Financial Requirement
The cost of living in Santa Barbara is high, especially for housing. Rents for a
one bedroom apartment currently range from $800 to $1,200 a month. Exchange visitors
will also need to budget for their other living and incidental expenses for themselves
as well as any dependent(s) who accompany them. OISS estimates that an exchange
visitor will need a minimum of $1,400 a month to cover their expenses while at UCSB.
J-1 Exchange Visitors must demonstrate adequate financial support for their academic
stay inside the United States. If the sponsoring department at UCSB is funding the
exchange visitor, the financial amount must be stated in the invitation letter or
letter of appointment. If the exchange visitor is being funded by his/her home institution,
other sponsor, or Government, the exchange visitor will be required to provide documentation
that shows the funding in its entirety when applying for the J-1 visa at the U.S.
Consulate.