Santa Barbara, California
Public
Admissions Policies
Deposit & decision deadline (class of 2024)
May 1
Test-optional admissions ('20-'21)
Yes
Students must begin by filling out the FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application to be considered for financial aid opportunities at UCSB. There are a variety of ways that the university helps students pay for their education including scholarships, grants, loans and work-study opportunities.
There are many state scholarships and grant opportunities. Federal grants include the Pell Grant, the SEOG, and the TEACH grant. Additional university opportunities include the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which may available for UC students whose income is $80,000 or below in an effort to help make a UC education accessible to everyone who wants it. There is also a UC Health Insurance Grant available to some students along with the UCSB Scholarship that is available to students with a demonstrated financial need. In addition to federal and university based awards, students have ample types of state awards to help afford UCSB. Examples include the Middle Class Scholarship which is a state scholarship that students whose families with incomes up to $171,000 and a maximum household asset amount of $171,000. There is also the Cal Grant and consideration requires a separate application through the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) website. Students can access the scholarship catalog to find additional scholarship opportunities
There are several types of loans in addition to the federal student and parent loans. Students who are eligible may be awarded the UCSB loan or the California Dream Loan (for undocumented students). There is also the option of private student loans to help supplement the cost of your education. UCSB also offers short-term emergency loans to students who are expecting financial aid that may end up as a credit on the tuition bill. These can help in situations where books and supplies are concerned. Some students may be eligible for federal work-study aid. Students can search potential jobs for their work-study assignments through Handshake or check out the UCSB Career Services page.
Students with special circumstances may also be eligible for certain aid opportunities. For example, students wishing to study in the summer months have some summer aid opportunities available. Also, veterans, transfer students, and students who wish to study abroad will find a variety of opportunities and programs available to help subsidize the cost of their UCSB education. Additionally, international students will find some financial aid opportunities with the Dream Scholars Program.
There are a variety of resources and tools for students to help them including local links to food assistance, financial literacy, budget planning tools including a monthly budget planner, a financial aid guide, financial aid tutorials, and parenting resources. Students can get help organizing by using the financial aid checklist, budget worksheet, and the net price calculator.
The total cost of attendance includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, as reported for the 2019-2020 school year.
Tuition and fees (in-state)
$14,391
Tuition and fees (out-of-state)
$44,145
Room and board
$15,520
Books and supplies
$1,184
Other
$5,670
The average student pays this amount per year.
Percentage of freshman students who receive some form of financial aid.
This school's financial aid meets 99 % of student's demonstrated need.
The average University of California-Santa Barbara merit scholarship for students without financial need
of University of California-Santa Barbara students without financial need receive a merit scholarship
For students looking at University of California Santa Barbara, there are a very limited number of merit scholarships available to incoming freshmen. Students will be automatically considered for these scholarships. No additional application is needed to be considered except for the FAFSA. Merit scholarships at UCSB, although they are mainly awarded based on merit also have a financial need component to them, unlike other schools.
Very few students pay the full price. Here's the average cost for students in different income brackets:
Resources
Endowment (2019)
$263,099,834
Endowment per enrolled student (FTE)
$10,129
State financial support per student
$8,553
This is higher than the national average ( $7,523).
Share of Students Studying Online (Graduate and Undergraduate)
Likelihood that a student moved up two or more income quintiles.
Percent of first-time students receiving Pell Grants.
This is higher than the national average 31.0%
Relative to the market of potential students
Underrepresented
Hispanic
Black
Representative
Hawaiian
Native American
Overrepresented
White
Multi-racial
Asian
The average student takes out this amount in student loans.
The percentage of students that repay their loans within 5 years.
The percentage of students that repay their loans within 7 years.
The percentage of families that default on their loans after 3 years.
After graduation, here's how the average salary of a University of California-Santa Barbara graduate grows over time:
SAT range:
1230 - 1480
ACT range:
27 - 34
Application fee:
$70
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The data and analysis above is sourced from the following reliable third party sources:
For more information, visit our Data page.
Our Financial Health information is designed to provide you with financial data on the private colleges you are considering. Our Post-Covid Resiliency Ratings are based on a data model described in more detail here as well as information from the independent third party sources we list above. Keep in mind, there may be additional public or private data which may make a college or university more or less financially resilient. We recommend that you request the most current financial information from the college or university you are considering so that you will have the most complete and current information available while evaluating the financial health of the institution and to inform your decision making process. All information and data we provide on this site is for informational purposes only and is not an endorsement, guarantee or other recommendation, whether favorable or unfavorable, regarding a particular institution. We make no representation or warranty regarding the information, all of which is provided free of charge and for informational purposes only.