This page outlines important information about the quarterly enrollment process for students at UCSB.
Enrollment is the quarterly process of:
Students must complete all steps by the deadlines to officially enroll at UCSB each quarter.
New students in their first quarter must also:
Register for Courses
How to Register
All students register for courses in GOLD.
More information about registration
- Once your pass time has started, login to GOLD with your UCSBNetID and password.
- Click on “Find Courses” to search for next quarter’s courses.
- Use the “Advanced Search” feature to find courses that meet your needs.
- If the course is open, click “Add”
- If you already added courses to your Registration Cart, click “Add” next to the section you want to register for.
- You must complete this step during your pass time. Adding courses to your cart does not automatically register you for courses.
- If a course is full, you may waitlist the course if
- You are registered in at least 12 units
- The department has enabled a waitlist for the course
Pass Times
Each quarter, students are assigned a registration "pass time". This is a specific day and time period when a student may register for courses in GOLD. Each pass time has a limit of how many units students can add.
During their pass time, students can:
- Add courses
- Drop courses
- Change course grading option
- Switch sections
Students can view their specific pass times in GOLD under "Registration". All pass times are Pacific time.
Continuing students get three pass times per quarter. New students get two pass times per quarter.
Deadlines
Students must register for at least one course by the 15th day of instruction or their quarterly enrollment will be lapsed.
Quarterly deadlines are listed in GOLD under "Registration" and on this website for:
- Course adds
- Course drops
- Course grading option changes
After the deadline has passed, please contact your college academic advising office for late requests.
Summer Quarter
Enrollment in Summer quarter is optional.
Please contact the Office of Financial & Scholarships with any questions about how Summer enrollment impacts financial aid.
Please contact the Office of International Students & Scholars with questions about how Summer enrollment impacts immigration status.
Minimum Unit Requirements
During academic quarters (Fall, Winter, and Spring), students must register in a minimum number of units to be considered "full-time." The number of units a student is enrolled in is called their "study load."
Registering below the minimum study load can impact:
- Financial aid
- Loan repayment
- Immigration status (for international students)
Please contact the Office of Financial & Scholarships and the Office of International Students & Scholars with any questions.
Study Load
Undergraduate Students
- Minimum study load: 12 units
- Average study load: 15 units
- Maximum study load:
- Creative Studies: no limit
- Engineering and Letters & Science:
- On probation: 17 units
- Good standing: 21 units
Graduate Students
- Minimum study load: 8 units
- Average study load: 12 units
- Maximum study load: no limit
Pay Fees
How to Pay Fees
The Office of the Registrar charges students quarterly for university tuition and certain campus-based fees. These fees are added to the student's Billing Account myBARC.
Students receive an email notice to their UCSB issued U-Mail account when their Electronic Billing Statement (Gaucho E-Bill) is available to view online.
More information on making payments is available on the BARC website.
Remove Blocks
How to remove blocks
Registration blocks may prevent quarterly registration. Contact the university department listed in GOLD to resolve the block.
Deadlines
Students must resolve all registration blocks by the 15th day of instruction or their quarterly enrollment will be lapsed.
Late or Retroactive Enrollment
Students whose enrollment was lapsed and want to enroll after the 15th day of instruction must complete the late enrollment process. Students receiving financial aid must also contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
Breaks in Enrollment (Leaves of Absence)
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students are not required to attend continuously. They may be absent from UCSB for one or more quarters without petition. Prior to returning to UCSB, students must submit a Request for Undergraduate Readmission or Reinstatement well in advance of the quarter of return.
Students may need to withdraw if they are seeking to leave during a current quarter.
Non-UC Study Abroad
Undergraduates who wish to participate in a non-UC Study Abroad program may be eligible to request leave and retain their enrollment status while studying abroad in a non-UC sponsored program.
Graduate Students
Continuous registration is required of all graduate students. For additional information visit the Graduate Division’s Leave of Absence website or consult the Graduate Division.
If you have any questions about information on this page, please email Registration@sa.ucsb.edu.