Spotlight on University of California, Santa Barbara

Prodigy Finance - March 24, 2020

Ready to learn everything you need to know about engineering and STEM masters degrees at University of California at Santa Barbara? You're in the right place!

Right on the Pacific coast, Santa Barbara is very much the vision many have of California. But, UC Santa Barbara has a lot more than beaches and beautiful weather; the school can trace its roots back to the 1880s when it was a trade school.

Formally incorporated into the University of California system in 1944 and now boasts 6 Nobel laureates and an engineering department with an unparalleled research focus.

What can you study at UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering?

Although the College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara doesn’t offer a huge variety of masters degrees, the programmes they do have receive plenty of accolades.

UCSB engineering job placement

On average, UCSB hosts 3 career fairs and some 330 companies participate. The school works hard to continually attract new employers and 92% of those that recruit on campus are happy with the number of students they see. In addition, they’re overwhelmingly positive about students’ job preparedness. You’ll find a lot of focus on preparing students for interviews, help with creating job search tools and the university even provides a no-cost career assessment to ensure you’re looking in the right places for your skills and degree.

What's it like to live at the University of California at Santa Barbara?

At UC Santa Barbara, international students are guaranteed on-campus housing as long as they adhere to the guidelines. The Community Housing Office also assists students who prefer off-campus accommodation. However, the on-campus options are varied and typically less expensive, so you may want to check that out first.

There are also meal plans available that suit just about any budget or on-campus plans for food.

International students can participate in the iBuddy programme which links participating students to local students for language practice, general study sessions, or just figuring out how to get around and what’s available in the area.

Cars are generally a hassle for short trips around town as parking is limited. If you want anytime transportation of your own, the weather is definitely nice enough to get a bicycle. But, you’ll find that most students take advantage of the free, unlimited use of the local MTD bus system.

Does the UC Santa Barbara offer scholarships to international students?

The biggest form of support for international graduate students at UCSB takes the form of fellowships, as well as research or teaching assistantships. These positions, however, are highly coveted and are snapped up quickly.

While you can check the general financial pages for scholarship information, your best bet might just be to connect with the professors you would be interested in assisting while on campus. To qualify, you’ll need exceptional proficiency in English in addition to a desire to work in a specific area.

Prodigy Finance international student loans for University of California at Santa Barbara

Prodigy Finance offers loans for international masters students at the College of Engineering at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Students from supported countries pursuing masters programmes that can be completed in less than 2 years are eligible to apply.

• Maximum loan amount: up to 100% of the school-provided cost of attendance (tuition plus living expenses)

• Minimum loan amount: $15,000

• All loans disbursed directly to the university according to due dates

Prodigy Finance also supports loans for University of California at Santa Barbara students pursuing masters degrees in these schools:

• College of Letters & Science

Ready for a UC Santa Barbara Engineering masters?

Prodigy Finance provides loans to international masters students pursuing their masters degrees at top universities, including the College of Engineering at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Prodigy Finance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

If you want to go ahead and know the difference between master of science and master of engineering, or if you want to know what and where to study, try our Study Centre which is filled with expert opinions on a range of topics.

For any other information about Prodigy Finance, or our student loan process, feel free to browse through our site, or register for a webinar to have your questions answered by one of our team.

Post updated for accuracy and freshness on March 24, 2020. Originally published on May 28, 2018.