Prospective students applying for part-time or full-time undergraduate programs of study in day or evening classes must file a complete undergraduate application. The $55 nonrefundable application fee should be in the form of a check or money order payable to "The California State University" or by credit card if submitting the on-line application, and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. An alternate campus and major may be indicated on the application, but applicants should list as an alternate campus only a CSU campus that also offers the major. Generally, an alternate major is considered at the first choice campus before an application is redirected to an alternate choice campus.
The student may expect to receive an acknowledgment from the first choice campus within two to four weeks of filing the application. The notice will also include a request for submission of the records necessary for the campus to evaluate the student's qualifications. He/she may be assured of admission if the evaluation of qualifications indicates that CSU admission requirements and campus requirements for admission to an impacted program have been met. An offer of admission is not transferable to another term or to another campus.
Applicants who have received an application receipt notice and have submitted all required admission materials will begin to receive notification of acceptance or denial of admission to the fall semester on November 1, and for the spring semester on August 15. If the processing schedule permits, some applicants may be notified in advance of these dates.
There are established procedures for consideration of qualified applicants who would be faced with extreme hardship if not admitted. Petitioners should enclose with their applications a statement of the hardship situation. The application and statement should be sent to the Director of Undergraduate Admissions.
The CSU designates programs as impacted when more applications are received in the initial filing period (October and November for fall terms, June for winter terms, August for spring terms, February for summer terms) than can be accommodated. Some programs are impacted at every campus where they are offered; others are impacted only at some campuses. Students must meet supplementary admission criteria if applying to an impacted program.
The CSU will announce during the fall filing period which programs are impacted and the supplementary criteria campuses will use. That announcement will be published in the CSU Review, distributed to high school and college counselors, and available on-line at www.calstate.edu/AR/csureview/. Information about the supplementary criteria also is sent to program applicants.
Students must file an application for admission to an impacted program during the initial filing period. Students who wish to be considered for an impacted program at two or more campuses must file an application to each.
Each campus with impacted programs uses supplementary admission criteria in screening applicants. Supplementary criteria may include ranking on the freshman eligibility index, the overall transfer grade point average, completion of specified prerequisite courses, and a combination of campus-developed criteria. If a student is required to submit scores on either the SAT I or the ACT and is applying for fall admission, the test should be taken as soon as possible and no later than October of the preceding year.
The supplementary admission criteria used by the individual campuses to screen applicants appear periodically in the CSU Review and are sent by the campuses to all applicants seeking admission to an impacted program.
Unlike unaccommodated applicants to locally impacted programs who may be redirected to another campus in the same major, unaccommodated applicants to systemwide impacted programs may not be redirected in the same major but may choose an alternate major either at the first choice campus or another campus.
Freshman and transfer applicants who have fewer than 56 semester or 84 quarter units of transferable college credit must submit scores, unless exempt (consult Eligibility Index below), from either the ACT or the SAT I of the College Board. If applying to an impacted program on campus and test scores are required, the applicant should take the test no later than October or November of the preceding year. Test scores also are used for advising and placement purposes. Registration forms and dates for the SAT I or ACT are available from school or college counselors or from a CSU campus Testing Office. Or, an applicant may write to or call:
| The College Board (SAT I) Registration Unit, Box 6200 Princeton, NJ 08541-6200 (609) 771-7588 www.collegeboard.org |
ACT Registration Unit P.O. Box 414 Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 337-1270 www.act.org |
TOEFL Requirement. All SFSU undergraduate applicants, regardless of citizenship, who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full time where English is the principal language of instruction must present a score of 500 (paper-based test) or 173 (computer-based test) or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Second baccalaureate applicants must present a score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or above on the TOEFL. Some majors may require higher scores.
The California State University requires each entering undergraduate, except those who qualify for an exemption, to take the CSU Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination and the CSU English Placement Test (EPT) prior to enrollment. These placement tests are not a condition for admission to the CSU, but they are a condition of enrollment. They are designed to identify entering students who may need additional support in acquiring basic English and mathematics skills necessary to succeed in CSU baccalaureate-level courses. Undergraduate students who do not demonstrate college-level skills both in English and in mathematics will be placed in appropriate remedial programs and activities during the first term of their enrollment. Student placed in remedial programs in either English or mathematics must complete all remediation in their first year of enrollment. Failure to complete remediation by the end of the first year may result in denial of enrollment for future terms. (Consult Index for page reference on Entry Level Mathematics [ELM] examination and English Placement Test [EPT].)
Generally, an applicant qualifies for regular admission as a first-time freshman if he/she:
Eligibility Index--The eligibility index is the combination of the high school grade point average and the score on either the American College Test (ACT) or the SAT. The grade point average is based on grades earned during the final three years of high school (excluding physical education and military science) and bonus points for approved honors courses. (See Honors Courses below.) Beginning with admission for Fall 2004, the high school grade point average will be based solely on courses taken in the final three years of high school that satisfy the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirements.
A student can calculate the index by multiplying the grade point average by 800 and adding the total score on the SAT I. Or, if the student took the ACT, he/she can multiply the grade point average by 200 and add ten times the ACT composite score. A California high school graduate (or a resident of California for tuition purposes) needs a minimum index of 2900 using the SAT I or 694 using the ACT; the Eligibility Index Tables illustrate several combinations of required test scores and averages. If a student neither graduated from a California high school nor is a resident of California for tuition purposes, a minimum index of 3502 (SAT I) or 842 (ACT) is needed. Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries must be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section.
Applicants with grade point averages of 3.00 or above (3.61 for nonresidents) are not required to submit test scores. However, applicants are urged to take the SAT I or ACT because campuses use these test results for advising and placement purposes and may require them for admission to impacted majors or programs.
A student qualifies for regular admission when the university verifies that he/she has graduate from high school, has a qualifiable eligibility index, has completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subjects, and, if applying to an impacted program, has met all supplementary criteria.
Honors Courses--Up to eight semesters of honors courses taken in the last two years of high school, including up to two approved courses taken in the tenth grade, can be accepted. Each unit of A in an honors course receives a total of 5 points; B, 4 points; and C, 3 points.
NOTE: A grade point average of 3.00 and above qualifies with any score on the ACT or SAT I. A grade point average of below 2.00 does not qualify for regular admission.
The California State University requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of C or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling fifteen units. A "unit" is one year of study in high school. Within the fifteen units completed, up to one unit (one year) in visual and performing arts or foreign language may be missing and offset by a college preparatory course(s) in other areas. The missing unit of visual and performing arts or foreign language must be completed either prior to, or by the end of the first year, of CSU enrollment. This provision is effective through the 2002-2003 academic year.
Mathematics: 3 years of algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra
U.S. History or U.S. History and Government: 1 year
Science: 1 year with laboratory (biology, chemistry, physics, or other acceptable laboratory science)
Foreign Language: 2 years in the same language (subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence)
Visual and Performing Arts: 1 year in art, dance, drama/theater, or music
Electives: 3 years selected from English, advanced mathematics, social science, history, laboratory science, foreign language, and visual and performing arts
Applicants seeking admission as first-time freshmen for the Fall 2003 or later terms will have the same preparatory course requirements for admission to either the California State University or the University of California. The preparatory course admission requirements will be the completion of the following courses with a grade of C or better: four years of English, three years of mathematics (algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra), two years of social science including one year of U.S. history, two years of laboratory science (must include one year of life science and one physical science), two years of foreign language, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of electives chosen from one of the areas above.
Subject Requirement Substitution for Students with Disabilities. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to complete college preparatory course requirements if at all possible. If an applicant is judged unable to fulfill a specific course requirement because of his or her disability, alternate college preparatory courses may be substituted for specific subject requirements. Substitutions may be authorized on an individual basis after review and recommendation by the applicant's academic adviser or guidance counselor in consultation with the director of a CSU disabled students services program. Although the distribution may be slightly different from the course pattern required of other students, students qualifying for substitutions will still be held for fifteen units of college preparatory study. Students should be aware that course substitutions may limit later enrollment in certain majors, particularly those involving mathematics. For further information and substitution forms, please call the director of the Disability Resource Center at this campus.
Foreign Language Subject Requirement. The foreign language subject requirement may be satisfied by applicants who demonstrate competence in a language other than English equivalent to or higher than expected of students who complete two years of foreign language study. Consult with a school counselor or the campus admissions office or Student Outreach Services for further information.
Lower division applicants who did not complete subject requirements while in high school may make up missing subjects in any of the following ways.
Please consult with any CSU admissions office for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject requirements.
NOTE: All entering undergraduate students must take the Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) and the English Placement Test (EPT) after admission but prior to their first term of enrollment unless otherwise exempt. (Consult Index for page reference under Test requirements.)
San Francisco State University may provisionally admit first-time freshmen applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned for the senior year. The campus monitors the senior year of study to ensure that those so admitted complete their senior year of studies satisfactorily, including the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school.
Students still enrolled in high school are considered for enrollment in certain special programs if recommended by the principal and the appropriate campus department chair and if preparation is equivalent to that required of eligible California high school graduates. Such admission is only for a given program and does not constitute the right to continued enrollment.
Students who complete college units during high school or through the summer immediately following high school graduation are considered first-time freshmen and must meet those admission requirements.
Applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 should contact the Admissions Office to inquire about alternative admission programs.
Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses.
Students who have completed fewer than 56 transferable semester college units (fewer than 84 quarter units) at the time of entrance into SFSU are considered lower division transfer students. Generally, applicants qualify for admission as lower division transfer students if they have a grade point average of at least 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted, are in good standing at the last college or university attended, and meet any of the following standards:
Students who have completed 56 or more transferable semester college units (84 or more quarter units) at the time of entrance to SFSU are considered upper division transfer students. Generally, applicants qualify for admission as upper division transfer students if they meet the following requirements:
San Francisco State University may provisionally admit transfer applicants based on their academic preparation and courses planned for completion. The campus will monitor the final terms to ensure that those admitted complete all required courses satisfactorily.
Students who have been admitted to and attended SFSU in the previous semesters should request an appointment with an academic counselor in the Undergraduate Advising Center (415-338-2103) to discuss readmission eligibility and graduation requirements. Reentry adults (have never attended SFSU) who meet regular admission requirements should apply through the regular process and should contact the New Student Orientation Office for assistance in registering for classes upon being admitted. Reentry students who are not admissible to the university through the regular admissions criteria may consider application through R.A.P.
The Re-entry Admissions Program (RAP) is an alternative admissions program available to a limited number of students who meet certain criteria and who are not otherwise admissible to the university as undergraduates. Upper-division transfers and students who have been admitted to and attended SFSU in previous semesters are not eligible. To be considered for this alternative to regular admission, an applicant must be twenty-five years of age or older and meet the following conditions:
Before a recommendation for admission through RAP is made, professional assessment is made through an interview as to whether the applicant is as likely to succeed as a regular freshman or transfer student and why RAP is necessary. In addition, the assessment includes a test of basic skills in the English language and mathematical competency (SCAT test). RAP workshop dates are coordinated with fall or spring admission application dates in order to complete assessment and recommendations in a timely manner. Contact the Advising Center at (415) 338-2101 for workshop information.
San Francisco State University grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better may be granted up to six semester units of college credit.
The university also recognizes advanced placement courses undertaken by high school students in conjunction with a collegiate institution in those instances where the collegiate institution has recommended credit. For additional information, the student may call or write the Admissions Office.
Credits earned in accredited colleges are evaluated and advanced standing allowed on the basis of the evidence submitted on official transcripts. Credit toward the fulfillment of graduation requirements is allowed if the courses satisfactorily completed meet the standards and requirements of the university.
Credits earned in unaccredited colleges may be accepted as a basis for advanced standing only when an applicant can demonstrate by examination, after he/she has enrolled in the university, that a satisfactory degree of proficiency has been attained in the courses in question. Further information will be found in the paragraph Credit by Examination, in this section.
Credit earned in accredited community colleges will be evaluated by the Admissions Office in accordance with the following provisions:
Students may challenge courses by taking examinations developed at San Francisco State University. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully. See Credit by Examination or Evaluation (consult Index for page reference) for additional information.
San Francisco State University grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of formal instruction appropriate to the baccalaureate degree in non-college settings, either military or civilian, that has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The number of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.