The application fee is $120 for U.S. residents and $140 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $12,570 per year (in-state) and full-time: $27,672 per year (out-of-state). The 2020 Ph.D. student-faculty ratio is 4.2:1. The College of Engineering at University of California--Santa Barbara has 145 full-time faculty on staff.

The UC-Santa Barbara College of Engineering is relatively small, with about 675 graduate students and about 1,220 undergraduates enrolled. Graduate engineering students have five areas in which to study: chemical engineering; computer science; electrical and computer engineering; materials; and mechanical engineering. Master of Science (M.S.) and Ph.D. degrees are offered in each division.

Unique multidisciplinary academic programs are also offered, such as the Technology Management Program, which stresses entrepreneurism and new product development, and the Media Arts and Technology Program, particularly suited for students who want to specialize in multimedia engineering; electronic music and design; or visual and spatial arts.

With nearly 30 school research centers and institutes, interdisciplinary research is a major focus at UC-Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering. The school often works with outside institutes, including the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Marine Science Institute.

Graduate students can apply for on-campus housing or can get help locating housing through the school’s Community Housing Office. The school’s website also notes that, in addition to its engineering offerings, UC-Santa Barbara is a great place for surfing, bicycling, studying on the beach, and more.