Parents & Families Out-Of-Area Parents

parents and families

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 several major carriers.  Los Angeles International Airport is serviced by 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. The Santa Barbara Airbus has regularly scheduled trips from Santa Barbara to LAX. Tickets can be booked on their website www.sbairbus.com.  

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

We encourage you to make your travel arrangements early for getting your student home and back to campus, especially on holidays. Your student should schedule travel so they do not miss classes, tests, or lectures. 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 Rd.
(Student's Dorm and Room #'s )
Santa Barbara, CA 93108

  • Please include your student’s name, Dorm and Dorm Room # on each mailing. Your student will be notified of their room assignment during the summer. If you do not know your student's dorm & room #, 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, Marshalls, 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. 

How will my student get around town without a car?

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/Mar Monte Hotel, 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 (The TRANSLOC app for THE 955 is available in app stores) that offers rides to students for locations not on the regular shuttle route (such as interviews, UCSB, and doctors appointments). This free 955 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 health services available on campus?

During your student's time at Westmont, they will have access to an on-campus health clinic with a doctor. For more information on campus health services and instructions on how to arrange an appointment go here.

What about Internet and e-mail service?

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

Where do I learn about readiness plans for emergencies (e.g., earthquake, fire, flood)?

Westmont fosters a "culture of readiness" by educating our people, and by having in place the fundamental systems, supplies and training needed. You can find a wealth of information here. In the event that phone lines at Westmont are down, parents may call a recorded hotline for condition updates. The emergency phone number is (888) 565-7911.