Graduate school is both rewarding and challenging, and no one is expected to navigate it alone. Building a strong support system and prioritizing your well-being can help you manage the demands of graduate school, build resilience, and create a healthy, sustainable graduate experience. Discover and utilize the campus resources below to support your well-being, navigate challenges, and help you thrive throughout your graduate journey.
If you need help getting started, reach out to a peer in the Graduate Student Resource Center, we're here for you!
Supporting Your Well-Being in Graduate School
On Campus Health
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can help support the emotional well-being of students. All registered students are eligible for services at CAPS. When help is needed in sorting out a personal concern, CAPS is a resource for learning new skills in building self-confidence, relating to others, reducing stress, solving problems, and identifying options.
The Disabled Students Program (DSP) facilitates the full participation in and equal access to all educational activities and classes at UCSB. This includes determining which services a student is eligible for, instructing students on how to activate and utilize their services, communicating accommodation guidelines to faculty, and working with campus partners to coordinate exam accommodations, accessible furniture, etc.
Note: Only currently admitted students with a UCSBnetID may apply for services. Documentation for newly admitted students will be reviewed starting in late June, with the exception of students taking summer courses.
Student Health Services (SHS) provides provide exceptional, inclusive, compassionate, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare services to promote health and well-being in order to empower students to thrive throughout their university experience.
Essential Offices & Personnel
The UCSB Department of Recreation serves the Gaucho community by cultivating well-being through programs, services, and facilities. UCSB grad students with a PERM number currently enrolled in at least eight units and who have paid their student fees are eligible for membership at the Rec Cen.
Campus, Advocacy, Resources, and Education (CARE) is UC Santa Barbara’s confidential advocacy and education office for interpersonal violence (sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking). CARE offers free and confidential services for all students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members, and friends/loved ones impacted by interpersonal and gender-based violence and provides violence prevention education for the entire UCSB campus.
The mission of the Title IX Compliance and Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Office (”TIX/DHP Office”) is to ensure all UCSB community members fulfill the campus’ commitment to create and maintain a work and academic environment free of discrimination and harassment.
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) at UC Santa Barbara is the elected representative government that ensures graduate student concerns are addressed on campus-wide and UC system-wide policy issues. The GSA articulates graduate student concerns to the campus administration and campus-wide committees dealing with topics ranging from parking and student family concerns to long-range academic planning. Many graduate students, across many disciplines, are involved in helping achieve these goals and discussing future ventures for the GSA at UC Santa Barbara.
The Office of Student Life also advocates for the perspectives and needs of students as significant campus constituents, champions genuine inclusion of all students and their myriad intersecting identities in our learning community, and encourages student engagement in order to foster civic engagement, leadership, and career success. This office includes the Dean of Students Office, Civic & Community Engagement, Associated Students, the Office of Black Student Development (OBSD), Early Childhood Care & Education Services (ECCES), Multicultural Center (MCC), Non-Traditional Student Resource Center, Orientation Programs and Parent Services, Resource Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity (RCSGD), Office of Student Conduct (OSC), Student Engagement & Leadership (SEAL), Storke Publications, and Women, Gender, & Sexual Equity (WGSE).
Ryan Sims, the Academic Counselor, is available to support students throughout their academic journey. If you need academic support, time management strategies, a listening ear when you feel stressed by your new academic environment, or referrals to campus services, Ryan is a great resource. You can either call (805-893-2068) or email (Ryan.Sims@graddiv.ucsb.edu) to request an appointment.
Local Events
Shoreline, maintained by Student Engagement & Leadership (SEAL), is the best place to find upcoming events hosted by different campus centers, such as the Graduate Student Resource Center or the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, and student organizations.
UCSB Arts and Lectures provides access to an entire season's worth of live events, including talks by famous authors, musical performances, and dance productions.
Through its pillars of educational programming, student engagement, and community outreach, the MultiCultural Center models a mutually supportive relationship with its students, the campus at large, and serves as a bridge to the larger surrounding community. Notable past events have included the Spiritual Care Club, the Graduate Writing Retreat, and the Navigating STEM as BIPOC series.
The Department of Theater and Dance hosts live events centering student learning and performances from acting to technical work. Recent shows have included Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm, and the Summer Dance on the Steps production in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, "As if in a Dream."
With over 150 events presented annually, the Department of Music offers something for every music lover. The department boasts 26 unique performing ensembles, each with a quarterly concert calendar. Chamber music, large ensembles, opera, contemporary groups, world music, and jazz ensembles make up the department’s rich performance calendar, along with lectures, master classes, and presentations from the ethnomusicology, musicology, theory, and composition programs.
Isla Vista Arts regularly hosts film screenings through their Magic Lantern Films programming. Films screen every Monday night and Thursday night at 8pm during the school year, and every Friday night at 8pm during the summer. Tickets are free for UCSB students. Recent selections have included Pitch Perfect and The Hunger Games.
The Carsey-Wolf Center at UC Santa Barbara hosts regular film and documentary screenings, frequently accompanied by short discussions from notable creatives from the works. Recent selections have included screenings and discussions of Star Wars: A New Hope, The Misfits, and Clueless.
UCSB's Associated Students Program Board (ASPB) is a student-operated non-profit organization funded by lock-in fees which aims to coordinate fun and educational events for the community. From concerts to films to art shows, ASPB welcomes local artists and larger names for their events.
UC Santa Barbara also offers a wide array of athletic events throughout the year. Popular sports during the academic year include basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball.
The A.S. Cashiers & Ticket Office via AXS, the online ticketing system, has created an account for you using your UCSB email address and PERM number.