On-Campus Parking

If you plan to drive to campus, you will need to learn more about different types of parking passes. Read more below to see which passes you might qualify for:

  • Graduate Night & Weekend Pass: Free for all graduate students! This pass allows parking on campus Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. the next morning, and all day Saturday and Sunday. (Note: If you are a graduate student residing in University-owned housing, your H ePermit will grant you the same Night & Weekend campus parking privileges. You may request one or the other, but cannot own both.)
  • Employed Graduate Student Parking Pass: Graduate students employed on campus 45% or more of their time are eligible to purchase an annual staff B permit. The applicant must show the required amount of time on the University UCPath system, or be listed on the Graduate Division Fellowship List. The pass costs $450/year or $120/quarter and can be prorated if purchased after the start of the permit period. (Note: Graduate students employed less than 45% of their time may qualify for a Student Commuter ePermit.)
  • Student Commuter: Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students who reside more than two miles from campus are eligible for a quarterly "C" Commuter parking ePermit. A current lease agreement as proof of residence and vehicle registration will be required prior to approval. 
  • Students without a permit can park in any visitor parking lot and pay at the time of parking. Visitor parking is permitted in designated visitor/student parking lots and spaces, provided a valid visitor ePermit is associated with the vehicle. ePermits may be purchased from the pay stations located in lots throughout campus. Additionally, Park Mobile is available in most visitor lots throughout campus, allowing visitors to skip the pay station and conveniently pay for parking through their phone. Pay station short-term ePermits are non-refundable and cannot be applied to the purchase of a long-term permit. If parked at a meter, the meter must be paid. 

See the Transportation and Parking Services Map for where you can park with different permits.

Parking in Student Housing

Family Student Housing: Students living in Storke and West Campus Family Student Housing will receive a permit for one parking space per apartment. Visit UCSB Transportation & Parking Services to create an account to receive your ePermit. Residents can also get on a waiting list for a second vehicle permit after moving in. Residents are not allowed to park a second car in Family Student Housing lots unless and until a second permit is issued.

Graduate Student Apartments: Each resident in San Clemente Villages is eligible to receive a parking permit at no extra charge. There are enough parking spaces for every resident. Visit UCSB Transportation & Parking Services to create an account to receive your ePermit.

Commuter Options

UCSB's Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) serves those who primarily commute between their residence and UC Santa Barbara's main campus by foot, skateboard, human-powered kick scooter, bicycle, bus, carpool, vanpool or train. By joining TAP, you get access to up to 6 days of free parking on campus every quarter, complimentary emergency ride home services, and possible discounts on carpool permits. 

Biking is the main mode of transportation for UCSB folks. (Over 10,000 people bicycle-commute between their home and UCSB on a daily basis!) Check out all the resources available to bike commuters from UCSB and the broader community:

  • UCSB students may ride the Santa Barbara MTD buses anywhere between Goleta and Carpinteria at no cost by tapping their valid student ID (ACCESS Card) on the top of the farebox when boarding the bus. At the beginning of Summer Quarter the Graduate Student Association (GSA) has historically emailed Graduate Students to offer a limited number of GSA-subsidized bus passes to graduate students.
  • Thanks to the College Ride program, UCSB students have free access to Ventura County Bus Services, including the Coastal Express, which provides daily commutes to and from UCSB campus. Students can ride any Ventura County bus for free by presenting their ACCESS Card.
  • For other regional bus services, check out Clean Air Express (bus routes serve Buellton, Lompoc and Santa Maria) and FLiXBUS (which now has bus service to our region and throughout California and connections to Nevada, Arizona New Mexico, Utah, and Texas).
  • UCSB also offers a Carpool Program and a Vanpool Program. 
  • There is a Greyhound Bus station located in the Train Depot next to the Amtrak station in downtown Santa Barbara.
  • There are two Amtrak stations nearby: one in Goleta near campus and one downtown on lower State Street.
  • The Santa Barbara Airport is located very near to UCSB. There is regular bus service between the airport and campus. Additionally, Santa Barbara Airbus offers local transportation to and from LAX and Burbank airports, which can be cheaper than flying directly into Santa Barbara.
  • Students, faculty, and staff can join Zipcar at a discounted rate. Zipcars are located in IV or on campus in lots 23 and 14.
  • There are several UCSB Facebook groups offering rides between UCSB and Southern California, the Bay Area, and the Central Valley, among other locations.

Questions?

Please visit the UCSB Transportation & Parking Services website.