Online Courses

Students register for online courses through GOLD, UC Santa Barbara’s course registration system. Click here to see registration steps categorized by student status. Click here for a registration timeline.

Online classes will be delivered in either a synchronous or asynchronous format. Synchronous courses have components delivered on specific days and times, requiring attendance and participation. Asynchronous online courses do not have a designated meeting time, allowing students to self-pace and engage with course material according to their own schedule. Please note that some courses will have a blend of the two formats, such as an asynchronous lecture but a synchronous discussion. Students should reference GOLD for the most current information regarding the meeting method.

Online pedagogies can vary substantially. While some courses allow for a certain degree of self-pacing, others have assignments or required activities frequently (even daily). Course meetings may also occur synchronously or asynchronously. Students who regularly miss required assignments or activities may be dropped for non-participation, just as students can be dropped from in-person courses for non-participation. 

To learn more about the expectations for a course you are considering, first locate the course in GOLD. Click the “Course Info” button to read the most current information about the course. If you still have questions, please reach out to the instructor or department offering the course. For example, if you are interested in taking COMM W 107, reach out to an academic advisor in the Department of Communication. 

As the start date of your course approaches, log in to Gauchospace to view the syllabus and look out for any email announcements the instructor may send out before instruction begins, as these may help you to better understand the expectations for your specific online course. Please note that the Gauchospace page for your course may restrict access, or lack robust information, until instruction is about to start. 

UC students can explore courses offered through other UC campuses this summer. Click to view summer offerings through UC Online. Keep in mind that it is a student's responsibility to confirm course transferability with their home department. 

Yes, campus-based fees are assessed to all registered students regardless of the mode of instruction of the course(s). These fees are voted in by student referenda and fund co-curricular programs, activities, and services that directly benefit students. These services include, but are not limited to, counseling, advising, tutoring, student information systems, and programs. Students who are not physically on campus can still access these services remotely, and financial aid packages take these fees into account regardless of the mode of instruction. 

For more information about summer fees, or to estimate the cost of attendance, review our Cost of Attendance web page. 

All tuition charges will be assessed and paid through UC Santa Barbara’s billing system, BARC. 

If a student is enrolled in a mix of in-person and online courses, tuition will be broken into two separate charges because of the different modes of instruction. Online course tuition will be labeled “SS-Online Course Unit Fee”. Please note that UC students can benefit from the fee cap — once a student has paid for 15 units during Summer Quarter (in-person or online), no additional unit fees will be incurred.  

If a student is enrolled in a mix of in-person and online courses, tuition will be broken into two separate charges because of the different modes of instruction. Online course tuition will be labeled “SS-Online Course Unit Fee”. Despite online and in-person classes being broken into two different tuition charges, UC students will not incur additional unit charges if they are enrolled in more than 15 units.