Last Updated: May 25, 2023 1:24:53 PM PDT
In February 2021, Google announced the renaming of G Suite for Education to Google Workspace for Education. The most notable change affecting UC San Diego students is unlimited storage will no longer be offered in Google Workspace.
Student Storage Quotas
UC San Diego is shifting towards a managed storage model. The initial step involves implementing storage quotas on accounts. The project team conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Google storage usage across campus.
The primary objectives of the quotas are to:
- Impact as few students, faculty, and staff as possible
- Ensure efficient and cost-effective utilization of storage resources
- Promote fairness and equity in resource allocation
- Avoid over allocation of storage and ensure headroom for future campus growth
Quotas will be implemented for all current student accounts on October 30, 2023. These quotas have been designed based on current usage patterns to minimize any disruption to individual accounts.
| Current Usage |
Storage Quota |
| 0GB - 0.8GB |
2 GB |
| 0.9GB - 20GB |
20 GB |
Note: students who are also UC San Diego employees, including teaching/instructional assistants, research assistants, etc., are treated in the Faculty & Staff quota tier (100GB).
At UC San Diego, the vast majority of students (96%) are not heavy Google users, allowing us to focus our storage resources on those who need it most. The remaining 4% of all students store large volumes of data that will be impacted, and we encourage over-quota students to delete non-essential data and transfer personal data to a personal Google account ASAP.
All incoming students now have a 5GB quota applied.
Please see the FAQs below to request additional storage for specific coursework needs.
Next Steps
- Use the Google Storage Manager to view your current storage.
- Scan for and delete large or duplicate files you may no longer need.
If you are over the storage quota at the deadline, your account will be "read-only". You will not be able to add or edit files until data is deleted or moved out of MyDrive.
If you have questions or want guidance, we are here to help. Contact the Service Desk and we will assist.
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How do I check my current storage?
To check your current usage:
- Login to Google Drive with your UC San Diego credentials
- On the left side panel, click “Storage”
- Your total used storage is displayed along side with a breakdown of files stored in Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos
Why are 5GB quotas being applied to incoming students?
Unlike former free and unlimited Google storage, moving forward UC San Diego will have a single storage allotment to share across all faculty, researchers, students, and staff. The quota levels are to ensure Google storage for the entire campus community, and headroom for future campus growth. The vast majority of students use less than 1GB of Google storage throughout their academic career.
I am a student and an employee (teaching/instructional assistant, research assistant, etc). Is my quota different?
I’m over quota. How can I reduce my Google Storage?
How can I transfer everything in one Google account to a different Google account or other storage option?
Visit takeout.google.com to review your data and package it up for transfer. This process can take several days, so plan ahead if possible.
I have a lot of personal files and photos in my UC San Diego Google account. Where can I move them?
There are several free and paid alternative storage options for your non-coursework files. CNET has a very helpful article with a round-up and pros/cons for several services.
What if I have a special academic need for additional Google storage?
If you require additional storage for instructional use, special projects in your field of study, or sponsored research, please reach out to a faculty or staff sponsor who can then submit a request with additional information to servicedesk@ucsd.edu.