UCSB Meal Plan options

Hey everyone, I' m looking into UCSB's offerings for meal plans. What choices do students have? How flexible are they?

At the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), meal plans greatly cater to the individual needs of the students, offering flexibility and variety. The Meal Plans are split between two categories: Residential Meal Plans and Off-Campus & Commuter Meal Plans.

If you're living on campus, you are generally required to purchase a Residential Meal Plan. There are three options available for residential students: 19 meals per week, 14 meals per week, and 10 meals per week. Each meal counts for any meal period (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) and students also receive a specific number of guest meals per quarter, which can be used for friends and family.

Off-Campus & Commuter Meal Plans are available for students living off-campus, staff, and faculty. They can choose from various plans that offer a certain number of meals that can be used throughout the year.

To provide additional flexibility, both residential and off-campus meal plans come with a certain amount of "flexi dollars" -- essentially spending money that can be used at any dining services location on campus, similar to a debit card.

Finally, keep in mind that meal plans at UCSB use a quarter system, meaning they reset every quarter, not semester. It's important to select the plan that you feel will best suit your eating habits and budget, but you will also have a grace period at the start of every quarter to change your plan if you need to.