Welcome to UCSB Orientation Programs
Welcome to the University of California, Santa Barbara community! Your decision to attend UCSB is the beginning of what we know will be an extremely rewarding experience for you and your family. While this is no doubt an exciting time for you, the transition into a university community can also be challenging for both students and their parents.
Our Student Orientation Program will introduce you to the UCSB campus, important student services, and academic expectations at the university level. Students who attend Orientation will receive extensive academic advising, meet with faculty, staff and continuing UCSB students, and register for their fall quarter classes with assistance from our staff.
Parents can play an important role in promoting the personal development and academic success of their son or daughter during the college years. For this reason, UCSB has designed a Parent Orientation Program that will help parents to support, understand, and encourage their student as he or she makes the transition to university life. Each Parent Orientation session, held at the same time as the Student Orientation session, includes a separate schedule of activities designed to address the concerns and interests of parents of an entering college student. Parents who are planning to attend Orientation must be included on the student's Reservation Form.
We hope that you will join us for Orientation on the beautiful UC Santa Barbara campus this summer. We look forward to meeting you.
What, when, and where is Orientation? Everything you need to know about UCSB Summer Orientation – session dates, program options, program fees, and how to reserve your space.
To prepare for your arrival at Summer Orientation, see this section regarding check-in times and what to bring.
Maps and directions to the UCSB campus, to the Summer Orientation parking and check-in areas, and information about parking permits.
Contact information for hotels and motels close to campus and in the Santa Barbara area.
Find out if you’d like to be an Orientation Staff member and see the requirements for the O-Staff application and selection process.
Resources and information for those who cannot attend Summer Orientation.
After attending Summer Orientation, please help us continue to keep our program valuable to new students and their parents by giving us feedback.
If you are a new transfer student who will enter UCSB at the start of winter quarter, see this section for details about Orientation and advising.