February 2026 Gaucho Parent & Family Newsletter

The Commencement schedule is here!

Hello, Gaucho parents & families!

The 2026 Commencement schedule is here! This month's newsletter includes Commencement information, Grad Fair details, UCSB's ranking as one of the world's top research universities, and more.

The 2026 Commencement schedule was announced in a message to campus last week, and the UC Santa Barbara community is excited to come together this June at our annual ceremonies as we celebrate and congratulate our Class of 2026. View the Commencement schedule.

Students declaring degree candidacy this calendar year are invited to participate in a ceremony based on their major. Step-by-step instructions on how to make a reservation and claim guest tickets (six) will be emailed to eligible students in spring quarter. The Bren School and College of Creative Studies do not require guest tickets.

Questions? Visit our FAQ page to find answers to frequently asked questions or contact us at Commencement@ia.ucsb.edu.

Reward your senior for all their hard work with the trip of a lifetime exploring Europe on the official Senior Class Trip. Looking to treat them to a more location-specific adventure? Explore our other Young Alumni Tours.

UC Santa Barbara ranks first among U.S. public universities, third among all U.S. institutions, and seventh worldwide for scientific impact in engineering and the physical sciences, according to the 2025 Leiden Rankings (Open Edition) released by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Learn more about the ranking.

The Campus Store will host Grad Fair from 10am-6pm at the UCen Main Lobby.

Grad Fair offers graduation memorabilia including announcements, class rings, alumni gear, and graduate portrait photos by GradImages, the official Commencement photographer.

Save the Date: All Gaucho Reunion

Calling all UCSB alumni parents! Dust off your favorite college sweatshirt! All Gaucho Reunion is the perfect chance to reconnect with your alma mater, say hi to old friends, and network with fellow alumni. Follow @UCSBAlumni on social media.

Save the Date: Parents & Family Weekend

Save the date for Parents & Family Weekend 2026! All parents and loved ones are welcome to this annual fall event. Registration opens in September.

Grad Fair: March 11 & 12
Last day of winter instruction: March 13
Winter quarter finals: March 14-20
Spring Break: March 21-29
2025-26 Academic Calendar
2025-26 Parent & Family Calendar

Gaucho love is strong! We asked for your #UCSB love stories and were overwhelmed with the incredible response from alums.

Did you know that February is Financial Aid Awareness Month? Paying for college can be challenging, but UCSB’s Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is here to help. All eligible students should apply for aid for 2026-2027 through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The FAFSA and CADAA are currently open for the 2026-2027 academic year. The priority deadline is March 2, 2026!

Our financial aid student portal, My Aid Status, displays important information for students throughout the year regarding their application status and any outstanding tasks that students need to complete before receiving aid. We also encourage all students to use ScholarshipUniverse to search and apply for additional scholarship opportunities.

Please encourage your student to reach out to us anytime if they have questions about their award letter, or if you are facing a financial hardship situation. You might need an appeal or help with obtaining loans. In addition, our office leads the Financial Crisis Response Team, a campus-wide group that is dedicated to making sure that students who experience a financial emergency receive the support and resources they need.

Academic Calendar
Information on quarterly instruction dates and holidays.

Campus Calendar
Displays all the events happening around campus. You can filter by event types, target audience, or topic and stay informed on what UCSB has to offer each quarter.

Campus Map
UC Santa Barbara’s newly launched, interactive campus map can help you navigate our beautiful campus on your next visit.

Club & Guest House
Visit your student and stay in UCSB's boutique hotel with 34 guest rooms, a restaurant with fine-dining lunch service, and event facility conveniently located on campus with lagoon and ocean views.

The Current
UC Santa Barbara’s official news source. Subscribe now!

Gaucho Parents Facebook Page
The official UCSB Parents & Family Facebook page.

Gaucho Parents Website
Connects parents and supporters of UCSB students to valuable resources and offices on campus in order to better address questions and concerns.

Parent & Family Giving
Interested in getting more involved with UCSB? Learn how parents can make an impact at our University.

Student Affairs Departments & Resources
A centralized list of all services in Student Affairs and the easiest ways to contact departments.

University & Community Housing Services
Handles all housing processes for UCSB residence halls and apartments, and offers resources for community housing such as rental listings, conflict resolution, and rental advice.

Need help finding an answer to a question? We are here to help!
sa-ucsbparents@ucsb.edu

Choose the emails you would like to receive from UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Parents & Families by managing your subscriptions.

Or opt out using TrueRemove™

Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.

View this email online.

University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5020 US

This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.

Subscribe to our email list.

Gaucho Parent & Family Newsletter

Reminders & Announcements

UCSB among the world’s most influential research universities for science impact

Upcoming Events

Important Dates

Gaucho Love Stories

Resource of the Month: Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Parent & Family Resources

Stay Connected and Informed

Contact Us