LGBTQIA+ International Students
*A blurb on the statistic of the International student population at UCSB*
**From 2020-2021 campus profile**
Total international students enrollment: 3644 - 14%
Undergraduate international students: 2758 - 12%
Graduate international students: 886 - 30%
International Students
Departments
These are various offices and resources available on and off-campus to students. For a full list of resources check out our Campus Partners tab!
Office of International Students & Scholars
This office supports UCSB’s international students and scholars by providing immigration advising for J-1, F-1, and H1-B visa holders from 94 different countries. OISS also connects international students and scholars with campus resources and provides cross-departmental cultural programming to UCSB’s domestic and international community.
Location: 3rd floor of the SRB (Student Resource Building) | Room 3130
Phone: (805) 893-2929
Email: oiss@sa.ucsb.edu
Office hours: M-F, 8am - 5pm
Virtual Drop In Advising Schedule
It's a new online platform for International Gauchos and UCSB departments to use when submitting, reviewing, and tracking OISS requests. Requests can range anywhere from asking for a travel signature, to obtaining approval to reduce your course load, to requesting authorization to work. (Requests = anything that must be processed and/or approved by an OISS advisor.)
Thrive Basic Needs at UCSB
Our Student Needs Advising Center has compiled a list of food, academic, financial, housing, wellness, and community resources that are available to international students while they are at UCSB.
Check out this amazing and detailed list of resources by clicking on the link below:
Basic Needs Resources for International Students Handouts
AS FOOD BANK & Miramar Food Pantry
This office offers food and other necessities to students in need, and also offers meal swipes to eat at the dining commons.
Location: 2nd floor of the UCEN
Hours: Hours may vary
CARE (CAMPUS ADVOCACY, RESOURCES, & EDUCATION)
This office offers professional and confidential services to help with the prevention and intervention assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment. They also offer a confidential advocacy line that is available 24/7.
Location: 1st floor of the SRB(Student Resource Building) within the Women's Center, or the Gaucho Support Center in Isla Vista
Phone: (805)-893-4613
Hours: Available through appointment or walk-in
CLAS (CAMPUS LEARNING ASSISTANCE SERVICES)
This department offers tutoring on both an individual and class basis, as well as writing and language services.
Location: 3rd floor of the SRB(Student Resource Building)
Phone/Email: (805)-893-3269, clas@sa.ucsb.edu
Hours: M-F 9am-4pm
EOP (EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM)
This office offers academic/financial counseling, peer mentoring, and emergency grants*. EOP offers its services to all students but specializes with students that are low income and/or the first generation.
Location: 2nd floor of the SRB(Student Resource Building)
Phone/Email: (805)-893-4758, eop@sa.ucsb.edu
Hours: M-F 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
*Grant eligibility dependent on visa status of international students, please check with EOP directly to see if you are eligible.
ONDAS STUDENT CENTER
ONDAS Student Center at UCSB promotes the success and retention of first-generation college students with an emphasis on the first-year transition and underrepresented student experience. We provide mentoring and academic support in a learning-centered space for students to connect with faculty, staff, and peers in order to grow personally and excel academically.
Location: Kerr Hall 1150
Website: https://ondas.ucsb.edu/
Hours: M-F 9am-5pm
STUDENT NEEDS ADVISING CENTER (SNAC)
This office offers help for any students struggling with basic needs including technology, food insecurity, and/or financial assistance.
Location: UCEN
Phone: (805)-893-278
Hours: M 11:30am-5:30pm, Tu-Th 9am-6pm, F 10am-4pm
MULTICULTURAL CENTER
This center offers various events including lectures, films and videos, panel discussions, readings, art exhibitions, and music, dance and dramatic performances, collaborations, and space in an effort to create cultural awareness.
Location: UCEN, Room 1504
Phone: (805)-893-8411
Hours: M-Th 8a-10pm. F 8am-5pm
WSGE (WOMEN, GENDER, & SEXUAL EQUITY)
This office supports students with challenges concerning identity, a study or work space, and massage chairs. They also offer a conference room that can be reserved.
Location: 1st floor of the SRB(Student Resource Building)
Phone: (805)-893-3778
Hours: M-F 9am-8pm
Cultural Centers
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) sponsors diverse cultural programming through the African diasporic, American Indian, Chicanx/Latinx, Middle Eastern, and Asian resource centers. EOP provides cultural programs that facilitate interaction/collaboration between students of all cultural/ethnic backgrounds allowing them to gain an understanding of and appreciation for similarities and differences in each other and themselves.
Jack Canfield Student Medical Emergency Relief Fund (SMERF)
The Jack Canfield Student Medical Emergency Relief Fund (SMERF) provides grants to students with expenses related to medical, dental, psychological, and optical emergencies.
For the purpose of this fund, a medical emergency is a condition, injury, or illness that poses a risk to a person’s life, long-term health, or well-being and requires timely intervention.
Location: Recreation center room 1110
Email: SMERF@recreation.ucsb.edu
Pulse Secure Campus VPN
UCSB operates a Pulse Secure Connect VPN service for secure remote access to the campus network and selected Departmental networks. This requires the installation of a VPN client and a connection profile that has been configured for UCSB's VPN server. Pulse Secure VPN clients are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and ChromeOS.
Clubs, Groups, & Programs
This list offers information about clubs and programs at UCSB available to international LGBTQIA+ students. The availability of these resources may vary year to year. For more information about meeting times and contact information visit https://shoreline.ucsb.edu/home_login
International Students Association
The International Students Association (ISA) is a registered student organization at UCSB. The main aim of ISA is to provide International students with the opportunity to experience and appreciate different cultures and promote international friendship. They encourage everyone, including American students interested in world culture to join.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/346848372128657/
Instagram: @ucsbisa
Email: ucsb.isa@gmail.com
International Student Success Group (English)
Date/Time: Fridays 2:00-3:30pm, starting on 1/29/21
Location: Zoom
Leaders: Yueh-Ching Hsu, Ph.D., & Chye Hong Liew, Ph.D.
Zoom link will be sent after signing up
This group is designed to provide a safe and confidential space for international students to receive and provide support through exploring and navigating cultural differences, making connections with each other, and sharing available resources to promote success at UCSB. This is also a space to affirm your strengths as international students.
[Group is now full. Please fill out the sign-up form to be put on the waitlist for next quarter.]
QTAPID (QUEER & TRANS ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS & DESI)
QTAPID is a safe space for queer and trans identified Asian and Pacific islander and their allies, dedicated to highlighting intersectionality, empowering identity, building community, and fostering friendship.
This student organization is currently inactive. If you would like to restart this organization, please contact the RCSGD staff for assistance.
Contact: ucsbqtapi@gmail.com
LA FAMILIA DE COLORES
La Familia de Colores is the only Latine and LGBTQIA+ organization on campus. The purpose of La Familia De Colores is to provide a social, activist, nurturing, academic, and community space at UCSB and in the community for Queer and Trans individuals who identify as Latine.
Email: lafamiliadecolores@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaFamiliaDeColores/
Trans and Queer Commission
Trans and Queer Commission is our campus financier of other LGBTQIA+ student organizations and events. As an AS entity, they vote on funding requests and also speak for the campus queer community on current events.
Contact: tqcomm@as.ucsb.edu
Website: https://tqcomm.as.ucsb.edu/
Facebook Group (Inactive): https://www.facebook.com/ucsbqcomm/
Instagram: @ucsbtqc
Asian Resource Center (ARC)
The mission of the Asian Resource Center (ARC) is to educate, promote, and encourage the interaction and dialogue among the diverse ethnic groups within the Asian American community at UCSB. The Center provides a supportive environment for students, staff, faculty, and community members to develop an appreciation for one's identity and to affirm an institutional commitment that recognizes one’s community.
Website: https://eop.sa.ucsb.edu/cultural-centers/asian-resource-center-arc
Community-Based Resources
This list offers information about clubs and programs at UCSB available to international LGBTQIA+ students.
PACIFIC PRIDE FOUNDATION
This organization proudly provides services to the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ communities of Santa Barbara County. All of our programs are free or low-cost at our locations in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria.
Location: 608 Anacapa Street, Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Website: https://pacificpridefoundation.org/
Phone: (805)-963-3636
Planned Parenthood Santa Barbara Center
Planned Parenthood is one of the nation’s leading providers of high-quality, affordable health care, and the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With or without insurance, you can always come to us for your health care. Available in English, and Spanish. Other language interpretations are available by phone.
Location: 518 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: (888)-898-3806