University of California-Santa Barbara
- Public
- Research university
University of California-Santa Barbara: international tuition 50,614 USD per year, one-year total cost ≈ 75,773 USD, acceptance rate 33%. This page lists 1 scholarship open to international students. Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115.
Getting in. The school admits 33% of applicants. The SAT range of admitted students is not published. The school does not require the SAT or ACT. For English, the school asks for IELTS 6.5+ or Duolingo 115+.
Cost for a year. One year comes to about 75,773 USD, before any scholarship. 1 scholarship is confirmed for international students, but nothing is taken off yet because the amount of each one is not clear.
Deadline and visa. The application deadline is 30/11. How long the visa takes is up to the consulate; see the country note.
Admissions checked 13/10/2026Cost checked 11/10/2026
What is the tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara?
International tuition is 50,614 USD per year. The total cost for one year is ≈ 75,773 USD.
Does University of California-Santa Barbara offer scholarships for international students?
This page lists 1 scholarship open to international students. UCSB says aid and scholarships for international students are very limited, mainly go to U.S. residents, and that international students must secure private funding. The pages do not clearly address merit, need-based aid, need-blind admission, or the CSS Profile for first-year international applicants.
What English scores does University of California-Santa Barbara require?
Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115.
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
The acceptance rate is 33%.
- Pay in fullYesPay in fullOnce admitted you can enrol straight away — no scholarship decision to wait for.Your family covers all tuition and living costs for every year of the degree.You will need: your application and proof that your family can pay — the school needs it to issue your visa documents.
- Aid with the offerUnclearAid with the offerThe school decides aid while reviewing your application, so any need-based or merit award arrives with the offer.The school's official pages do not say whether international students get aid at admission — worth asking the admissions office directly.
- Apply separately for scholarshipsUnclearApply separately for scholarshipsOn top of the admission application, you send a separate scholarship application or get nominated.The pages we read mention no scholarship with its own application. Not seeing one does not mean there is none — ask the school.
For Vietnamese students
Vietnamese community nearby
Students on campus lifeiPublic YouTube videos by students and the school, matched to this school's name; Vietnamese videos first. Each reflects its creator's own view.
- Mine (formerly Fizz)2024Campus tour
Contact
Tuition and cost for a year
Compared with 375 public United States schools with published tuition in Duckling's data.
What a year costs
Non-resident tuition (College Scorecard); international students pay at least this, some schools add an international fee.
VND converted at Vietcombank's selling rate on 15/10/2026; indicative only — the real amount depends on the rate when you pay.
Scholarships and aid for international students
Coming soon. Merit and need-based aid policy for international students is being verified from official pages.
Scholarships at this school
International Student Award (OISS)Need-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Separate application requiredSchool page
The award is specifically for enrolled F-1/J-1 students facing hardship, so international students qualify, but it is not aid awarded at first-year admission.
Deadline: Announced annually via OISS email and newsletter
Strauss ScholarshipIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.OtherOtherDoes not fit the groups above; see the scholarship page for conditions.Application method unclearSchool page
The page only says international students may be eligible for the general list and refers to separate guidelines, so first-year eligibility is unclear.
- Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice ProgramIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.OtherOtherDoes not fit the groups above; see the scholarship page for conditions.Application method unclearSchool page
Admission requirements
Compared with 349 United States schools that publish an application fee in Duckling's data.
English
How to apply
Minimum English scores vs other schools
Compared with 42 United States schools admitting 15–40% that publish it in Duckling's data.
DeadlinesFall 2027
- Regular decision (RD)Applicationin46days
- Financial aid deadlineFinancial aid+258 days
AP credit by subject
Lowest score that earns credit or placement, as the college reported to College Board. This is not an admission requirement. One exam can have several rows: a higher score sometimes earns more credit. Policy page the college gave College Board
54 courses. Scroll inside the table to see all.
Programs
* U.S. median for this field — the school publishes no figure of its own.
Outcomes
Staying in United States after graduation
OPT: 12 months of work in your field after each degree level; degrees on the DHS STEM list can extend by 24 months (up to 36 months in total). Unemployment during OPT is capped at 90 days (150 days with the STEM extension). Note: on 8 October 2026 DHS published a PROPOSED rule charging USD 70,000 for initial OPT and USD 30,000 for later OPT; it is not in force, and comments close on 9 November 2026.
Climate
School & campus
Where the school is
Detailed map
Academics & housing
Why this school is listed: one of the 50 U.S. schools with the most international undergraduates (College Scorecard). Source
Updated 14/10/2026How Duckling sources data