University of California, Santa Barbara Scholarships (2025–2026)

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Scholarships (2025–2026)

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What This Page Covers:
  • Tuition, housing, and what families actually pay on average
  • Automatic merit ranges and who typically qualifies
  • Competitive and hidden-gem scholarships worth a look
  • Honors perks and how to stack awards the smart way

If you’re a first-gen family looking at UCSB, this page keeps the money talk simple. We’ll show you real costs, the few campus-level scholarships that exist, and smart next steps. Start with California’s state aid guide, then use this UCSB breakdown to plan what you’ll actually pay.

💰 Cost of Attendance at UCSB

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition & Fees $16,431 $50,631
Housing & Meals $21,627 $21,627
Books, Travel, Personal, Insurance $8,862 $8,862
Total (Before Aid) $46,920 $81,120

Average Net Price: $16,874 per year. That’s what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), per NCES 2023–24 data.

UCSB does not participate in WUE or reciprocity programs. California residency is required for in-state rates. Students qualifying under AB 540 (certain undocumented/DACA students who completed California high school) may also receive in-state tuition.

Cost of Attendance FAQs

Who qualifies for in-state tuition?
California residents and AB 540-eligible students pay in-state rates. Everyone else is considered out-of-state.

How much more do out-of-state students pay?
About $34,000 extra per year in non-resident tuition, bringing the total to over $81,000 before aid.

Do I have to apply separately for in-state status?
Most California high school graduates are automatically coded as in-state. If your residency status is unclear, you may need to submit additional documentation.

✅ Automatic Merit Scholarships

UCSB is largely need-based for aid. The primary campus-level merit award is the Regents Scholarship, selected directly from the UC application—no separate form.
Scholarship Award Amount Eligibility Separate App? Renewable? Who Actually Wins?
Regents Scholarship (UCSB) $5,000 per year × up to 4 years Top ~2% of admitted freshmen; selected from UC application. Eligible students include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizens qualifying under AB 130/131. No Yes — maintain 3.20 quarterly & cumulative GPA; full-time load (≥12 units/quarter, 36 units/year). Award disburses evenly across fall/winter/spring; summer use by request. Students in the very top slice of the applicant pool, often with weighted-capped UC GPAs of ~4.4+ and maximum rigor (AP/IB/honors). Notifications typically go out in March.

Note: UC is test-free for admissions; merit selection is based on the UC application (academics, coursework rigor, achievements). Regents is a cash scholarship (not a nonresident tuition waiver).

*Estimated GPA range based on UCSB’s published admitted student profile (middle 50% GPA 4.13–4.29). Regents recipients are likely above this range, ~4.4+. UCSB does not publish official cutoff data, so this figure should be read as an informed estimate only.

Automatic Merit FAQs

Do I need a separate application?
No. All admitted freshmen are automatically considered during UCSB’s holistic review of the UC application.

Is UCSB test-optional or test-free?
The University of California is test-free for undergraduate admissions. SAT/ACT scores are not considered.

Can Regents stack with other aid?
Regents funds disburse with your financial aid package and can be held alongside grants and other scholarships, subject to overall aid limits and policy. It is not a tuition-rate waiver.

Any key deadlines?
There’s no separate Regents deadline beyond the UC application timeline; recipients are typically notified in March.

🏆 Competitive Scholarships at UCSB

UCSB does not offer university-level competitive scholarships beyond the Regents Scholarship (already described above). This means there are no large, extra-application merit awards like you might see at other public universities.

Instead, UCSB directs students to apply for smaller donor- or department-based awards through the campus scholarship portal. Those opportunities are best thought of as “Hidden Gems,” and we’ll cover them in the next section.

Competitive Scholarship FAQs

Does UCSB have competitive full-ride scholarships?
No. UCSB’s only major merit scholarship is the Regents Scholarship, which is awarded automatically during admission review.

Where should I look instead?
For additional funding, students can apply each year through UCSB’s Scholarship Portal for smaller donor or departmental awards. These are covered in the Hidden Gems section below.

Will applying for competitive scholarships at other UCs help?
Each UC campus runs its own scholarship programs independently. Competitive awards at other UC campuses do not transfer to UCSB.

💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships

UCSB may not have big competitive scholarships, but there are plenty of smaller awards that can add up. These often come from donors, departments, or special programs, and many require a separate application through UCSB’s scholarship portal.

Scholarship / Program Award Eligibility App? Renew? Who Wins?
Promise Scholars Up to $125K / 4 yrs CA resident or AB540
FAFSA/CADAA + Cal Grant by Mar 2
High need		 Yes Yes
(GPA ≥2.75)		 High-need CA admits with strong academics
Blue & Gold Plan Covers UC tuition CA resident
Income ≤$100K
FAFSA/CADAA + Cal Grant		 No Annual Low–mid income families
Middle Class Scholarship Few $100s–$5K CA resident
Income/assets ≤~$217K
FAFSA/CADAA		 No Annual Middle-income families not fully covered by need aid
Native American Opportunity Plan Covers tuition & fees Enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe
CA resident		 No Yes Native students with tribal enrollment verification
EAP Gaucho Scholarships $2K–$3K UCSB student on UC Education Abroad
Need-based		 Yes No Students planning ahead with financial need
Piccus (RCSGD) $5K LGBTQIA+ students
Year-long UCEAP program		 Yes No LGBTQIA+ students with need planning year abroad
Freeman Foundation Internships $6.5K Internships in Asia (China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand) Yes No Students securing eligible international internships
URCA Grants Up to $750 Undergraduate research/creative projects
Proposal + mentor required		 Yes No Students with clear projects & faculty support
Hanson Travel Grant Up to $1K Accepted to present at a research conference Yes No Undergrads presenting research at conferences
Raab Writing Fellows $750 stipend Year-long mentored writing project
Seminar + faculty mentor		 Yes No Strong writers proposing sustained projects
First-Gen Writing Scholarship $1K First-generation undergrads
Professional Writing Minor		 Yes No First-gen students in writing minor
Ellen Reid Writing Award $2.5K Professional Writing Minor
Career interest in publishing/writing		 Yes No PWM students with strong portfolios
Army ROTC (Surfrider Battalion) Full tuition OR $12K room & board
+ $1.2K books + stipend		 U.S. citizen
Meet GPA/fitness standards
Commit to service		 Yes Yes Leaders pursuing military careers
AIICRC Textbook Scholarship $250 American Indian / Native Hawaiian / Alaska Native identity
Min GPA 2.0		 Yes No Students connected to Native/Indigenous communities
Gaucho Memorial Scholarship ~$800 Current UCSB student-athletes
Academic, athletic & service factors		 Yes No Engaged student-athletes with solid grades

Hidden Gem FAQs

Are donor scholarships worth the effort?
Yes — while most are smaller awards ($500–$2,500), stacking a few can reduce out-of-pocket costs meaningfully.

How do I access these hidden awards?
Apply through UCSB’s Scholarship Portal each year, and check your department’s announcements for major-specific funding.

Do California state programs (Blue & Gold, MCS) apply automatically?
Yes — filing the FAFSA or CADAA plus Cal Grant GPA verification is all t

⭐ College Specialties at UCSB

UCSB punches well above its weight thanks to world-class programs that shine in both research and reputation. From leading-edge materials science and engineering to physics and ecology, the campus stands out nationally—especially for students who want innovation-driven learning in labs, small classes, and hands-on outcomes.

Signature Program: Materials Science & Engineering
In the 2023 U.S. News grad rankings, UCSB’s Materials program is ranked No. 2 among public universities and No. 5 overall—making it one of the crown jewels of UCSB academics.

  • Physics – #11 overall for graduate physics; top 10 specialties include Quantum (#6), Particle/String (#7), Condensed Matter (#8), Cosmology/Relativity (#8)
  • Chemical Engineering – #9 overall grad; #6 among public institutions
  • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research – #1 among public universities for top-10% research citation impact
  • Optics – ranked #16 globally
  • Environment / Ecology – global ranking #36
  • Geology (Earth Sciences) – graduate specialization ranked #5 nationwide

🎖️ Honors College at UCSB

UCSB does not have a standalone Honors College. Instead, high-achieving students can apply to the College of Letters & Science Honors Program, which offers smaller classes, priority registration, and research support.

What a Typical UCSB Honors Student Looks Like:
Weighted-capped UC GPA above ~4.2, rigorous AP/IB/honors coursework, strong essays, and a clear interest in research or leadership on campus.

Perks of the Honors Program:
Priority registration, access to honors-only seminars, eligibility for honors housing, faculty mentorship, and support for undergraduate research and thesis projects.

The Honors Program is selective but not a separate application on the UC app — students are invited based on their admission profile, or they may apply directly once enrolled at UCSB. It does not add extra time to degree completion.

Honors Program FAQs

Is admission automatic?
No. Some students are invited upon admission, while others may apply once enrolled at UCSB.

Does joining Honors add extra requirements?
Yes, but they are manageable — a set number of honors seminars and, for some majors, a senior thesis. These can usually be completed within four years.

Are there extra scholarships?
No separate honors scholarships are advertised at UCSB. Students in the program typically pursue Regents or donor-based awards instead.

What’s the main value of the Honors Program?
Smaller classes, priority registration, stronger faculty connections, and a clearer path to research opportunities.

✅ Final Thoughts

UCSB is a world‑class UC with serious strengths in engineering, physics, and environmental science. While big competitive scholarships aren’t a thing here, families can still bring costs down with California aid (Blue & Gold, MCS), the Regents Scholarship for a small slice of admits, and stacked donor/department awards from the campus portal. Start with the true cost, chase the automatic aid you qualify for, then layer smaller awards that match your student’s major and story.

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Last updated: August 2025

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