University of California, Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), one of the ten campuses of the University of California system, maintains a world-wide reputation for academic excellence, and for the fact that its faculty includes five Nobel Prize recipients. As a student at UCSB Extension, you will be part of an internationally recognized program, with excellent resources, innovative teaching methods, flexible curriculum and academic services that offer an exceptional experience in a safe, charming location.

The University Immersion Program (UIP) is an academic study program that provides the opportunity for international students to enroll in UCSB academic and/or professional development courses in many different disciplines. This program offers an excellent way to experience college life in the U.S., and the credits earned may be transferred to universities around the world or used to complement your professional goals.

English Proficiency

All international students must submit English proficiency test scores that meet the University’s minimum requirement for admission. With the University Immersion Program application, students must submit one of these minimum scores:

Institutional (paper-based) TOEFL 550
iBT (internet-based) TOEFL® 80
iIELTS® 7

UCSB Extension Professional Development Programs Available

Business Accounting Professional Certificate Program
CPA Accounting Professional Certificate Program
Human Resource Management Professional Certificate Program
Marketing Professional Certificate Program
Professional Accounting Certificate Program
Professional Financial Planning Certificate Program
Project Management Professional Certificate Program
Human Resource Management Professional Certificate Program
Marketing Professional Certificate Program
Professional Financial Planning Certificate Program
TESOL Professional Certificate Program
TESOL Professional Sequence Award

Housing

Students arrange for their own housing. Three housing options area available: a home stay with an American host; University-owned apartment housing; and private apartments.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a picturesque coastal community about two hours drive north of Los Angeles. With a population of 89,000, Santa Barbara provides an exciting, friendly, and welcoming environment for international students. The city of Santa Barbara is known to be one of the safest and friendliest in the United States. Santa Barbara offers students a broad range of cultural, recreational, educational, and entertainment opportunities in a safe and incredibly beautiful location. The city is known for its Mediterranean climate, wide sandy beaches, inviting mountain trails, and timeless charm. The city of Santa Barbara is small and intimate enough to make the visitor feel relaxed, at home, and at ease, but it is big and diverse enough to offer the varied cultural attractions of a larger American city.

North, adjacent to Santa Barbara, is the city of Goleta, population 55,240, and the community of Isla Vista, population 18,344, where most students attending UCSB live.

Cultural Opportunities

The unique combination of scenic natural beauty and a varied cultural landscape make Santa Barbara a world-famous international destination. Santa Barbara’s proximity to Los Angeles and its many international artists and performers make for a colorful and ever-changing menu of cultural activities. Dance, theater, concerts, recitals, museums, shopping, restaurants, and a year-round offering of outdoor ethnic festivals all combine to add to the flavor of this celebrated seaside community. There are also many historic places of interest in the downtown shopping district where self-guided walking tours reveal Santa Barbara’s Spanish colonial past.

Recreational Activities

Santa Barbara is situated along a series of hills and valleys between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The warm weather, mountains, beaches, and the many beautiful city parks make Santa Barbara a perfect environment for water sports and other outdoor activities.