Top Stories
UC Santa Barbara is excited to welcome nearly 1,000 new graduate students at the end of this month! To kick off the academic year, we’re sharing some interesting stats about this incoming cohort and inviting you to stay tuned for our upcoming series profiling some of these outstanding students.
This month, we are thrilled to welcome a dynamic and diverse class of new graduate students to our campus. Hailing from around the globe and engaging in a broad spectrum of academic fields, the 2024-2025 incoming cohort represents a vibrant mix of backgrounds. Each student contributes their own unique perspectives and experiences, enhancing our community and strengthening the inclusive, enriching environment that makes UCSB exceptional.*Please note that this data was collected by the Registrar's Office when students applied to UCSB so there are limitations on how representative this data is. If you do not see your ethnicity reflected here, please reach out to us (GSRC@ucsb.edu) and contact the Registrar's Office.
Our new graduate students represent a vibrant tapestry of diversity, traveling from 46 countries across nearly every continent. In fact, over one-third—34.63%—of our incoming class is arriving at UCSB from international shores, bringing fresh perspectives and unique experiences to our campus community. Get ready to explore new ideas and create global connections.
The graphic below illustrates the broad origins of graduate students coming from 40 different states across the U.S. to join UCSB. The largest group comes from California, with 493 students, while other significant contributions are from Texas (12), Washington (17), and New York (10). Students are represented from nearly every region, including smaller groups from states like Vermont, Mississippi, and Iowa. Even Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico are represented, highlighting the broad national reach of UCSB’s graduate programs.
The academic passions of our incoming graduate students, reveals a diverse array of interests. This graphic showcases the impressive range of disciplines that our graduate students are excelling in at UCSB. Leading the charge is Engineering, with 409 students pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology. The Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences follow closely, with 187 students diving deep into research that shapes our understanding of the world. Environmental Science & Management, with 129 students, reflects our strong commitment to sustainability and addressing global challenges. Education and Humanities & Fine Arts are thriving as well, with 110 and 89 students, respectively, contributing to the rich cultural and intellectual fabric of our campus. Finally, the Social Sciences, with 55 dedicated students, add crucial insights into the complexities of society. Together, these disciplines embody the academic excellence and diverse interests that define UCSB’s graduate community.
We are excited to welcome the 2024-2025 cohort and have invited 8 of our incoming graduate students to share a bit about themselves, including the degrees they're pursuing, what excites them about graduate school, and some fun facts. Starting next week, we’ll be featuring one profile per day, leading up to the first day of classes, to celebrate and welcome the incoming graduate cohort. Stay tuned!