There is limited space available in the INSPIRE program; hence you must first be invited to participate. If you have been invited and would like to join, please respond to the invitation email, indicating that you would like to participate in the program. You will then be given an Approval code for Engr 13A, the Fall quarter INSPIRE seminar. You will also be placed into a peer group with a peer mentor based on your declared engineering major.
No! As long as you are taking a full load (at least 12 units), the seminar and INSPIRE program are included with your tuition. Further, not only is there no cost, but we will pay you to participate! INSPIRE participants will receive $300, paid as $150 after successfully participating in the Fall quarter seminar and social activities, and as $150 after successfully participating in the Winter quarter seminar and social activities.
Yes! INSPIRE students will receive $300 for their participation. They will receive $150 after completing the Fall quarter requirements, and another $150 after completing the Winter quarter requirements. Plus, there will be free food at many events!
The transition to college is different for everyone. But a common experience for nearly everyone is that the courses are likely to be more challenging than your high school courses. It can also take time to meet the other students in your major and find a peer group. INSPIRE will help with both of these challenges. It will give you the information you need to navigate UCSB, and it will immediately connect you with a group of peers (other first-years) in your major, as well as peer mentors (juniors and/or seniors) in your major who have successfully tackled the same challenges you are about to face. The two components together (UCSB navigation skills + a peer group/peer mentor) will help to quickly set you on a path for success at UCSB, right at the beginning of your college journey! Don’t wait until your second or third year to connect with others in your major and find out all UCSB has to offer - do it right from the very first day!
The seminar will meet for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes per week. There will occasionally be something to read outside of class time, but we do not expect there to be “homework” beyond some light reading. There will also be social gatherings with your peer mentor and peer group, which will often include free food or a fun activity. Activities outside of the seminar time will be a time that each peer group agrees on, and will not be every week.
There will occasionally be something to read outside of class time, but we do not expect there to be “homework” beyond some light reading.
The Disabled Students Program (DSP) offers a robust program to accommodate students with a wide variety of documented needs. Learn more here.
Yes! Both Engr 13A and 13B will earn you a unit each towards your graduation credit requirements. UCSB students need 180 units to graduate, and these courses will count towards those units. Also, every UCSB student must take 12 credits per quarter. The one unit for Engr 13A and 13B will count towards these units.
Two things: participate in a 75 minute seminar on Fridays, and participate in fun social activities with your mentor group and the full INSPIRE cohort.
In Fall 2025, the INSPIRE seminar will be held as Engr 13A, which will meet Fridays from 11-12:15 in ILP 2211. Weekly meetings will consist of engaging activities to learn about campus resources, meet other first years in your major, and learn “the ins and outs” of UCSB, your major, and how to succeed in first year coursework.
In addition to the seminar, there will occasionally be social activities with your peer group and mentor at times mutually agreed upon by your peer group. This may be lunch, coffee, or other informal get-togethers. These are optional but participation is highly encouraged.
In Winter 2026, the INSPIRE seminar will be held as Engr 13B. It will consist of guest speakers, including UCSB Engineering alumni, faculty, and local engineering industry leaders. Talks will be about career and internship opportunities in INSPIRE majors, to help give students a vision for their future in the discipline. The time and location for the Engr 13B seminar is not yet determined, but it will likely be on Fridays.
Similar to Fall quarter, there will also be occasional social activities during Winter quarter with your peer group and mentor at times mutually agreed upon by your peer group.
No. To be in the INSPIRE program, you need to participate in the seminar both quarters.
INSPIRE is a new program, being offered for only the second time in Fall 2025. We are growing the program in stages, adding additional majors each year. During the 2025-26 academic year, first-year students enrolled in the chemical engineering, computer science and electrical engineering majors are welcome to participate. Currently, our plan is that in 2026-27, INSPIRE will be open to first-year students in all engineering majors. At this time, because capacity is limited, you must either be invited or apply and then be accepted in order to participate.
UCSB offers a wide variety of summer programs for incoming first-year students, such as FSSP, SIMS, MAX, and others. These are all great programs! However, they are all different than INSPIRE, with different goals and different purposes. So the answer is yes, even if you have participated in one of these other terrific programs, you would still benefit from all INSPIRE has to offer.
For the 2025-26 academic year, first-year students in the majors we serve (Chemical Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering) are welcome to apply directly.