University of California - Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a public research university located roughly 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The palm-lined, 1,000 plus acre campus is situated along the Pacific Ocean, with views of the ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains.
A part of the prestigious University of California system since 1944, UCSB has been named one of America's best colleges, and has frequently ranked as one of its "hottest colleges" over the past 10 years. UCSB offers more than 200 degree majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with top programs in humanities and the arts, engineering and the sciences. It is known for its pioneering research and renowned faculty. The UCSB faculty includes multiple winners of Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellowships, and several Nobel Prize winners.
Two off-campus UCSB programs include the Education Abroad Program, and the UCSB Washington Center program, which offers students the opportunity to spend a quarter on the East Coast working in various internships in the offices of elected officials, the media and others. Continuing education is offered through UCSB Extension.
History
The University of California - Santa Barbara was originally founded as a small and independent teacher's college. It became one of the universities of the prestigious University of California system in 1944.
Academics
The academic calendar of UCSB follows the quarter format, with fall, winter and spring quarters
Colleges and Schools
- College of Creative Studies
- College of Engineering
- College of Letters & Science
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
- Gevirtz Graduate School of Education
Student Life
UCSB has a very active Office of Student Life (OSL) that organizes many special activities on campus including After Dark, Student-Initiated Outreach Programming, Community Grants, Leadership Development programs, and more. Students at UCSB can join one of the hundreds of student clubs or organizations, representing a wide range of academic, social, cultural, religious and other interests.
Greek Life is an important component of student culture at UCSB, and approximately 10 percent of undergraduates belong to a fraternity or sorority.
On campus housing is available, and there are many off-campus housing opportunities available in neighboring Isla Vista or Santa Barbara.
Traditions
The UCSB school colors are gold and blue, with white as an accent color.
The mascot is the Gaucho, and the men and women's athletic teams are the UCSB "Gauchos." The inspiration for choosing as a mascot this Argentine cowboy, known as a "Gaucho," came from the Douglas Fairbanks's 1927 film The Gaucho. The female students of UCSB led a vote to change the school mascot from the original Roadrunners.
Another UCSB tradition has to do with the fans of the school's athletic teams. Known for their rowdy energy, the Gaucho "Locos" are an independent cheering group of students that attends games clad in gold t-shirts to demonstrate their school pride and support of the UCSB athletes. Loco translates as "crazy" in Spanish. The group's motto is "Unleash the Loco."
Athletics
The UCSB "Gauchos" athletic teams compete in several intercollegiate sports, including:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross County
- Golf
- Soccer
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Indoor Track
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Satellite Campuses
UCSB has its main campus in Santa Barbara. Some courses are held in academic halls situated in neighboring Isla Vista. UCSB Extension courses are offered at convenient locations throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Community Life
UCSB offers students a close-knit college community. Many students live on campus or within walking or cycling distance from campus, and have easy access to many athletic, social, cultural, recreational and academic events and activities. The UCSB campus is adjacent to the Santa Barbara and Isla Vista communities. Both cities offer additional housing, and a host of recreational, cultural and entertainment activities. The area is very scenic, and many parks, beaches and cycling trails offer opportunities for enjoying the outdoors.
Admission Requirements & Details
The admissions information below may give you an idea of the students University of California – Santa Barbara accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any AP college credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- Dual Credits
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
Total enrollment at University of California – Santa Barbara is around 23,000 students, with undergraduate students making up about 88% of the total student population and graduate students making up the rest.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $16,200. In order to calculate a more accurate and detailed cost of attendance check out their cost calculator here. There is also a $70 application fee for those applying to a program. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition range estimates:
- State Residents: $11,000-$13,000
- Out-of-State: $36,000-$43,110
- The estimated cost for on campus housing and meals is around $18,000
Financial Aid Details
The table listed below helps break down the types of financial aid students receive and the percent receiving aid, as well as the average amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 71% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 67% | $19,104 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 43% | $5,691 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help students and recent graduates, University of California – Santa Barbara may offer student services like those listed below:- Online course work available
- Academic counseling for students
- Work study style employment
- Employment search assistance
- Child care
Graduation Rates
University of California – Santa Barbara has a very high graduation rate when compared to nearby similar schools.
| Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
|---|---|
| Students Graduating in 4 Years | 68% |
| Graduating in 5 Years | 11% |
| Graduating in 6 Years | 2% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Counseling Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Dance Program
- Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Psychology (Psy.D.) Program
- School Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
Intercollegiate Athletics
UCSB is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports being in the NCAA Division I-AAA classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Baseball (Big West Conference)
- Basketball (Big West Conference)
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field, Indoor
- Track and Field, Outdoor
- Track and Field, X-Country
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by University of California – Santa Barbara by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B)
- Cell Biology and Anatomical Sciences (B, D, M)
- Biochemistry (B)
- Aquatic Biology, Limnology (B)
- Microbiology (B)
- Zoology (B)
- Pharmacology (B)
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology (B, D, M)
- Physiology (B)
- Marine Biology (D)
Business and Marketing Studies
- Risk Management and Insurance (B, M)
- Business Economics (B)
Communications and Journalism
- Communication, General (B, D, M)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer Science (B, D, M)
Education
- Education (C, D, M)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (D)
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Chemical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Computer Engineering (B)
English Language and Literature
- English (B, D, M)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American Studies (B, D, M)
- Women's Studies (B, D, M)
- African-American Black Studies (B)
- Asian-American Studies (B)
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies (B)
- Area Studies (B, M)
- Asian Studies (B, M)
- Italian Studies (B)
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Spanish Language and Literature (B, M)
- Comparative Literature (B, D, M)
- Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Linguistic and Comparative Language Studies and Services (B)
- French Language and Literature (B, D)
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (D)
- Chinese Language and Literature (B)
- Classical Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Japanese Language and Literature (B)
- Germanic Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B)
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (D)
- Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (B)
- Portuguese Language and Literature (B, M)
History
- History (B, D, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
Legal Professions and Studies
- Legal Studies (B)
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (B)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (B, D, M)
- Statistics (B, D, M)
- Applied Mathematics (B, M)
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental Studies (B)
- Environmental Science (D, M)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D, M)
- Religious Studies (B, D, M)
Physical Sciences
- Physics (B, D, M)
- Chemistry (B, D, M)
- Geology (B, D, M)
- Materials Science (D, M)
- Hydrology and Water Resources Science (B)
- Geophysics and Seismology (B, M)
Psychology
- Experimental Psychology (B, D, M)
- Physiological Psychology, Psychobiology (B)
- Psychology (C, D, M)
Social Sciences
- Sociology (B, D, M)
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (B)
- Political Science (B, D, M)
- Economics (B, D, M)
- Anthropology (B, D, M)
- Cartography and GIS (B)
- Geography (B, D, M)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Film Studies (B, D, M)
- Fine Arts and Studio Arts (B, M)
- Art History (B, D, M)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B, D)
- Music (B, D, M)
- Dance (B)
- Art Studies (B)
- Music Theory and Composition (B)
Other 4-Year Public Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to University of California – Santa Barbara.
- California State University - Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA (49 miles away)
- California State University - Northridge in Northridge, CA (76 miles away)
- California State University - Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA (78 miles away)
- University of California - Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA (84 miles away)
- California State University - Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA (99 miles away)
See a list of all the colleges and universities by clicking on one of the links below:
- Review a complete list of all the California colleges
- Browse our list of public colleges in California
