What does a meal plan cost you?

For students living in the UCSB Residence Halls, the cost of your meal plan is included with your room and board. Room and Board fees are calculated using a combination of your selected Meal Plan and your room type. Please refer to the Room & Board Rates for details. Students living in the residence halls sign up for meal plans when they register for housing.

Learn more about how we design meal plans.

For students living in UCSB apartments or off-campus, please refer to Off Campus Meal Plan.

Changing Your Meal Plan

If you reside in a UCSB Residence Hall and would like to change your meal plan, you may submit your request using our meal plan change form. Meal plan changes can be made up until Sunday of week 2 of the quarter. If a meal plan is changed during the allowed change period, any previously rolled-over meals will be forfeited, due to software system limitations. Meal plan changes must be made at least one week in advance of the desired change. No changes will be permitted for current or past weeks. Please note that this applies ONLY to students who live in the residence halls. Off Campus meal plan holders please visit the Off Campus Meal Plan page.

Please note: Billing transactions generated due to a meal plan change will be posted to a student’s BARC account.

 

CHANGE MEAL PLAN

 

Types of Residential Meal Plans*
 

program

details

 Gaucho   Platinum

  • Up to 19 swipes per week during meal periods in the four all-you-care-to-eat Dining Commons.

  • In addition to your meal plan, each quarter you are granted 5 guest meals. Guest meals may only be shared with other UCSB students. Guest meals may only be used at Carrillo, De La Guerra, and Portola Dining Commons.
  • You can rollover up to 3 unused meals per week. Rollover meals expire and must be used by the end of the current quarter.

  • Ideal for students who want to eat most of their meals in the Dining Commons.

 Gaucho Gold

  • Up to 14 swipes per week during meal periods in the four all-you-care-to-eat Dining Commons.

  • In addition to your meal plan, each quarter you are granted 4 guest meals. Guest meals may only be shared with other UCSB students. Guest meals may only be used at Carrillo, De La Guerra, and Portola Dining Commons.
  • You can rollover up to 3 unused meals per week. Rollover meals expire and must be used by the end of the current quarter.

  • If you’re always on the go, or if breakfast seems to come too early, consider this alternative plan that gives you the flexibility to purchase meals elsewhere on and off campus.

 Gaucho Silver

  • Up to 10 swipes per week during meal periods in the four all-you-care-to-eat Dining Commons.

  • In addition to your meal plan, each quarter you are granted 3 guest meals. Guest meals may only be shared with other UCSB students. Guest meals may only be used at Carrillo, De La Guerra, and Portola Dining Commons.
  • You can rollover up to 3 unused meals per week. Rollover meals expire and must be used by the end of the current quarter.

  • Do you have a job off-campus? Do you go home every weekend? Perfect for students who cannot always eat all of their meals on campus.


 

FOR MORE INFORMATION & BALANCES

*THE FINE PRINT: If you want to enter the Dining Commons after you have used all of your allotted weekly swipes, you will be billed via BARC at the guest meal rate for each excessive entry (currently $15/meal). Meal entries are re-set Monday morning.