University policy requires students to be enrolled in at least 12 units to be considered full-time, and sets a quarterly unit maximum at 21 units. Students wanting to take fewer than 12 units or more than 21 units, must submit a petition. In some cases, students approved to take 10 or fewer units may qualify for reduced fees—details are available on the Office of the Registrar's Fee Reduction page. If approved for a permanently reduced course load, you'll automatically receive a fee refund. However, if you're on a reduced load for just one quarter and want a refund, you must apply before the deadline posted.
Attention students: Enrolling in fewer than 12 units may reduce your Pell Grants, Cal Grants, and UCSB Scholarships. If you take fewer than 6 units, UCSB Scholarships will be further decreased. For questions, please consult a College of Letters & Science Advisor.
Expand the petition link for detailed instructions.
Deficit Load Petition
Purpose: To enroll in fewer than 12 units for a regular quarter. International Students on an F-1 Visa should submit the OISS Reduced Course Load (RCL) form through UCSBGlobal in place of this form. The RCL will be signed by the College advisor and OISS.
Petitions for a deficit course load should be submitted BEFORE the start of the quarter in which the reduced load is requested.
Petition Instructions:
- Provide a “Written Statement” with a detailed explanation for any of the personal, academic, medical, employment, or other reasons for the request.
- Upload relevant documentation to the petition. For example, verification of employment, Doctor’s notes, etc.
Partial Fee Reduction Information: Students enrolled in 10 or fewer units may qualify for a partial fee reduction. Approval of a deficit load petition does not automatically result in a reduction of fees. To qualify, students should complete the Request for Partial Fee Reduction by the 15th day of instruction of the quarter being requested. Details are available on the Office of the Registrar's Fee Reduction page.
Petition Processing & Notification: Allow 1-2 Weeks for petitions to be processed by Dean’s Office before making changes on GOLD. It is the student’s responsibility to drop any courses on GOLD by the published deadline.
Permanent Deficit Load
Purpose: To enroll in fewer than 12 units for the remainder of one's undergraduate studies. This request, if approved, will eliminate the need to petition for a deficit program at the beginning of each quarter.
Petitions for a deficit course load should be submitted BEFORE the start of the quarter in which the permanent deficit load is requested. Please note that if you withdraw from a quarter (Fall, Winter, or Spring) or take a break in Enrollment or If you enroll in 12 units or more you will need to submit a new petition.
Petition Instructions:
- Provide a “Written Statement” with a detailed explanation for any of the personal, academic, medical, employment, or other reasons for the request.
- Upload relevant documentation to the petition. For example, verification of employment, Doctor’s notes, etc.
Partial Fee Reduction Information: Approval of a PERMANENT deficit load will automatically result in a reduction of tuition fees if a student enrolls in 10 or fewer units. An additional form is not needed. For information and questions about the fee reduction email registration@sa.ucsb.edu or go to Office of the Registrar's Fee Reduction page.
Purpose: To enroll in more than the published maximum units for a quarter. A student should complete this petition to enroll in:
- More than 21 units in a regular quarter while in good academic standing.
- More than 17 units in a regular quarter while on academic review or reinstated on probation.
- More than 16 units in any single or overlapping summer sessions.
Petitions for an excess load should be submitted BEFORE the start of the quarter in which the excess load is requested.
Petition Instructions:
- Provide a “Written Statement” with a detailed explanation of your reasons for undertaking an excess program.
- List all courses you propose to complete for the "Effective Quarter" specified in the field provided. The courses listed should total the units requested.
NOTE: Requests for more than 30 units for a regular quarter (fall, winter, spring) are very rarely approved by the dean. To be considered, students should have a strong academic record and provide an extraordinary and compelling justification in the written statement.
Petition Processing & Notification: Allow 1-2 Weeks for petitions to be processed by Dean’s Office before making changes to your schedule on GOLD. Petitions submitted before the requested quarter will be held and processed when grades for the current quarter are reported.