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University of California, Santa Barbara Campus Life: Photos, Videos, Facilities
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Last updated on 27 Jun '25UC Santa Barbara Campus Life
Established in 1891, the University of California Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California. UCSB is part of the prestigious University of California system. Its campus is spread across 1,127 acres of area in midsize suburbs.
UC Santa Barbara Campus Overview
The University of California at Santa Barbara is one of the leading research universities that also provides a comprehensive Liberal Arts learning experience. Co-curricular activities play an important role in the quality of life at the university. The university has 500 student organizations that make UC Santa Barbara culturally enriching and socially engaging. Check below for more details about the campus life of the university:
- Student Union: The UCSB student union is known as the University Center. It offers excellent and accessible services to the campus community. UCen houses the Associated Students, Graduate Student Association, MultiCultural Center & Theater, and the University & Community Housing Office.
- Housing: The University of California, Santa Barbara offers a variety of housing and accommodation options through its eight residence halls and eight apartment complexes.
- Career Services: UCSB Career Services helps their students gain knowledge of their occupational goals and attain relevant career competencies and experiences.
UC Santa Barbara Student Enrollment
As of Fall 2024, the total number of undergraduates enrolled at UCSB was over 23,000, and the number of graduates was over 2,900. The total number of students at the UC Santa Barbara campus was recorded to be over 26,000. As per an unofficial source, around 10% of the student body accounts for the international students at UCSB, hailing from 107 different countries.
|
Particulars |
Headcount |
|---|---|
|
Undergraduate students |
23,181 |
|
Graduate students |
2,952 |
|
International students |
10% |
|
Countries represented |
107 |
|
Total students |
26,133 |
UC Santa Barbara Athletics
The University of California, Santa Barbara, offers a variety of academic athletics and sports programs throughout the academic year and during summer. Every year, more than 12,000 students participate in various intramural sports at UC Santa Barbara. Intramural sports at UCSB include: Basketball, Flag Football, Futsal, Soccer, Indoor Volleyball, and Softball. The intercollegiate athletic teams at UC Santa Barbara are also referred to as the UCSB Gauchos and compete in 19 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. The mascot of the university is named Olé.
UC Santa Barbara Top Courses
When it comes to UCSB courses, UC Santa Barbara offers over 200 majors, degrees & credentials for the students to choose from. The university’s average freshman retention rate is 92% whereas UC Santa Barbara acceptance rate is 29.5%. Some of the popular majors at the UCSB campus, along with their respective percentages of degree recipients from bachelor's and master's programs, are given below:
|
Bachelors degree |
% |
Masters degree |
% |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics |
9.87% |
General Education |
17.7% |
|
Sociology |
9.81% |
Environmental Science |
14.6% |
|
General Communication |
8.79% |
Computer Science |
9.8% |
|
Experimental Psychology |
6.78% |
Electrical & Electronics Engineering |
6.84 |
|
General Biological Sciences |
5.54% |
Management Science |
6.65% |
|
General Statistics |
5.03% |
Data Science, General |
5.73% |
Also read UC Santa Barbara Rankings
UC Santa Barbara Accommodation
The University of California, Santa Barbara offers a variety of housing and accommodation options across its eight residence halls and eight apartments. The university’s residence halls include high- and low-rise buildings with spectacular ocean, lagoon, and mountain views. UC Santa Barbara accommodations offer various facilities such as utilities, high-speed internet, regular housekeeping, on-site laundry facilities, 24-hour on-call maintenance, and live-in staff. Check below for housing costs for international students:
Undergraduate Apartments Cost 2025-26:
|
Accommodation |
Rate per Month |
|
El Dorado |
USD 842 - 1,021 (INR 72K - 87K) |
|
San Joaquin Villages |
USD 842 - 958 (INR 72K – 81K) |
|
Santa Ynez |
USD 842 - 958 (INR 72K - 81K) |
|
Sierra Madre Villages |
USD 824 - 958 (INR 70K - 81K) |
|
Westgate |
USD 1,021 – 1,537 (INR 87K – 1.3L) |
Graduate Apartments Cost 2025-26:
|
Accommodation |
Rate per Month |
|---|---|
|
Storke |
USD 1,628 – 1,717 (INR 1.3L - 1.4L) |
|
West Campus |
USD 1,138 – 1,335 (INR 97K – 1.1L) |
*USD/INR = 85.59
UC Santa Barbara Campus details
1
Campus
3015
Total International Students
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University of California Santa Barbara Campus
3.9/5(15 Reviews)Founded in 1891, the University of California Santa Barbara is one of the most prestigious public universities in the USA. The university is spread over 1,127 acres of land in midsize suburbs. It offers 500+ student organizations for students to engage with each other and make new connections.
Shiksha Insights
- Campus including the MultiCultural Center, Pollock Theater, and the Art, Design & museum
- Residence halls have ocean, lagoon, and mountain views
UC Santa Barbara photos and videos
Get a virtual 360° tour of this campus on its official website.
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University of California Santa Barbara Campus Location & contact
View city information
| University City | Santa Barbara, California, USA |
| Size of city | Small |
| Population of City | 92,101 |
UC Santa Barbara accommodation
The University of California Santa Barbara offers a variety of options for housing and dining from traditional-style residence halls to suite and apartment accommodations. The cost of housing will dep
The University of California Santa Barbara offers a variety of options for housing and dining from traditional-style residence halls to suite and apartment accommodations. The cost of housing will depend on the type of accommodation you choose to live in. The housing rates of the University of California Santa Barbara are given below:
| Residence Halls Type | Meals | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 19 | USD 17,147 - USD 22,183 |
| Gold | 14 | USD 16,613 - USD 21,648 |
| Silver | 10 | USD 16,083 - USD 21,118 |
Besides, the residence halls, the University of California Santa Barbara has the following accommodation types.
| Apartments Type | Name of Apartments |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Apartments |
|
| Graduate Apartments |
|
| Family Student Housing |
|
| West Campus |
|
- University provides housing and associated residential life services for UCSB's undergraduate students as well as graduate students
- All apartments have private lockable bedrooms and are fully fu
- University provides housing and associated residential life services for UCSB's undergraduate students as well as graduate students
- All apartments have private lockable bedrooms and are fully furnished. Bedrooms are carpeted and contain an extra long full size bed, a closet, a bookcase, a drawer, a desk and chair for each student
- All inclusive contracts include high-speed wireless internet access, regular landscaping and housekeeping in community spaces, on-site laundry rooms, gas, electricity, water, garbage pick-up, parking, and 24-hour on-call maintenance and emergency staff response
- Kitchens have vinyl flooring and are equipped with cabinets, a sink with garbage disposal, a stove, a microwave and a refrigerator. Appliances other than those furnished are not permitted
- Living/dining rooms are carpeted and furnished with a couch chair(s), end table(s), coffee table, lamp(s), dining table and dining chairs
- Bathrooms have a shower unit, wash basin, toilet and medicine cabinets. Four bedroom apartments have two full bathrooms
Accommodation Expense- PG Accommodation expenses:USD 8110
- On-campus housing:housing.ucsb.edu/housing-options
Meal Expense- Living expense links:housing.ucsb.edu/apply/rates
- Off-campus housing:student.com/us/santa-barbara
apartments.com/santa-barbara-ca/...
- The average rent is 600 to 800 USD/month
- The residence type includes studio apartments, 3 bedroom apartments, 4 bedroom apartments and shared apartments
- The student residences feature free Wi-Fi, sec
- The average rent is 600 to 800 USD/month
- The residence type includes studio apartments, 3 bedroom apartments, 4 bedroom apartments and shared apartments
- The student residences feature free Wi-Fi, security gating, security cameras, full-time onsite management, after-hours emergency maintenance all included in the rent
University of California Santa Barbara Campus ratings & reviews
15 Verified Reviews
- 7% students never faced discrimination in this university
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UC Santa Barbara FAQs on Campus
The University of California Santa Barbara is a single-campus university. It is part of the prestigious University of California system. The main campus area covers 1,127 acres of area in Santa Barbara County, California. There are more than 500 student organizations to make students' lives culturally enriching and socially engaging.
The University of California Santa Barbara offers a variety of courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The tuition fee for international students at the university may vary from course to course. Therefore, international students are advised to check the fees for their courses before applying. Check below the tuition fee for UC Santa Barbara courses:
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
INR 34L - 40L | |
INR 25L | |
INR 22L - 46L | |
INR 34L - 40L | |
The University of California Santa Barbara offers more than 200+ degree programs in many subjects. As per the US News and World Report, UC Santa Barbara is known for: Social Sciences, Psychology, Communication & Journalism, Visual & Performing Arts, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Literature & Linguistics.
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