Resources for Your Grad School Success
Graduate school is an ongoing journey filled with growth, challenges, and discovery. Whether you're looking to build community, explore resources, or take the next step in your academic or professional path, this page is here to support you. Explore the tools, opportunities, and support networks available to help you thrive throughout your time at UCSB.
Academic Support
Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) supports students in understanding course concepts, developing problem-solving skills, and becoming independent, lifelong learners. While most services are geared toward undergraduates, many academic skills and language development workshops are also open to graduate students.
The Disabled Students Program (DSP) provides academic accommodations and serves as the campus liaison for disability-related issues and regulations, working with departments to ensure equal access for all students with disabilities.
Graduate Division Academic Counselor Ryan Sims is available for support in academics counseling.
Instructional Development promotes excellence in undergraduate and graduate education by supporting instructional technologies across campus.
The Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) collaborates to enable and promote research-based, equitable teaching and learning across UC Santa Barbara. They specifically provide the training and workshops for Teaching Assistants (TAs) across campus.
The Office of the Ombuds is a safe place to come and discuss workplace issues, interpersonal conflict, academic concerns, bureaucratic runarounds, and many other problems. They serve faculty, staff, students, parents, and anyone else with a campus-related concern. All discussions are kept confidential.
UC Santa Barbara Library is a member of the prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The Library's vision is to empower researchers and students to create and adapt knowledge for the benefit of society and provide a variety of services to support academic success.
Health & Wellness
The UCSB Alcohol & Drug Program promotes safe, healthy choices around substance use and offers free, confidential counseling to all students to reduce high-risk behavior and related harm.
CARE offers free, confidential support and prevention services for sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and harassment, serving UCSB students, staff, and faculty of all identities.
CAPS supports student success through inclusive, culturally responsive mental health services that promote well-being, personal growth, and academic achievement for all registered students. All registered students are eligible for services at CAPS regardless of insurance status.
CAPS also offers group counseling specifically for graduate students, including support groups for ADHD and those of African Heritage, providing space to share experiences, voice concerns, and build community.
UCSB Health & Wellness provides resources, peer-led programs, and support services to help students navigate eating disorders and build a healthier relationship with body image.
The Graduate Student Wellness Program is a free program that provides wellness opportunities for all graduate students, covering topics like stress reduction, mindfulness, art therapy, and more.
The Hosford Clinic is a community clinic that provides low-cost and culturally sensitive psychological services to the Santa Barbara community. They serve the general public as well as students, faculty and staff from our university and area colleges.
The UCSB Mental Health Peer Program offers peer-led support, education, and outreach to promote student mental wellness and reduce stigma around seeking help.
UCSB Student Health offers inclusive, confidential sexual and reproductive health services, including birth control, STI testing, and pregnancy support for all students regardless of financial and insurance status.
Planned Parenthood's Santa Barbara Health Center provides affordable and accessible sexual and reproductive health care services to all people, regardless of their income, insurance status, or other factors.
The Student Mental Health Coordination Services (SMHCS) office is the single point of contact for the campus community to report concerns about a student in distress or a student distressing others. As a non-clinical office, SMHCS is able to collaborate with other departments on campus to provide coordination of care, interventions, social support, and follow-up services from a network of campus resources.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing a crisis, please call 911.
UCSB Basic Needs provides equitable access to food, housing, and financial support resources to help students thrive academically and maintain overall well-being.
Student Health provides 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. They offer a variety of medical services including dental care, vision care, and urgent care, as well as laboratory testing and pharmacy services.
The Student Health also has psychiatrists and social workers who are available by referral from either Counseling and Psychological Services or primary care clinicians within Student Health.
Community
Our campus cultural resource centers provide resources, safe spaces for community-building, the celebration of identities, and social supports for students.
UCSB’s graduate student organizations provide supportive communities that celebrate shared identities, experiences, and a sense of belonging.
UCSB’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) advocates for grad students, offers funding, hosts events, and provides community through its lounge and campus involvement opportunities.
UCSB's Academic Parenting Accommodations policy offers graduate students with parenting responsibilities options like leaves of absence and time-to-degree extensions to support academic progress while balancing family needs. For more details, visit the UCSB Graduate Division's Academic Parenting Accommodations page.
The Non-Traditional Student Resource Center (NTSRC) is a home for graduate students who are over 28 years old (29+), students with dependents, or re-entering students and provides a space to study, eat, relax, or hang-out, as well as staff to guide you.
The Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) serves UCSB’s international students and scholars by providing immigration advising, issuing necessary documents, and offering support throughout their academic journey. OISS also hosts cultural programs year-round to foster connection, community, and student success.
The Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD) at UCSB supports LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and faculty through advocacy, education, and programming that fosters inclusion, community, and success across intersecting identities.
Undocumented Student Services (USS) offers programs and resources to support undocumented and mixed-status students, fostering academic, professional, and personal growth in a welcoming community.
The Women’s Center is the primary organization on campus dedicated to providing education on women’s issues, feminism, healthy masculinities, and gender and social equity. The space and programs are available to all individuals of all genders interested in understanding how gender shapes our social world, and how we can work to eliminate all forms of gender-based oppression.
Housing & Transportation
UCSB's Bicycle Program promotes eco-friendly commuting with incentives like e-bike discounts, free electric bike trials, secure bike lockers, and campus shower facilities for cyclists.
UCSB students, faculty, and staff can ride Santa Barbara MTD buses for free or at a discount by showing their ACCESS card or UCSB ID.--
UCSB Campus Housing provides affordable graduate housing for full-time students at San Clemente Villages, as well as Family Student Housing at Storke and West Campus for students who are married, partnered, and/or have children.
University & Community Housing Services is a one-stop resource offering rental guidance, dispute resolution, and support for students, faculty, staff, and property providers.
UCSB Graduate Division offers a comprehensive guide with off-campus housing rates, listings, and general resources to support graduate students in their housing search
The Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative (SBSHC) provides low-rent cooperative housing for students, staff, and faculty of UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, and other post-secondary educational institutions in Santa Barbara County.
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) supports sustainable commuting to UCSB by foot, bike, bus, or shared transit, excluding motorcycles and remote work, from its complimentary parking benefits.
If you plan to utilize a car on-campus please check out UCSB Parking and Transportation Services.
Safety and Rights
UCSB’s Associated Students Legal Resource Center (ASLRC) provides free legal education and support to registered students on issues like citations, landlord-tenant disputes, family law, and immigration; while they don't offer legal representation, they assist students in understanding their legal options and finding practical resolutions.
The CSO Safety Escort Program offers free evening and early morning escorts by foot or bike across campus and Isla Vista; call 805-893-2000 or use a Blue Emergency Phone to request an escort.
The Isla Vista Tenants Union (IVTU) empowers UCSB and Isla Vista renters through free legal education, lease support, housing resources, and tenant advocacy.
Title IX is a federal law that protects people from sex-based discrimination in education, covering issues like sexual harassment, assault, and gender-based violence. UCSB’s Title IX Office enforces these protections by investigating reports, offering resources, and promoting a safe campus climate.
UCSB’s Campus Regulations outline the rights and responsibilities of the university community, detailing standards for conduct, use of facilities, free expression, and disciplinary procedures.
UCSB’s Office of the Student Advocate (OSA) offers free, confidential peer support and representation for students facing academic, conduct, financial, or grievance-related issues with the university. As a non-partisan branch of student government, OSA empowers students to navigate university policies and advocate for their rights.
The UCSB Police Department is a full-service, 24/7 law enforcement agency dedicated to campus safety, offering emergency response, crime prevention, and community support services.
CSB PD values transparency in policing and encourages you to contact them if you have any questions related to the services provided.