Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), California, USA

Santa Barbara City College: Rankings, Courses, Admissions, Fees, and Scholarships

Established in 1909, the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) provides quality faculty, comprehensive student services, exceptional academic and career technical programs that create a thriving educational environment. It is one of the oldest colleges in America. Almost 1000 International Students study at Santa Barbara City College, making up approx 7% of the total students. The institution is a fully accredited community college, offering over 155+ degree and certificate programs and a wide range of career-technical fields.

As a public community college, the institution is dedicated to the success of each student. It welcomes all students and provides a diverse learning environment. SBCC has received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. The college strives to build a socially conscious community where knowledge and respect empower individuals to transform our world.

SBCC Rankings

According to Niche, Santa Barbara City College ranks

In 2020 the college was named #1 Community College in the nation, by Value Colleges.

Why study at Santa Barbara City College?

The Santa Barbara City College had 14,179 students serve in Fall 2020 and is a great place for an international student to pursue their higher education because-

• 53.3% of the students belong to a minority ethnic group
• 200+ scholarships are offered annually
• 87% of the students receive financial aid
• The 2020 successful course completion rate was 71.6%
• 3,291 Degrees and 2,056 Certificates were awarded in 2020, with 2,827 transfers to four-year institutions.
• The institution provides quality education at an affordable rate
• The students get a chance to experience the dream of Californian American life.

Programs & Courses

Santa Barbara City College offers the following programs 

• Associate Degree for Transfer – Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) Degree. 

            The college offers 30 Associate Degrees for Transfer.

• Associate Degree- Associate Arts (AA) Degree and Associate in Science (AS) Degree 

            The college offers almost 90 Associate Degrees.

• Certificates of Achievement (C) 

            The college offers 63 Certificates of Achievement.

• Skills Competency Awards (SCA) 

            The college offers 56 Skills Competency Awards

• Department Awards (D) 

            The college offers 5 Department Awards.

Campus and Accommodation

Santa Barbara City College has a 75-acre campus and is situated overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The relaxed community of Santa Barbara popularly known as the American Riviera provides an enhanced educational experience. The campus consists of a Library, Interdisciplinary building, Business, and Communication Building, Drama Music Complex, Student Services Building, Administration Building, Campus Center, Earth, and Biological Sciences Building, Campus BookStore, and Life Fitness Center.  

The college, along with the Office of Student Life, offers an off-campus housing site that helps the students find accommodation for themselves. The site consists of the listings and information of housing available in Santa Barbara and helps students find compatible roommates. The college only acts as an online host for these rental listings and makes no guarantees or promises about the properties listed. The housing types include dorm-style living, apartments, and houses with roommates. 

Admission Requirements for International Students.

Eligibility Criteria:

• A minimum 2.00 GPA.
• The age of the applicant must be 17 years or older
• English Proficiency is required for admission to the Academic Program. The college does not require TOEFL/IELTS but if the applicant has already taken these they may be exempted from ESL courses at the college.
• A minimum of 80% attendance is required 

For transfer students from U.S. language schools.

Documents Required:

• Application Fee Receipt
• Financial Statement Form
• Official Bank Letter
• Passport
• High School or College Transcripts
• Minor Forms are required if the applicant is under 18 years old.

Application Fee:  Free

Application Deadlines:

• Fall Semester – June 15
• Spring Semester – November 1
• Summer Session II – May 1

Where to apply : Online via college website/ Apply via Gyanberry 

Tuition, fees, and cost of attendance

Tuition and fees for International Students.

Cost of Living

The estimated annual cost of attendance for an international student at Santa Barbara City College is  26,224 USD or 96,323 AED

Scholarships for International Students

SBCC does not offer any scholarships for new international students. However, once admitted, international students are free to apply to merit-based scholarships, the applications of which are open every year in January.

There are other third-party sources that offer scholarships to new international students, the college has a listing page of all third-party scholarships students can apply to. Additionally, Gyanberry is offering a time-limited Gscholar program that reduces 20% of your first-year student if you apply via Gyanberry. Get in touch to know more.

The Santa Barbara City College provides the students with a perfect opportunity to receive excellent and well- rounded education in the dream state of California at an affordable rate. The scholarships, financial aids, this diversity, and inclusion makes this institution the best place for an International Student wanting to study in California, United States of America.