Financial Aid Office;
Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building (SAASB) 2103;
Telephone (805) 893-2432
Website: www.finaid.ucsb.edu
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The exact cost of attending the University of California, Santa Barbara will vary. Generally, however, the total undergraduate costs, including fees, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses for three quarters on campus during the 2003-2004 academic year are estimated to be $18,500 for residents of California and $30,700 for nonresidents, including international students. Total graduate student costs including fees, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses for three quarters off campus are estimated to be $22,900 for residents of California and $34,100 for nonresidents. A detailed breakdown of estimated expenses is available upon request through the Financial Aid Office.
The university's accounts receivable billing system (known as Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Collections, or BARC) consolidates debts owed to the university, including fees, campus owned housing expenses, and library fines. Students receive a monthly statement of their account status whenever they have financial obligations to the university. Fee payment deadlines are published quarterly in the Schedule of Classes.
Qualified students are eligible for financial assistance in the form of scholarships, loans, grants, and/or work-study. For more information on UCSB financial aid, students can visit the Financial Aid Office website.
Summary of Quarterly Fees and Expenses, 2003-2004 (chart)
Fee amounts are summarized in the accompanying chart. Tuition, fees, and other charges are subject to change without notice by the Regents of the University of California. Some specific fees are described below.
Registration fee
The registration fee is the same for both undergraduate and graduate students.
This fee supports such student services as athletic facilities, laboratory fees,
outpatient care furnished by Student
Health, and counseling and placement services. This fee is charged whether
or not students use these services.
The educational fee is paid by all students registered at UCSB to cover a variety of educational costs as determined by the regents. With the approval of the appropriate college dean, undergraduate students may obtain deficit load (or part-time) status prior to the beginning of the quarter. Approval is based upon verifiable reasons of employment, health, or family responsibility. Under certain conditions, reduced fees may be available through the Office of Student Life for undergraduate students who have advance permission to carry 10 or fewer units a quarter.
Undergraduate Student Health Insurance Plan (USHIP)
The UC Regents require all registered students to be covered by major medical health insurance while attending school. Students are automatically enrolled in USHIP unless they complete a waiver form and provide proof of comparable coverage. The waiver form must be submitted each year by the specified deadline. Unless a waiver is granted, students are charged a health insurance fee as part of their registration.
USHIP provides a complete health care package when combined with the services available through Student Health located on-campus. In addition, USHIP is portable, meaning that students receive excellent coverage whether they are on campus, at home, or travelling.
For further information, call Student Health at (805) 893-2592 to speak with an insurance advisor.
Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP)
All graduate students are assessed a quarterly fee for mandatory Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP). The fee is paid by the university for teaching and research assistants who have appointments of 25% time (10 hours per week) or more. All other graduate students are responsible for the quarterly premium unless they waive out of the plan. The completed waiver form must be submitted to the Student Health Insurance Advisor prior to the registration fee deadline. Forms are sent to students along with insurance information and are also available at Student Health. The university graduate student health insurance policy provides year-round and worldwide coverage. Contact the Student Health office at (805) 893-2592 for details regarding coverage.
University Center fee
All students are assessed a University Center (UCen) fee used to repay construction
loans. Students enrolled in 5.5 units or fewer are eligible for a full refund
of this fee.
Transit Systems fee
The transit systems fee provides unlimited local Metropolitan
Transit District (MTD) bus service for all registered students. Students
may ride MTD at no charge by showing their ACCESS card with current registration
sticker.
Students who have not been classified as legal residents of California for
fee purposes are classified as nonresidents, and are subject to payment of a
nonresident fee. Graduate doctoral students should refer to the Appendix concerning
the possible reduction of the nonresident fee. Regulations governing residence
determination are also outlined in the Appendix. Newly admitted and returning
students are required to file a Statement of Legal Residence. Questions concerning
residence classification may be referred to the Residence Deputy in the Office
of the Registrar at (805) 893-3033. Email: Reg-Residency@sa.ucsb.edu
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Application fee
Every applicant for admission must submit a nonrefundable $40 fee with the application.
Deposit fee
A nonrefundable $100 deposit is required of undergraduates when they return
the Statement of Intention to Register at UCSB. The deposit will be applied
to the registration fee only if students enroll in the quarter for which they
have been admitted.
Intercampus Transfer fee
Undergraduate students who wish to transfer from one UC campus to another must
pay $40 with their intercampus transfer application.
Parking fees
Fees and parking regulations are subject to change without notice. For complete
information on parking permits, regulations, services, free parking incentives
available through the Transportation Alternatives Program, etc., see the section
on "Transportation and Parking Services"
in the "Student Services and Activities" section
of this website. For rate information, please refer to our web site at www.park.ucsb.edu/permit.html.
Readmission fee
A fee of $40 is required when submitting an application for readmission.
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All students who will need financial assistance to attend UCSB are encouraged to complete the financial aid application process. Almost everyone thinks first of fees and tuition when considering the cost of a college education. But this is only part of the overall cost of attending a university. There are also living expenses, such as food, housing, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. These can comprise more than half of the cost of your education.
At UCSB, we want every admitted student to be able to attend regardless of his or her financial circumstances. The University views your education as a partnership involving the University, the state of California, the U.S. government, you, and your family. The types of financial assistance programs the University administers include grants, scholarships, loans, and student employment. In order to receive an offer of financial aid from UCSB, a student must be admitted to UCSB in a degree-granting program. Students enrolled through UCSB Extension are not eligible.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form that must be completed and submitted to the application processor to begin the process of applying for financial aid. Students who applied in November 2002 for admission to UCSB (for the 2003-2004 academic year) were sent the 2003-2004 FAFSA by the UC Office of the President. The FAFSA is also available at all high schools, colleges, and universities. You can also file the FAFSA electronically over the internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. In order to file the FAFSA, you must be either a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen (as defined in the FAFSA instructions).
All undergraduate financial aid applicants without a bachelor's degree who are California residents were expected to apply for a Cal Grant by the March 3, 2003 priority filing deadline. In addition to filing the FAFSA, new students must have sent a Grade Point Average (GPA) Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). If you applied for UC admission in November 2002, the UC Office of the President also sent you a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form. This form is also available at all California high schools and, upon request, from the UCSB Financial Aid Office.
A full refund of fees may be granted to students who withdraw prior to the first day of instruction. Students who withdraw on or after the first day of instruction are eligible to receive partial refunds according to the schedule of refunds listed in this section. Information about refunds, fees, and deposits is available online at www.ucop.edu/Fees/fees.html. Fee and refund information is subject to change without notice. Financial aid students should refer to the "Enrollment Limit" section under "Academic Policies and Procedures" if they are considering enrolling in a "deficit program."
Information on educational tax benefits that may have an impact on students and their families can be found in the Appendix.
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