Santa Barbara, California, United States
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International students mainly apply for admission to the University of California, Santa Barbara during the Fall intake to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programs. To be considered, applicants need to submit all required documents by the specified deadline for their chosen program. With an acceptance rate of about 33%, gaining admission to UC Santa Barbara is quite competitive.
The University of California, Santa Barbara is one of the leading universities in the USA for international students. It offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs across several fields. Popular courses at UC Santa Barbara include MBA, MS, BTech, MFA, and MIM, among others.
Check the Study Guide to the USA for International Students
Students who want to apply to UC Santa Barbara need to finish the admission process by the deadline for both undergraduate and graduate programs. They must send in their school transcripts, test scores, and other important documents to complete their application. Additionally, they need to pay a non-refundable application fee, which can change depending on the type of application. Below is a table that shows the key points about admissions at the university:
| Particular | Stats |
|---|---|
| Application portal | UG: apply.universityofcalifornia.edu PG: graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp |
| Application fee | UG: USD 95 or INR 7,961.85 PG: USD 155 or INR 12,990.38 |
| Acceptance rate | 33% |
| English language tests accepted | TOEFL IELTS PTE |
| Standardized tests required | UG: SAT or ACT (optional) PG: GRE |
| International application deadlines | UG: Dec 02, 2025 (Fall 2026) PG: Vary by Program MBA: Dec 01, 2025 |
| UCSB admission guide | Download |
(USD 1 = INR 83.81)
Students can choose from more than 100 courses at UC Santa Barbara for both undergraduate and graduate studies. These courses cover a wide range of fields like Big Data & Analytics, Business Economics, Computer Science, Film & TV, Mechanical Engineering, and Zoology, among others. Most graduate programs at UCSB only accept applications for the Fall semester. Below are some popular graduate courses at the university along with the admission requirements for UC Santa Barbara:
| PG Programs | Academic Qualifications | English Proficiency Requirements | Documents Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS | Complete a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline Must have a cumulative average of 80% in bachelor’s degree out of a maximum of 100% Meet the English language requirements Submit a letter of recommendation (vary by program) Provide an updated CV/Resume Submit other supplemental materials | IELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 80 - 100, Duolingo: 120 - 130 | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score GRE score SOP LOR CV/Resume |
| MBA/PGDM | Complete a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline Must have a cumulative average of 80% in bachelor’s degree out of a maximum of 100% Meet the English language requirements Submit a letter of recommendation (vary by program) Provide an updated CV/Resume Submit other supplemental materials | GRE, IELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 100 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score GRE score SOP LOR CV/Resume |
| MFA | Complete a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline Must have a cumulative average of 80% in bachelor’s degree out of a maximum of 100% Meet the English language requirements Submit three letters of recommendation Provide an updated CV/Resume Submit other supplemental materials | IELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score GRE score SOP LORs CV/Resume |
| MIM | Complete a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline Must have a cumulative average of 80% in bachelor’s degree out of a maximum of 100% Meet the English language requirements Submit a letter of recommendation (vary by program) Provide an updated CV/Resume Submit other supplemental materials | GRE, IELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 100 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score GRE score SOP LOR CV/Resume |
The table below lists undergraduate programs along with their admission criteria:
| UG Programs | Academic Qualifications | English Proficiency Requirements | Documents Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc | Complete both year X and XII state board or CBSE examinations, with a minimum average of at least 60 and no mark below 45 ACT/SAT scores are optional Must meet English language requirements Submit personal statement | IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score ACT/SAT scores Personal statement |
| BE/BTech | Complete both year X and XII state board or CBSE examinations, with a minimum average of at least 60 and no mark below 45 ACT/SAT scores are optional Must meet English language requirements Submit personal statement | IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above, SAT | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score ACT/SAT scores Personal statement |
| BFA | Complete both year X and XII state board or CBSE examinations, with a minimum average of at least 60 and no mark below 45 ACT/SAT scores are optional Must meet English language requirements Submit personal statement | IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score ACT/SAT scores Personal statement |
| BBA | Complete both year X and XII state board or CBSE examinations, with a minimum average of at least 60 and no mark below 45 ACT/SAT scores are optional Must meet English language requirements Submit personal statement | IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above | Academic transcripts IELTS/TOEFL score ACT/SAT scores Personal statement |
Learn about the living costs in the USA for students from other countries.
University of California, Santa Barbara Fees for International Students in 2025
The fees at UC Santa Barbara range from INR 22 lakh to INR 46 lakh for first-year students. For an undergraduate program, the cost is between INR 38 lakh and INR 40 lakh (first-year), while for a graduate program, it is between INR 22 lakh and INR 46 lakh (first-year). The table below shows the tuition fees for international students at the University of California, Santa Barbara:
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| MS | INR 22 L - 46 L |
| MBA/PGDM | INR 25 L |
| BSc | INR 38 L - 40 L |
| BA | INR 38 L - 40 L |
| MA | INR 22 L - 25 L |
| BE/BTech | INR 38 L - 40 L |
| BBA | INR 38 L - 40 L |
| BPharma | INR 38 L |
| MFA | INR 22 L |
| Others PG | INR 22 L |
| Others UG | INR 38 L |
| MIM | INR 25 L |
| BFA | INR 38 L |
Learn more about the Expenses of Studying in the USA for International Students
Students need to send in their applications for undergraduate and postgraduate programs by the UC Santa Barbara deadline. The application process for undergraduate admission in 2025 is currently open, and students must submit their applications on time. The table below shows the key dates and deadlines for the University of California Santa Barbara undergraduate application:
| UCSB UG Application | Dates & Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Begin your UC application | Aug 01 |
| Submit your Fall 2025 UC application | Oct 01 – Dec 02 |
| View your admission decision | Mar 19 |
| Submit your request for housing | May 15 |
| Submit official transcripts | Jul 01 |
| Submit the official test score | Jul 15 |
The table below shows the application deadlines for graduate admission at UC Santa Barbara:
| Graduate Programs | Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Master of Environmental Data Science | Fall: Dec 01, 2025 |
| Master of Environmental Science and Management | Fall: Dec 15, 2025 |
| MS in Actuarial Science | Winter: Nov 15, 2025 Spring: Feb 15, 2025 Fall: May 01, 2025 |
| MBA | Fall: Dec 01, 2024 (priority deadline) Fall: Jan 02, 2026 (final deadline) |
| MS in Computer Science | Fall: Dec 15, 2025 |
| MS in Film and Media Studies | Fall: Dec 01, 2025 |
| MA in Music | Fall: Jan 10, 2026 |
| MS in Mechanical Engineering | Fall: Dec 15, 2025 |
Students from around the globe apply to UCSB for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. For the Fall 2024-25 semester, the university has received more than 110,000 applications for its undergraduate courses, but only 36,384 students will be accepted. This means that the acceptance rate at UCSB for Fall 2024-25 is about 33.00%. The table below shows the enrollment statistics for UC Santa Barbara's undergraduate admissions:
| Particulars | Stats 2023-2024 | Stats 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Application Received | 110,876 | 110,256 |
| Admitted Students | 30,805 | 36,384 |
| Total Students Enrolled | 5,043 | 4,986 |
| Yield Rate | 16.4% | 13.7% |
| Acceptance Rate | 27.78% | 33.00% |
| Average GPA | 4.21 | 4.42 |
| Admission Reports | Download | Download |
| University City | Santa Barbara, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Size of city | Small |
| Population of City | 92,101 |
