now
  2. Fall 2026 First Eight Week Session
  3. Fall 2026 Second Eight Week Session
  4. Spring 2027 Semester
  5. Spring 2027 First 8-Week Session
  6. Spring 2027 Second 8-Week Session
  7. Summer 2027 First 6-Week Session
  8. Summer 2027 Second 6-Week Session

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

9 terms

3

3003
3003 Van Ness, the primary off-campus apartment complex partnered with the university for student housing.

C

CAB
Campus Activities Board, the student-led group responsible for planning campus events.

F

Firebird Cafe
The main dining hall located within the Student Center (Building 38).
Firebirds
The official mascot and the collective term used to refer to UDC students and athletic teams.

S

SGA
Student Government Association, often used interchangeably with USGA.

T

The Food Court
The retail dining area in the Student Center featuring various fast-food options.
The Plaza
The central outdoor concrete area on the Van Ness campus where students gather and events are held.
The Vintage
An off-campus apartment building located at 3110 Mt. Pleasant St NW used for university-sponsored housing.

U

USGA
Undergraduate Student Government Association, the primary student governing body.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

13 details
Bertie Backus
The UDC Community College campus located at 5171 South Dakota Ave NE.
Blackboard
The Learning Management System (LMS) used by faculty for course materials and assignments.
Building 38
The Student Center, which houses dining, the bookstore, and student life offices.
Building 41
The main academic building housing the library, administrative offices, and classrooms.
Building 44
The science and engineering building on the Van Ness campus.
Building 71
The numerical designation for the Bertie Backus campus building.
fuddruckers_express
Fuddruckers Express
MyUDC
The central web portal for students to access grades, registration, and financial aid information.
OneCard
The official university ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
stack_d
Stack'D
udc_cafe_laurene_s
UDC Cafe (Laurene's)
udc_chick_fil_a
UDC Chick-fil-A
Van Ness-UDC
The Red Line Metro station located directly adjacent to the main campus, serving as the primary transit point.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall 2026 Semester runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
9 approved campus terms and 13 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at University of the District of Columbia

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed
Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for University of the District of Columbia.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at University of the District of Columbia

What the product handles for students.

Syllabus to schedule

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Workload planning

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Free student access

Core organization is free for University of the District of Columbia students. Optional Pro tools are in development.

University of the District of Columbia on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

4

Active Students

5

Syllabi Analyzed

5

Courses on DormWay

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Popular Courses

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Architectural Studio IIIFundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I, LaboratoryFund Hum Anat & Phy I lecturePreservation Rehabilitation Tech 1(Community Design)Quantitative Reasoning

DormWay integrates with University of the District of Columbia's LMS

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Blackboard

Supported

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Life in Washington for University of the District of Columbia Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Washington.

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$1,800

Cost of Living Index

152

Student Population

170,000

City Transportation

Walkability

76

Bikeability

69

Public Transit

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Metrorail, Metrobus, DC Circulator, Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC), Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

Nearest Airports

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid subtropical

Avg Annual Temp

58.3°F

Avg Snowfall

13.7 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Van Ness Main Garage

garage • Open 24/7

Automated facility; only UDC ID holders receive the discounted rate.

Campus News

Latest updates from University of the District of Columbia

Enrollment Climbs 8%, Continuing Multiyear Growth

Fall 2026 enrollment at UDC has grown by 8%, with significant increases among first-time and graduate students across all colleges.

Oct 28, 2026

Read More

UDC Named a Top 25 HBCU by U.S. News & World Report

For the fifth consecutive year, UDC has been ranked among the top 25 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation.

Sep 23, 2026

Read More

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Joins Rauh Lecture at UDC Law

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson discussed equal justice and public service at the Rauh Lecture hosted by UDC Law.

Sep 29, 2026

Read More

LiveSafe App is the primary platform for receiving campus emergency notifications and reporting safety concerns.

LiveSafe App is the primary platform for receiving campus emergency notifications and reporting safety concerns.

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Upcoming Events

What's happening at University of the District of Columbia

DC Board of Elections General 2026

November 1, 2026

Building 56, Heritage Hall

General election activities hosted by the DC Board of Elections.

Registration Begins for Spring 2027

November 10, 2026

Online / Registrar's Office

Course registration for the upcoming Spring 2027 semester starts for all students.

UDC Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet

November 14, 2026

Maggiano's Little Italy, Chevy Chase

Annual banquet to recognize and honor former student-athletes and coaches.

UDC Homecoming 2026: NEST-FLIX

November 14, 2026

Van Ness Campus

Kickoff of the week-long Homecoming celebration featuring student and alumni events.

Women's Basketball vs. Shawnee State

November 21, 2026

E.B. Henderson Sports Complex

Homecoming basketball game; tickets are free for UDC students, faculty, and staff.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at University of the District of Columbia

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

2 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

3003 Van Ness

Room types: apartment

AVA Van Ness

Room types: apartment

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@udc.edu

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