Who is considered a Transfer Applicant?

• A transfer is a student who has attempted college units beyond the summer immediately after high school graduation.
• Upper-Division Transfer - An applicant who completes 60 or more semester (90 or more quarter) transferable units is considered an upper division transfer student.
• Lower-Division Transfer - An applicant who completes fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) units of college credit is considered a lower division transfer student. Due to enrollment pressures, most CSU campuses do not admit lower division transfers so that more upper division transfers can be accommodated. Cal State LA is currently not accepting lower division transfer applicants.

Learn more about Cal State LA Admissions

Admissions Eligibility Requirements: What do we look for?

Each application is carefully reviewed, and students who are believed to be the best fit for Cal State LA are selected.

By the end of the last qualifying coursework term for admissions, applicants must meet all of the following:

• Complete at least 60 transferrable semester (90 quarter) units, which includes General Education courses;
• Earn grades of “C” or better in college-level English Composition, Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, and college-level Mathematics courses:
• Have an overall minimum transferrable college grade point average of at least 2.00;
• Be in good standing and eligible to re-enroll at your last college or university attended;
• Meet major-specific criteria requirements, as applicable; and
• Regardless of residency, if you have not attended a high school/secondary level education institution where English was the principal language of instruction for at least three years full time, or have not completed a transferable college-level English Composition course from a United States post-secondary institution, with a grade of 'C' or better, you must obtain a minimum English Language Proficiency Exam score.

I attended a California Community College. How do my courses transfer?

Students may transfer a maximum of 70 semester units. If you have additional units, you may not receive unit credit, but course credit may still be offered. To view how your California community college courses can be articulated at Cal State LA, please visit www.assist.org. 

What if I have an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) from a California Community College?

If you have an acceptable ADT, you may receive priority admissions consideration. For more information about the ADT and Cal State LA, visit http://www.calstatela.edu/admissions/associate-degree-transfer-adt.

What majors are offered at Cal State L.A.?

Explore our Undergraduate Programs.

Some of our programs have additional requirements. For more information, visit the Major-Specific Criteria page.

Ready to apply?

You can apply to Cal State LA online by visiting Cal State Apply. Please submit your application by the stated deadline.

When to apply - Transfer Dates & Deadlines

Deadlines vary by admission term. View the deadlines for the term you would like to begin your studies at Cal State L.A..

Can I speak to an advisor before applying?