Santa Barbara City College
Rolling
Acceptance rate
$12,292
Tuition/yr
18,848
Enrollment
About Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is a public community college in Santa Barbara, California, United States. It opened in 1909 and is located on a 74-acre (30 ha) campus.
Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is a public two-year community college located in Santa Barbara, California, founded in 1908 and accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. It enrolls approximately 13,600 credit students per semester and offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs across arts, sciences, and career-technical education.
SBCC is nationally recognized for academic quality, having been named the top community college in the United States by the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence in 2013. Notable program strengths include marine biology, film and television production, culinary arts, and transfer-preparation coursework designed to articulate into University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) campuses, including UC Santa Barbara which is located in the same city.
The college sits in Santa Barbara, a coastal city roughly 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, known for its Mediterranean climate and outdoor environment. SBCC holds a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation, with a student body that is approximately 42% Hispanic and 40% White, and achieves a three-year graduation or transfer rate of 64%, well above the national community college average of 40%.
Campus & Location
CA
Suburban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- SBCC's strong transfer pathway to UC Santa Barbara and other UC/CSU campuses makes it a cost-effective entry point for Nepali students seeking a US bachelor's degree: spending two years at SBCC at roughly $12,000–$13,000 in annual tuition and fees is significantly cheaper than starting directly at a four-year university.
- International students on an F-1 visa are eligible to apply for SBCC Foundation scholarships each spring, and the Study California program awards a minimum $1,000 scholarship each fall to three new international students based on academic merit, financial need, and leadership, a concrete, accessible award for newly arrived Nepali students.
- F-1 students who complete a degree or certificate in a STEM-related field may be eligible for up to three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization in the US after transferring to and graduating from a four-year university, extending post-study work rights beyond the standard 12-month period.
- At approximately $12,300 per year in tuition and fees (2025-2026, based on official SBCC Cost of Attendance data for full-time international students), SBCC represents one of the most affordable accredited pathways into the US higher-education system for Nepali students who plan to transfer to a research university.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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