International Students

Welcome to UCSB! Below is information about enrollment procedures for Economics courses as well as important dates and deadlines for students participating in UCSB’s study abroad programs. For the list of offered Economics courses, please visit the Courses page.

University Immersion Program

In order to enroll in Economics courses, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Choose your Economics course(s)

Review course availability and check if you have the prerequisites to register for your preferred courses. You are responsible for choosing courses where you have already met the prerequisites. Course descriptions can be found on the UCSB General Catalog.

Please note that Economics classes are very impacted. We recommend you have back-up Extension courses or back-up courses from another department.

Graduate-level courses (numbered 200-299) are not available to undergraduates.

Step 2: Submit the Open University (OU) Application/Authorization form

We strongly suggest you attend the class and ensure you are ready for the course material. If you feel you are not ready for the course, do not request it.

Please note that for Economics courses, you do NOT need to contact the Professor for permission to attend class. You do NOT need to obtain the Professor or the Teaching Assistant’s signature.

Fill out the Open University (OU) Application/Authorization form and drop off the form at the Economics Undergraduate Office as soon as possible. The Department will return all forms to UCSB Extension Student Services typically around the second week of the quarter.

Step 3: Enroll at UCSB Extension

Pick up your OU Authorization form at UCSB Extension Student Services, Kerr Hall 2166.

If your OU Authorization form is:

• Signed by the Economics Department, enroll in the course at UCSB Extension Student Services, 2166 Kerr Hall
• Not signed by the Economics Department, choose another course. Forms may not be signed for reasons including space availability, pre-requisites, or other restrictions
• Not at UCSB Extension Student Services, continue attending the class (lecture and discussion section) until you find out whether or not your OU Authorization form was signed by the Department. Contact the Department with any questions at ugrad@econ.ucsb.edu

EAP Reciprocal Exchange Program

Welcome to UC Santa Barbara! We hope you enjoy your time at UCSB and your courses. The following is information most often needed by visiting students.

Registering for classes

Use the Perm Number that was given to you in order to register for classes. Find available classes by using the Perm Number to log into GOLD, which is the UCSB online enrollment system. Select "Find Courses" → "Economics" to browse Economics courses offered.

The Economics Major is considered an impacted major, meaning that students need to request access to register for each individual Economics class they wish to take. Students should ensure they have no registration blocks in order to enroll smoothly and immediately once pass times begin. Some classes will fill quickly and students want to be able to register right away with no issues.

Requesting access to register for each individual class

Please email Lauren Mart, Lauren@econ.ucsb.edu, your transcripts which will need to show all Econ, Math, and Statistics courses you have taken.  You will also need to email detailed course information or syllabi of all Economics courses taken at your home university.

In the subject line, put "EAP " <your name>.

In the body of the email, include:

• Your Perm Number
• Your unofficial transcripts
• Any Economics or Accounting courses you have taken at UCSB
• Course name and number of the class(es) you wish to take

Please note that graduate-level courses (numbered 200-299) are not available to undergraduates.

The department will approve your Economics classes, and Lauren lifts all registration holds. The entire process is very quick, but there can be delays for holidays, midterms, finals, vacation, or sickness.

You must request access to register prior to the start of your pass time for every Economics class you wish to take, and this process must be done each quarter. Be sure to email us as soon as you know what classes you wish to take.

If you did not indicate on your EAP application that you wish to study Economics while abroad you may not be cleared for upper-division Economics courses. Our upper-division courses are limited to certain majors only.

Information on Course Prerequisites

The Department recognizes that not all students are pursuing an Economics degree at their home university, and tries to make exceptions to prerequisites when necessary. Most students will be eligible for lower-division courses (numbered below 100, such as ECON 10A), and some students are eligible for upper-division courses (numbered 100-199, such as ECON 135). The Department trusts that visiting students are placing themselves in the right level course, however if students realize they are in a course that is not the right level for them, they should drop the course.

Please be aware that many upper-division Accounting classes (such as ECON 136ABC, ECON 139, and ECON 118) are very high-level Accounting classes taught to the US standard. Most students coming from other countries have not learned accounting to the US standard, and therefore are unlikely to meet the prerequisites for the upper-division Accounting classes, despite their own Accounting experience. Please be aware of this and make sure to register for a class at an appropriate level.