International Freshman Application and Admission

You are considered an international freshman applicant if you:

  1. Require a 'F visa' (or I-20) to study at Cal State LA;
  2. Will have attained a high school diploma, or its equivalent, by the end of Spring prior to the desired Fall admission term; and
  3. Have not earned college credit beyond the summer immediately following high school graduation.

Due to the short application period, Spring 2024 admission is not available to international applicants who require an 'F' visa to study in the United States of America. We encourage interested applicants to apply for Fall 2024 admission.

  • Applicants must apply via the online Cal State Apply application between October 1, 2023-March 31, 2024.
  • The California State University (CSU) no longer requires the ACT/SAT examinations for admission eligibility consideration.
  • Admission to all Cal State LA majors will be to a 'pre-major' status. Continuation in the major will be subject to meeting specific lower division course and GPA requirements at Cal State LA that indicate the student's ability to successfully complete the major and graduate.
  • Please carefully review the information below.

To be considered for admission to Cal State LA, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

Eligibility Criteria U.S. High School Graduates Foreign High School Graduates*

Course Preparation

You must have completed each of the courses in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirement ("a-g" courses) with a grade of 'C-' or better, prior to high school graduation.

Your secondary education must be in an academic track, intended for college/university preparation and be deemed similar in preparation to what is required of U.S. high school graduates.

Grade Point Average (GPA)
Achieve a qualifying overall GPA in the 'A-G' courses. The GPA is calculated using grades earned in all ‘A-G’ courses completed after the 9th grade. The minimum GPA requirements are:
  • Graduates of CA high schools: 2.50 GPA
  • Graduates of non-CA high schools: 3.00 GPA
  • Applicants who do not meet the above GPAs may still be considered for admission through a Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP) if they meet all other requirements, and have the following minimum ‘A-G’ GPAs:
    • Graduates of CA high schools: 2.00 GPA
    • Graduates of non-CA high schools: 2.47 GPA

Have a minimum 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) in academic courses of the last 3 years of high school/secondary education.

High School Completion

You must graduate from high school, or earn a GED, by the end of the Spring term prior to Fall enrollment.

You must graduate from high school/complete your secondary education by the end of the Spring term prior to Fall enrollment

English Language Proficiency

If at least 3 years of your high school coursework was not taken at a school where English is the only language of instruction, you will have to satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirement.

*Additional admission consideration methods:

  • Students in UK Secondary System: Must complete 2 A-Levels (grades D or higher) and 3-O Levels (grades C or higher) OR 4 AS-Levels (grades D or higher) and 3-O Levels (grades C or higher) in academic subjects. For additional information, please refer to Cal State LA's profile on the Cambridge International Examinations website - search for California State University - Los Angeles.
  • Students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) System: IB Diploma required, with at least 6 subjects. Must complete 3 HL and 3 SL subjects; if the courses are still in-progress, please plan to submit Predicted Exam Scores.
 
Be aware, not all applicants who meet the above minimum Cal State LA admission requirements will be offered admission. Although we try to accommodate as many students as possible, Cal State LA receives more applications than can be accommodated.

Our admission practices reflect Cal State LA’s mission to cultivate our students’ unique talents and diverse life experiences in a challenging academic environment.

Local Area Admission for select graduates of California high schools

Based on CSU and campus policy, preference for freshman admission is offered to applicants who are considered 'local' based on their high school of graduation, or military status. International students studying in the Los Angeles area may qualify for 'local preference'. Except for Pre-Nursing, 'local' applicants will be guaranteed admission if they meet the above minimum CSU Freshman Admission requirements and have an overall ‘A-G’ GPA of 2.70. CSU eligible applicants below this GPA may still be considered for admission based on a Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP) and offered admission based on space availability in the major or college.

 
Non-Local Area Admission

Except for Pre-Nursing, applicants who meet the above minimum Cal State LA Freshman Admission requirements, and are considered 'non-local' will be ranked by their ‘A-G’ GPA and offered admission based on space availability in the major or college. Additionally, CSU eligible applicants from US high schools who do no meet the non-local GPA cut-off may still be considered for admission based on a Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP).

Admission to the Nursing program at Cal State LA is very competitive. Freshman applicants must first gain admission to the Pre-Nursing program, and then meet the program admission requirements during their first two years at Cal State LA.

To be considered for admission to the Pre-Nursing program, freshman applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Meet Cal State LA freshman admission requirements as stated above.
  • Have a minimum 3.50 GPA in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subjects (the 'A-G' courses).
  • Have earned 'B' or better grades in the first attempt of the following year-long high school courses:
    • Intermediate Algebra, Algebra II, or Integrated Math III
    • Biology with lab
    • Chemistry with lab

Be Aware: Each term of the year-long course must be completed with a grade of 'B' or better. If AP, IB, or Honors courses are taken in these areas, applicants must also earn a 'B' or better grade in the course.

Applicants who meet the above criteria will be ranked for admission and offered admission to Pre-Nursing based on available spaces. Students who enroll as a Pre-Nursing student will follow a very prescribed roadmap at Cal State LA, and must meet specific course grade and GPA requirements to continue in the program.

Local applicants who meet Cal State LA admission standards but are not offered admission to Pre-Nursing, will be offered admission to 'Exploring Health Professions' or their selected alternate pre-major. Those who accept the offer of admission to the Exploring Health Professions program will explore other majors that can lead to a career in related fields.

Students admitted to Cal State LA as Exploring (Undeclared), or as a major other than Pre-Nursing, will not be able to change their major to Pre-Nursing or Nursing during their tenure at Cal State LA.

  1. Explore and choose a major to declare on your application
  2. Apply online at Cal State Apply by the deadline
  3. Submit official transcripts or other documents only if requested

STEP 1: Explore and choose a major to declare on your application

International freshman applicants must select a specific major. Applicants interested in Nursing should review the important information above. Admission to most majors will be to a 'pre-major' status. Continuation in the major will be subject to meeting specific lower division course and GPA requirements at Cal State LA that indicate the student's ability to successfully complete the major and graduate.

STEP 2: Apply online at Cal State Apply by the deadline

For Fall admission, applicants must apply between October 1 to March 31 prior to the start of the fall term. To apply to Cal State LA, visit Cal State Apply. For some tips on how to complete the application, visit our Application Tips webpage. Once the application is submitted, we will send you a notification by email to acknowledge the receipt of your application.

If you are attending a U.S. high school, be aware that Cal State LA may make admission decisions based on self-reported information from the application so it is extremely important that coursework including grades and test scores are entered accurately and completely. Admitted students who intend to enroll at Cal State LA will be required to submit an official transcript in order to verify eligibility and high school graduation. Some applicants may be required to report Fall grades when available or submit additional information as needed. Admission decisions may be withdrawn for students who misreported academic information, or do not meet the terms of the admission offer.

STEP 3: Submit official transcripts or other documents only if requested

If after reviewing your application, it is determined we need additional information, including transcripts, we will notify you by email with instructions and a specific deadline. International students not attending U.S. schools will be required to submit official academic records (with the institution's grading scale) to be considered for admission. For a timely decision, please send your high school transcript as soon as the requested term's grades are posted, or within 2 weeks of submitting your application, whichever is later. For Fall 2024 admission eligibility review, transcripts must include grades through the Fall 2023 term.

 

Submit official TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or DuoLingo English Test (effective Spring 2022) test scores for the English Language Proficiency requirement if at least 3 years of your high school coursework was not taken at a school where English is the only language of instruction.

Cal State LA uses email as the official means of communication with applicants. Initial admission communications are sent to the email reported in the Cal State Apply application. Applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the University, and to check their email regularly.

Throughout the admissions process, the Office of Admissions and Recruitment will send communications to the "preferred" email address as indicated in your GET Student Center. You may update your email address at any time by visiting your Golden Eagle Territory (GET) Self-Service Student Center.

To help prevent these important emails from being flagged as spam/junk mail by your email provider, please mark the calstatela.edu domain as a safe sender in your email account.

Be aware, we discovered that the following email hosts have blocked Cal State LA emails. If you currently have an email account with one of these email hosts, we strongly encourage you to create a new email account with an alternate email host (e.g., gmail.com, outlook.com, icloud.com, etc.).

  • qq.com
  • 126.com
  • 163.com
  • yeah.net

Offers of admission are normally made in March for Fall admission. All offers of admission will be provisional and subject to verification based on official transcripts and test scores. Admission offers may be withdrawn if the GPA, completed courses, course grades, or test scores are lower than what is reported, or if you miss any admission deadlines. Please make sure to report accurate information on your application.

How do I accept the offer of admission?

To accept the admission offer, newly admitted freshmen must pay the non-refundable $100 (USD) Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD) by May 1st. The deposit will offset a portion of the student's State University Fee.

What if I am not offered admission to Cal State LA?

In addition to applying to Cal State LA, we hope you have considered applying to one or two other colleges so that you will have alternatives in the event that you are not offered admission.

An alternate path to the CSU is available through the California Community College (CCC) system. You may begin your college journey at a local community college in California, complete an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), and then transfer to a CSU campus. To make it even better, if your ADT is in a deemed similar program, you will only need to complete an additional 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) at a CSU campus to earn a bachelor’s degree! For more information about the ADT pathway, visit the A Degree with a Guarantee webpage.

Can I appeal my admission decision?

If you believe you are eligible for Cal State LA admission, you may appeal our decision. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 15 days of the date of the denial notification and must include a basis for the appeal and supporting academic records. We will respond via email to your appeal request within four to six weeks. Only one appeal may be submitted for an academic term. For more information, visit the Admission Appeals webpage.

Here are some important items to consider if you are offered admission and decide to attend Cal State LA:

Admitted Student Information: If you have already been offered admission, refer to the Information for Newly Admitted International Freshmen.

Applying for your I-20 or SEVIS transfer: To prepare for the process, please have the following items available: (1) copy of your Passport Biographical Page and (2) Financial Sponsor information and a copy of their recent bank statement (or other official letters of financial support/guarantee/scholarship). If you are currently already studying in the US, please also plan to submit: (1) copy of current Visa stamp; (2) copy of I-94; and (3) copy of I-20 or DS-2019, and Employment Authorization Document (EAD), if applicable.

If you have any questions about the I-20/SEVIS transfer process, please contact the International Students & Scholars Office at (323) 343-3170 or [email protected].

Campus Housing: Living on campus offers numerous opportunities for students to build lifelong friendships, develop as leaders and achieve academic success. Our South Village housing complex for freshman students features tower communities, community lounges, study rooms, a fitness center, and the new, expanded Village Café dining commons. To learn more, visit the Housing and Residence Life webpage.

College Credit: Students who are eligible to receive credit based on Advanced Placement, CLEP, or International Baccalaureate assessments will need to send official test scores sent to Cal State LA. Be aware that credit granted by another institution does not 'transfer' to Cal State LA for test credit. Students who took college courses at an accredited 2-year or 4-year institution while in high school should submit official college transcripts including earned grades for evaluation as some credits may count toward the bachelor's degree.

Orientation, Advising, and Registration: To help ensure a smooth transition to Cal State LA, new freshmen are required to participate in a one-day Golden Eagle Orientation during the summer. Additional information will be sent beginning in May to students who have accepted the offer of admission and paid the Enrollment Confirmation Deposit. For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Orientation webpage.