Campus Tours

The best way to discover UC San Diego is to see it for yourself. Take a walking tour that introduces you to the heart of the campus and get the student perspective from your College Ambassador tour guide.

We offer tours for prospective students and for groups, and options for additional presentations or information sessions following the tour. See details below, with links to reserve your tour.

Find out more about UCSD tours and related information:

• Triton tours for individuals - prospective students and families
• School group tours - groups of 20 or more
• Spend the day on campus
• Special accommodations
• Driving directions and parking
• Job opportunities (for current students)

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The Triton Tour

The Triton tour is for prospective students and parents/ family members.

• A walking tour that lasts approximately 90 minutes
• Available Monday through Saturday except for holidays.
• Start time is 11 a.m.
• Make your Triton Tour reservation, and we'll send you an email confirmation.

Note: When the university is closed for holiday observance on a Monday or Friday, tours will not be offered on the holiday, or on the Saturday preceding or following the holiday. These include standard holidays, plus special campus events such as the Sun God Festival in mid-May.

Are you ready for detailed information about admission requirements? You'll want to attend the Admissions Information Session after the tour.

• Sessions are conducted by a UCSD Admissions Officer
• Sessions begin at 1:15 p.m. and last about 45 minutes

There's so much to see here at UC San Diego, and our campus tours don't include visits to classrooms or residence halls. Take a virtual tour of typical residence hall rooms or on-campus apartments online. Or plan ahead and visit classes in session (PDF).

Our walking tours include some hills and steps, so seniors and children might find it a bit challenging. There's always something to do on campus or in the immediate vicinity - take a look. And if you or someone in your family needs special accommodations, let us know.

Reserve my tour!

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School Group Tours

Group tours are for students from elementary, middle school, high school, and community college, or from service clubs, in groups of 20 or more. (Other groups-alumni, adult service clubs, corporations-will enjoy the public tour, on foot or by bus.)

Group tour details:

• Walking tour that lasts approximately 60 minutes
• Available Monday - Friday, except for holidays
• Tours start at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Make your group reservation here. We'll send you an e-mail confirmation.

Note: When the university is closed for holiday observance on a Monday or Friday, tours will not be offered on the holiday, or on the Saturday preceding or following the holiday. These include standard holidays, plus special campus events such as the Sun God Festival in mid-May.

Are you ready for more details about admissions requirements? High school and college groups can sign up for an Admissions Information Session with a UCSD Admissions Officer and/ or a Student Panel with current UC San Diego students, for a Q & A session that covers what prospective students really want to know about being a student at UC San Diego. Both presentations follow the walking tour – please e-mail the Campus Tours Coordinator to make these arrangements.

Group tour reservations must be made 2 weeks in advance.

Reserve my tour!

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Spend the day on campus

The campus tour is a great introduction to UC San Diego. Plan to spend some time beyond the heart of the campus. We have a 3-page guide with suggestions for fun, food, and entertainment. For more information, download the planning PDF.

Want to attend a class? At the beginning of each quarter, we post a list of UC San Diego classes open for prospective students listed by days of the week and time. Classes are not open during tests or exams. For more information, download the class list PDF.

If you're interested in another kind of tour, for example an in-depth look at the Geisel Library, just ask. For summer visitors, on-campus housing for prospective students and their families is available from mid-June until Labor Day. Single or double rooms, as well as apartments, are available. Request additional information from Housing's guest reservations. We are unable to provide overnight accommodations or meals for school groups.

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Special accommodations

If you are an individual with a disability and need tour accommodations, please check the box on your reservation form. We'll then invite you to contact the Campus Tour Coordinator directly to discuss how we can help make your visit more enjoyable. Please allow at least 2 weeks before your visit so we may assist you.

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Driving directions for the Triton Tour

Your campus tours depart from the Triton Center at the Student Services Center, courtyard level, on the corner of Myers and Rupertus (map).

Due to construction in progress on campus, parking spaces fill up quickly, and some lots may close. Check this page 1 or 2 days before your scheduled campus tour to get the latest parking information.

Be sure to allow enough time to deal with parking or freeway traffic. Parking at a meter will not give you enough time for the tour or the tour and information session combined. Saturday parking directions are different from weekday directions because administrative offices are closed; parking is free on weekends.

Note: Obey the posted signs and restrictions, as citations will be issued for illegal parking.

Weekday tours (Monday through Friday)

From Interstate 5, traveling north or south

• Take the Genesee Avenue exit and go east.
• Turn right on Campus Point Drive.
• Turn right on Voigt Drive.
• Park in lot P 702, which is opposite the Preuss School.

Finding the Student Services Center

• Purchase a parking permit ($8/day) from the permit machine, and find the shuttle stop.
• Take the East/ Regents shuttle, which runs approximately every 10 minutes.
• Let the driver know you need to get off at the Price Center.
• Walk into the Price Center through the automatic doors next to the post office.
• Go straight through the atrium, passing restaurants on your left.
• Exit the Price Center, go down the stairs, and you will be facing the Student Services Center.
• The Student Services Center is located at the corner of Myers and Rupertus. The Campus Tours Office is located on the 1st floor in the Triton Center.

Weekend tours (Saturdays)

From Interstate 5, traveling north:

• From interstate 5, take the Gilman Drive exit.
• Turn left onto Gilman Drive.
• Continue on Gilman Drive past the stop sign at Russell Lane to the next stoplight.
• Turn left into Gilman Parking Structure.
• You may also park in Parking Lot 406, located past the Gilman Parking Structure on the left-hand side.

From Interstate 5, traveling south:

• From interstate 5, take the La Jolla Village Drive exit.
• Turn right onto La Jolla Village Drive.
• Turn right onto Villa La Jolla Drive.
• Continue to the end of the street.
• Park in the Gilman Parking structure at the corner of Villa La Jolla Drive and Gilman Drive.

Finding the Student Services Center

• Walk north along Russell Lane.
• Turn left onto Rupertus Lane.
• Continue until your reach the corner of Myers Drive and Rupertus Lane. The Tours office will be located on your right-hand side.

Driving directions and parking (for School Group tours)

Group tours depart from the Triton Center at the Student Services Center, courtyard level, on the corner of Myers and Rupertus (map). 

Due to construction in progress on campus, parking spaces fill up quickly, and some lots may close. Check this page 1 or 2 days before your scheduled campus tour to get the latest parking information.

Be sure to allow enough time to deal with parking or freeway traffic.

Bus parking

• Buses and vehicles with exempt ("E") license plates may park free on campus at all times.
• All other buses require a parking permit during the week (1 permit per space at $8 each).

• Please see your Group Tour Confirmation for more parking locations and directions.

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Job opportunities

Become a College Ambassador - it's the best job on campus!

• Meet new people.
• Learn about UC San Diego's history.
• Improve your public speaking skills.
• Get some walking exercise, and get paid for it.

If you're a current student who is excited about your experience at UC San Diego and would like to make an impact on the more than 40,000 prospective students, families, and guests who visit each year, then we're interested in talking to you. Paid training time, minimum 5 hours a week, summer hours available. Apply on TritonLink - applications and interviews are held in Fall Quarter, and training is at the beginning of Winter Quarter.

Questions? Contact Campus Tours Office, (858) 822-1455.