UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA

UCSB Answers

Our Best Answer - I am a new student who is struggling with the transition to UCSB.

New Student Struggles

UC Santa Barbara offers many resources and initiatives for first-year and graduate students. Please contact us at 805-893-4569 or visit the Student Life webpage for more information on who to contact.

Additionally, there are several other on-campus resources that can be helpful to new and continuing students facing difficulties. 

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): The mission of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is to assist Student Affairs and the University as a whole in helping the student body achieve academic, social and personal success. Through the provision of mental health services, CAPS strives to help ensure that students - as well as the larger campus community - remain healthy in this pursuit of success. CAPS promotes the emotional well-being of students through individual and group psychotherapy, crisis intervention and stress management services.

CAPS Mental Health Peers: Our peers are trained to help students develop tools to better manage stressors related to school as well as relationships to family, friends, romantic partners, and roommates.  Peers can help you get connected to other appropriate resources around campus. And, they will bridge the connection to aCAPS counselor if the challenges you are dealing with require more attention.

Office of Student Engagement & Leadership: Student Engagement & Leadership (formerly OSL) promotes undergraduate and graduate student engagement and development through co-curricular programs, including campus organizations, fraternities and sororities, leadership development, and civic engagement. We encourage widespread student involvement in campus life and the broader community to foster a sense of belonging with every student.

We uplift student perspectives and champion leadership opportunities, new and continuing initiatives, campus organizations, and events. We believe that co-curricular activities play an integral role in student retention and success, and provide opportunities for academic, personal, career, and leadership development.

Campus Learning Assistance Services: Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) is one of the most wide-ranging departments on campus. Yet even though our areas of academic support span from Arabic and Accounting to the Sciences and Study Skills, CLAS’ greater purpose—beyond the role of simply serving students—is helping students take full ownership of their education.

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The answers provided are generally applicable and not student specific. For individualized assistance, please email ucsbanswers@sa.ucsb.edu or contact the appropriate campus office.