The Office of International Students & Scholars at UC Santa Barbara is here to support you throughout your UCSB experience.

We are here to serve as a liaison between students, sponsors, and University Departments and Colleges.

Who are sponsored students?

At UCSB, we consider sponsored students to be any enrolled student who possesses an immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) from an organization other than UCSB, such as Fulbright. We also consider Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (Fulbright FLTA’s) to be part of this sponsored student group.

Prospective Students
Prospective sponsored students apply to UC Santa Barbara with direction from their sponsor.

New Students
Newly arrived sponsored students must complete the on-line check in process with OISS upon your arrival at UCSB. Instructions will have been sent to your UCSB e-mail.

You will also need to come to OISS in person to confirm your arrival on-campus.

Sponsored students are also required to attend CALI Training! This gives you a great introduction to UCSB and the opportunity to meet other students.

Current Students
Current sponsored students are encouraged to maintain contact with Simran Singh, Director of OISS! To make an appointment with Simran, you can email her directly at singh-s@ucsb.edu. 

To request an Official Enrollment Verification Letter to provide to your sponsor, please contact our office.

For information on important on-campus resources, please visit our Campus Resource page. 

Important Reminders

  • If you are having difficulty with tuition payments or any associated fees during your sponsored program at UC Santa Barbara, please be sure to contact BARC – Billing & Financial Services for consultation, as well as your sponsor and your contact at OISS so that we can assist you.
  • Be sure to obtain proper work authorization from your program sponsor before you engage in any employment during your program.
  • Travel signatures can only be issued by your sponsor (not OISS).
  • Advice on maintaining your status needs to come directly from your sponsor.

Parents & Family Members of Sponsored Students

The Office of International Students & Scholars is here to serve as a liaison and support your UCSB student. We are excited to have them on our campus and learn about all of the amazing contributions they will be making to our campus community.

For more information on our beautiful campus, please visit the Gaucho Parents webpage.