Testing is available on campus for current students and for faculty and staff members who show mild symptoms of COVID-19 or believe they have been exposed to the virus. Alumni, retirees and family members of employees are not eligible for UC Santa Barbara’s COVID-19 testing. Information about the different tests can be found on the Student Health website.
Weekly on-campus testing is required for all students and faculty and staff members who:
- are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or missing their booster shot (once eligible), AND
- live in campus-owned housing, attend in-person classes or labs, work on campus, or enter any campus building, including dining commons
Testing is available at no charge to all members of the campus community.
Testing
Testing for individuals who show mild symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus is available at no charge to UC Santa Barbara undergraduate and graduate students and faculty and staff members who live in campus-owned housing or work, attend classes or conduct research on campus, or want to access campus facilities. Testing is available also to all undergraduate students living off campus.
Appointments may be made through the Student Health Patient Portal using UCSBnet ID. Testing takes place at at Building 434 (Annex), Room 121.
Testing Requirements
Weekly on-campus testing is required for all students and faculty and staff members who:
- are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or missing their booster shot (once eligible), AND
- live in campus-owned housing, attend in-person classes or labs, work on campus, or enter any campus building, including dining commons
Testing is available at no charge to all members of the campus community.
Testing Availability and Appointments
Testing takes place at Building 434 (Annex), Room 121. If desired, self-collection kits can be obtained from the COVID-19 testing center or at other campus locations and then returned with a quick drop-off by appointment. Information on how to schedule a test can be found on the Student Health website.
What to Expect
Testing Information
Where to Find Your COVID-19 Test Results
Testing Location
Testing takes place at Building 434 (Annex), Room 121. Hours and details, including information on how to schedule a test can be found on the Student Health website.
UCSB COVID-19 Viral Strain/Variant Research Project
As part of a research effort to understand which variant strains of the SARS-CoV2 virus are emerging in Santa Barbara County, campus community members who test positive for COVID-19 in the university’s testing program may volunteer to have their COVID-19 virus sequenced in order to determine which strain of the virus has infected them. All that is required is an individual’s consent.
Symptomatic Testing
If you think you may have symptoms of COVID-19, you can contact any of the following providers to arrange for a COVID-19 test in Santa Barbara or to seek medical care. Please check with each provider to clarify any charges, and to be sure your health insurance is accepted. Your private health insurance may also have resources for Telehealth that can provide you with medical advice, but may not be able to order a local COVID-19 test.
Further information can be provided by sending your question(s) to ucsb-covid19@ucsb.edu.
UC Santa Barbara Campus COVID-19 PCR/NAAT Testing
- COVID-19 testing with no charge for faculty, staff and students.
- Appointments may be made through the Student Health Patient Portal, either for saliva self-collected drop- off, or nasal swab in person on-site.
- Self-collection test kits are available in a variety of campus locations and at the Loma Pelona Center.
- Testing collection or drop-off takes places at the campus's Loma Pelona Center.
Student Health (Confidential services for UC Santa Barbara students)
- COVID-19 testing, if symptomatic or exposed to confirmed cases; test appointments may also be scheduled through the Student Health Patient Portal or join a QLess line to receive a callback. Urgent Care and Telehealth visits available. This testing is covered by UC SHIP insurance, but for other students a charge will be made to BARC. Students are encouraged to submit charges to their other individual insurance providers.
- QLess virtual line for nurse advice.
Santa Barbara County Public Health Dept
- Free COVID-19 testing in Isla Vista and Goleta.
- Information at https://publichealthsbc.org/
testing.
Cottage Health Urgent Care
- Open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily at multiple locations including in Goleta at Hollister Village and on Calle Real.
- Appointments can be made online; if high demand, may only be able to provide COVID-19 tests by appointment.
Cottage Health Virtual Care Online Services
- Online visit, may refer out for testing if indicated.
- You may submit your receipt to your insurance company, but reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
- (844) 594-0343
- Telehealth visits available; sliding scale fees based on income.
- Four locations for medical care in Santa Barbara; one in Isla Vista.
- Open evenings and Saturday.
- Call first to alert them if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Sansum Clinic
- (800) 472-6786
- Sansum Urgent Care
- (805) 563-6110; 215 Pesetas Ln., Santa Barbara, CA 93111
- Telehealth visits available.
- Open weekends.
- Call first to alert them if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
The Med Center
- Open evenings and weekends (not all locations)
- (805) 681-7411; 271 N. Fairview Ave., Suite 101, Goleta, CA 93117
- (805) 682-7411; 2954 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
- (805) 965-3011; 319 N Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Other
- Information provided by the California Department of Public Health about additional COVID-19 testing sites in the area can be found here.
The University does not recommend, endorse, warrant or guarantee any specific provider of medical services, or any product or service that they may offer and will not be a party to any transaction between you and such providers. The names of these medical providers are for information purposes only. As with the purchase of any product or service, it is your responsibility to use your best judgment in the selection of any appropriate medical provider.
Updated 12/21/2020. Send comments to: ucsb-covid19@ucsb.edu.