University of San Diego (USD) Parents & Families Guide

A mesa campus above Mission Bay

The University of San Diego (USD) is a Catholic university in San Diego, California. Its campus is called Alcalá Park, and it sits on a mesa that, in USD's words, overlooks the city of San Diego, Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean. When you drop a pin or order a car, the address is 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110.

The airport is close

USD's Visit Campus page says campus is about a 10 minute ride from San Diego International Airport (SAN), and that a taxi or ride share should cost approximately $20. For a family that lives far away, that short hop matters: a Friday evening flight can still end with dinner near Old Town. If you skip the rental car, the airport's free San Diego Flyer shuttle runs to Old Town Transit Center, where USD's free tram picks up.

Semesters, with a January Intersession

USD runs on semesters. For 2026 to 27, fall classes started Tuesday, September 1, and fall finals run December 14 to 18. Intersession fills January 4 to 22, spring classes begin January 25, and undergraduate commencement is Sunday, May 23, 2027. The undergraduate calendar has no fall break, so Thanksgiving (no classes November 25 to 27) is the first long pause.

Family weekends in October and February

Homecoming and Family Weekend is the main fall visit. In 2026 it runs October 16 to 18, with the Parent Advisory Board's Evening Under the Stars fundraiser on the Friday. A Grandparents and Family Spring Weekend follows on February 19 to 21, 2027.

Where students live

Residential Life ((619) 260-4777, housing@sandiego.edu) runs campus housing, including the Alcalá Vista Apartments and the Manchester Village and Pacific Ridge apartments. The housing terms keep Manchester Village and Pacific Ridge open through breaks for upper class and graduate residents, while other halls close for winter break and Intersession. USD also publishes a two year residency requirement, worth reading before your student signs an off campus lease.

Your office on campus

The Office of Parent and Family Relations describes itself as "your liaison to USD" when you have questions or need to know who to contact. Reach it at (619) 260-4808 or parents@sandiego.edu.

What else is in this hub

The other pages cover the full 2026 to 27 date list, getting to Alcalá Park and where families stay, move in and move out, and local health, safety and mail resources. Each fact links to the USD or public page it came from, so you can check it yourself.