University of California--Santa Barbara campus
University of California--Santa Barbara logo

Global rank #100

University of California--Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, United States

Photo: UCSB-IGSA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

About

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an independent teachers college, UC Santa Barbara joined the University of California system in 1944. It is the third-oldest campus in the system, after Berkeley, and UCLA. UCSB's campus sits on the oceanfront site of a converted WWII-era Marine Corps air station. UCSB is organized into three undergraduate colleges (Letters and Science, Engineering, and Creative Studies) and two graduate schools (Education and Environment), offering more than 200 degrees and programs. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is regarded as a Public Ivy. The university has 12 national research centers and institutes, including the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics and NSF Quantum Foundry. According to the National Science Foundation, UC Santa Barbara spent $305.48 million on research and development in fiscal year 2023, ranking it 105th in the nation. UCSB was the No. 3 host on the ARPAnet and was elected to the Association of American Universities in 19

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Key facts

Global rank
#100
Location
Santa Barbara, United States
Type
Public
Admission rate
26%
English test
Required
How to apply
Own portal

Outcomes and costs

Official figures from US College Scorecard, US Department of Education. Salaries are for all graduates, not only international students.

Median salary 10 years after starting
$74,915 a year
Median salary 6 years after starting
$56,852 a year
Graduation rate (within 6 years)
83%
Students returning for a second year
93%
Tuition (out-of-state, per year)
$50,614
Average cost of attendance (per year)
$41,573
Undergraduate students
23,113
Students per faculty member
17 to 1
Median debt at graduation
$13,993

Programmes

Showing 1 of 1 programmes.

Undergraduate · Undergraduate (all majors)

Undergraduate admission (all majors)

Tuition per year
USD 50,614 (Latest College Scorecard)
Duration
48 months
Apply through
Own portal

Deadline: Most regular decision deadlines fall between 1 November and 15 January. Check the official admissions page.

· verified 14/9/2026

Scholarships you could use here

  • Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships · USIEF (United States-India Educational Foundation)

    Indian citizens with a bachelor's (minimum 55%) or master's degree and at least three years of relevant full-time work experience, without a US degree. Government of India employees are not eligible.

    The last published cycle (2026-2027) closed on 14 May 2025. A 2027-2028 master's cycle is not currently listed.

    Official page
  • Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships · USIEF

    Indian scholars registered for a PhD at an Indian institution, for 6 to 9 months of research in the US.

    The 2027-2028 cycle closed on 1 July 2026.

    Official page