Parents & Families Out-Of-State Parents

Common Questions from
Out-of-State Parents

What are the nearest airports to Westmont?

Westmont can be accessed via the Santa Barbara Airport (approx. 25 minutes from campus) and Los Angeles International Airport (approx. 90 minutes, without traffic, from campus). Santa Barbara Airport is serviced by United, American and Alaska airlines and more.  Los Angeles International Airport is serviced by all major airlines.

Westmont runs a free shuttle to the Santa Barbara airport for the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break holidays and at the end of the school year. They can also a ride on the RideSystems app. The Santa Barbara Airbus has regularly scheduled trips from the Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara (on the Westmont shuttle route) to LAX. A round trip fare is approximately $94 and tickets can be booked on their website www.sbairbus.com.

When should I make travel arrangements for my student to come home for holidays?

We encourage you to make your travel arrangements early for getting your student home and back to campus, especially on holidays. Please avoid having your student miss any classes for travel, due to any tests or important lectures that may take place. Also, always have your student check with their professor if they need to miss a class for travel for any reason. Do not ask them to leave before their finals are over, for finals will not be rescheduled due to travel plans.

Please refer to the Academic Calendar for specific holiday dates and the Registrar's Calendar for final exam schedules.

Can I mail my student’s belongings ahead of time?

Boxes can be mailed during the summer after August 15 to Westmont’s post office at:

(Student's Name) 
955 La Paz Road, MS # ______
Santa Barbara, CA 93108

  • Please include your student’s name and MS (mail slot) number on each mailing. Your student will be notified of their MS # this summer. If your student has not yet been assigned an MS#, please clearly mark your box “INCOMING STUDENT” so that it is not returned to sender.
  • We encourage you to insure all boxes.

Where can we purchase items for the dorm room once we arrive on campus?

There will be time during Orientation to pick up needed supplies. We will provide you with a list of local stores that may be helpful in your shopping, such as: Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bed Bath and Beyond, Ross, Target, Costco, Home Depot, CVS, Office Max, Staples, and Vons Grocery Store. You can pack and ship many things to the campus using your student's mail stop, however, we strongly encourage you to buy such things as a fan or refrigerator when you come to Santa Barbara. Call 805-565-6056 or check out our Orientation Site for more information on August Orientation.

How will my student get around town, since they are not able to have a car on campus?

Westmont offers a free shuttle service, which runs seven days a week, to locations around town such as Coast Village Road (Vons Grocery, CVS, and banks), East Beach/Hyatt(Santa Barbara Airbus pick-up), Amtrak train station, Paseo Nuevo Mall, and the downtown library. Many students regularly make use of this convenient and available resource.

The 955 is another Westmont service that offers rides to students for locations not on the regular shuttle route (such as interviews, UCSB, and doctors appointments). This free service requires the student to make a reservation 24-hours in advance.

Most local churches also operate a shuttle service which brings students from campus to church and back again on Sunday mornings. Students can contact the Campus Pastor's Office to find out church connection information.

What banks are available in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara Bank and Trust: Montecito and Santa Barbara branches (ATM located on campus)
Bank of America: Montecito and Santa Barbara branches
Montecito Bank and Trust: Montecito and Santa Barbara branches
Wells Fargo Bank: Montecito and Santa Barbara branches
Chase Bank: Santa Barbara Branches

Are there health services available on campus?

Dr. David Hernandez, the full-time college physician, and his staff are available for student’s health needs. Students don’t need an appointment to see the doctor or other staff members, and there is no charge for these visits. A basic accident and sickness insurance policy covers all full-time students. Many over-the-counter medications are available at no cost at the health center, such as aspirin, cold medication, vaporizors, cough drops, etc.

For more information on campus health services, please click here.

What about Internet and e-mail service?

For a complete list of frequently asked computer questions, see Information Technology.

Who should I call in case of a crisis situation (e.g., earthquake, fire, flood)?

In the event that phone lines at Westmont are down due to a crisis situation, parents may call a recorded hotline for condition updates. The emergency phone number is (888) 565-7911.