What is Freshman Orientation?
Whether you join us in-person at UCSB or online via Zoom, Orientation is your first step toward becoming a Gaucho!
Get Started with Academics
Get to know UCSB's academic expectations and requirements, receive peer advising to help plan your first quarter schedule, and register for Fall classes with confidence!
Taste College Life
Begin to see your life as a UCSB student by exploring campus, staying overnight in a residence hall (optional but highly encouraged!), and diving into conversations about the college transition.
Connect and Get Involved
Meet other new students, make friends, learn about campus resources, and discover the many ways to get engaged in UCSB's vibrant community. Our staff and student leaders are here to answer all your questions and help you feel right at home.
Special note: Course registration will take place during each session, both in-person and online. Course seats are distributed evenly across all sessions. The same amount of course seats will be available for each class regardless of when your Orientation session is.
International Students: We host separate online orientation sessions for incoming international freshman that are at a different time and focused on important transition and academic topics.
Freshman Orientation General Schedule
The following is an unofficial program overview for Freshman Orientation. Your official Orientation schedule will be provided at check-in for in-person sessions, and a few days prior to online sessions via email.
Day One
- 7:30 - 9:00 AM Check-In +
- Receive their program materials.
- Campus Tours: Tours include a Library Tour, University Center Tour and General Campus Tour and depart at multiple times.
- Access Card: Students who submitted their Access Card photo before their Orientation session can pick up their Access Card.
- 9:45 AM Welcome Assembly +
- 10:45 AM Academic Advising I
- Learn about graduation requirements at UCSB.
- 12:15 AM Lunch in Carrillo Dining Commons +✧
- 1:30 PM Day One Breakout Sessions +
- Sessions held relating to multiple campus resources: the Education Abroad Program, Recreation Center, Educational Opportunity Program and more.
- 3:00 PM Academic Advising II ▩
- Learn about course registration and receive individual peer academic advising.
- 6:00 PM Dinner in Carrillo Dining Commons +✧
- 7:00 PM Making the Most of Your First Year
- Information about the transition to college life and includes authentic insights from our student panel.
- 9:00 PM Student Night Social
- Get to know other students through a mix of high-energy and relaxing activities.
Day Two
- 7:15 AM Breakfast in the Dining Commons +✧
- 9:00 AM Student Life Workshops
- Understand real college scenarios and support resources
- 10:15 AM Academic College Presentation
- 11:30 AM Day Two Breakout Sessions +
- Connect with departments at our Student Resource Fair or additional presentations from Fraternity and Sorority Life, Veterans and Military Dependents and more.
- 12:30 PM - Lunch in the Dining Commons +✧
- 1:30 PM - Academic Advising III and Course Registration ▩
- Review our course registration system and register for fall quarter classes.
- 4:00 PM - End of program. Students will finish course registration between 3:00 - 4:00 PM.
+ Activities where students and parents are together. See Parent Orientation on this website for Parent Program Overview.
▩ Activities which require laptops or tablets. See Before Your Session for information about borrowing laptops.
✧ Our campus dining commons can accommodate many diets with a variety of food options available. Dining commons menus will be posted online for the current day, plus six days in advance, and guests may use this Food Facts Tool to identify common allergens and determine safe foods to consume. Additionally, for guests with medically required gluten-free diets, there is a secured, Gluten-Free Cabinet in each dining commons that can be accessed with advance notice and coordination with our Dietitian. Any guests following a medically required gluten-free diet should contact sa-orientation@ucsb.edu at least seven days prior to their Orientation session.
Freshman Orientation Session Dates
2025 Orientation Session Dates
You must attend both days of the orientation program to successfully register for Fall quarter courses. Students admitted to the College of Creative Studies (CCS) must select one of the sessions with an asterisk (*). These sessions will have specific advising and programming for CCS students and families.
- Session 1: Thursday-Friday, June 26 & 27
- Session 2: Monday-Tuesday, June 30 & July 1
- Session 3: Monday-Tuesday, July 7 & 8
- Session 4: Thursday-Friday, July 10 & 11*
- Session 5: Monday-Tuesday, July 14 & 15*
- Session 6: Thursday-Friday, July 17 & 18
- Session 7: Monday-Tuesday, July 21 & 22
- Session 8: Thursday-Friday, July 24 & 25*
- Session 9: Monday-Tuesday, July 28 & 29*
- Session 10: Thursday-Friday. July 31 & August 1*
- Session 11: Monday-Tuesday, August 4 & 5 (online program)
- Session 12: Thursday-Friday, August 7 & 8* (online program)
Reminder: Course seats are distributed evenly across all sessions (both in-person and online). The same amount of course seats will be available whether you attend the first or last session.
If you are enrolled in the Freshman Summer Start Program (FSSP), plan to attend any Orientation session before FSSP begins. To make travel easier, we recommend reserving a spot in the final in-person Orientation session (Session 10) as you will be able to transition directly to FSSP at the conclusion of the Orientation program.
During Orientation you will enroll in your Fall quarter courses. Planning your Fall schedule is easier when you have already selected the courses you will take while in FSSP. To select your summer FSSP courses, please see the FSSP Academics and Course Enrollment information prior to attending your Orientation session.
Fees & Billing
Freshman Program Fees
In-Person Program
- 2-Day Student Program with Overnight Accommodation: $362
- 2-Day Student Program without Overnight Accommodation: $323
- 2-Day Parent & Family Program: $205
All in-person program fees include meals. Overnight accommodations are not provided for parents and family; overnight accommodations are only provided for students who select the program with overnight accommodations.
Online Program
- 2-Day Student Online Program: $260
- 2-Day Parent & Family Online Program: Free
For parents and family to recieve information via email about the online Parent & Family Orientation Program, students must add them as guests including their email information when they reserve their online sessions through the Orientation reservation system.
Orientation Programs is a self-supported department funded 100% by program fees; no state or campus funding is provided to offset the costs of the program. In addition to covering staff salaries and programmatic expenses, the orientation fee covers the cost of all new student education requirements and courses designed to introduce new students to the University.
Billing Information
Program fees for all participants will be billed in the Fall on the student's UCSB BARC billing statement. Students are required to pay the full amount of fees for all participants, including parents and family, who attended UCSB's Orientation Program. Fee payment deadlines will be noted on the BARC statement. Fees are assessed per person.
Orientation fees are ONLY billed through a student's UCSB BARC statement for Fall quarter. We do not accept check, credit or debit card payments directly to our department.
Financial Assistance
If financial concerns are keeping you from participating in Orientation, please consider the following:
- No payment is due when you make a reservation, you won't be charged until late August through your Fall BARC billing statement along with all other UCSB tuition and fees.
- UCSB offers a payment plan for quarterly fees and charges. See the UCSB Billing website for information about whether a payment plan would be helpful to you.
- UCSB Orientation Programs offers a limited number of fee reductions. Fee reductions are available to eligible students from families with an annual income of $45,000 or less. These are awarded based on need and in the order we receive applications under funds and depleted.
- Fee reduction applications will not be processed if it is not connected to an Orientation reservation. You must reserve your space in an Orientation session for your fee reduction application to be considered. There is no payment due when you make a reservation.