January 2026 Counselor Newsletter

This month, our Applicant Portal Opened. We emailed your students and asked them to create a password, to login, and review their personal information (name, address, etc.). That is all we need from them, unless we directly email them and ask for more information.

As a reminder, we do not allow first-year applicants to make any academic updates, nor can they change their major at this point in time. In contrast, transfer applicants have until January 31 to submit their initial TAU with academic updates and/or to request a change of major. As a reminder, we do NOT want transcripts and unsolicited documents.

Thank you,
Cuca Acosta, Executive Director
Office of Admissions

Announcements: 

• Open House: We have confirmed our spring Open House date! Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 11, 2026. We hope you and your students will consider joining us to explore UCSB, housing, student life, sports, clubs, and more! Registration will be available soon.
• Pre-College Programs: Applications are open for UCSB’s pre-college programs, the Summer Research Academies and the Research Mentorship Program. Both provide talented, highly motivated 9th–11th grade students the opportunity to earn college credit while engaging in interdisciplinary research. We encourage students to register for a free informational webinar to learn about these transformative programs and start their application today! | Pre-College Counselor FAQ Resource Sheet
• Counselor Webinars: Register to attend one or more of our upcoming counselor sessions! If you can’t attend, watch the recording on our Counselor Webinar Playlist.
  • Feb. 19 | UCSB Transfer Admissions Updates
  • Feb. 25 | UCSB Pre-Majors for First-Year Applicants & the Change of Major Process 
  • Mar. 18 | Advising First-Year Students: Waitlist & Appeals
  • Mar. 19 | UCSB Transfer Prep Programs

First-Year Updates:

• Next Steps for UCSB Applicants: We created short videos to share details about the next steps for UCSB applicants. Videos highlight residency, change of major, coursework updates, and more! Please share with your UCSB applicant students.
• Virtual Events: Several virtual events are available to guide both applicants and prospective students. Applicants can find webinars, such as Applicant Next Steps, in their Applicant Portal. Events catered to prospective students can be found on our Events Calendar under "First-Year Events." This season’s events include Student Q&As, UCSB College-specific webinars, and UCSB Majors & Careers. 
• Virtual Visit Requests: Throughout the year, virtual visits are available by request. Requests can be submitted on our Virtual School Visits page. A wide range of presentations are available, including our most popular, Campus Admissions Presentation.
• Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice: The Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice Program offers a four-year scholarship, creating a path toward a debt-free UCSB degree, along with an immersive experience in environmental changemaking. The program is open to current California seniors who applied to UCSB and are passionate about creating community-engaged, sustainable environmental solutions. Students who demonstrate significant financial need, first-generation, and/or from underrepresented backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply! Application closes February 20th. To learn more, visit the Yardi Scholars website or view the informational brochure (available in Spanish). 

Transfer Updates:

• Major Preparation for Biochemistry: UCSB’s Biochemistry, B.S. transfer major requirements have changed for transfer applicants applying for Fall 2027. Both Chemistry and Biochemistry will follow the Chemistry transfer pathway. As a result, Linear Algebra and a full calculus-based Physics sequence will be required for admission, beginning with Fall 2027 applicants. Fall 2026 applicants are not impacted by this update. Our Selective Major webpage has all the requirements available for your reference. 
• Join us at our Transfer Counselor In-Service on February 12! Registration is limited to California community college counselors. Register today as space is limited.
• Transfer Academic Update: Students must submit a Transfer Academic Update (TAU) by January 31 even if they have no updates to report! Students can submit a TAU by logging into their UC Application.

Visitor Center Updates:

• If you are looking to bring a group of students to visit UC Santa Barbara, please submit a Group Visit Request! Our Group Coordinator will work with you to book a date and time for your visit. Visit options include Guided Campus Tours, Admissions Presentations, and Self-Guided Campus Tours. We are currently confirming group visits through March 2026, but you are welcome to submit a request for future dates as well.