Graduate Admissions Information

Application to Graduate Program

All applicants must complete an online application to the University through Cal State Apply. The College examines each candidate's potential, taking into consideration all academic and work experience, level of responsibility at work, and other factors that may have a bearing on the individual's potential for success. Applicants are evaluated on the merits of their own application in comparison with those of all other applicants for the semester. Applicants without proper documentation, i.e., test scores, employment history, essays, letters of recommendation etc., will not be processed. Recommendation for admission will only be based upon files that are complete.

Students who are admitted but do not register in the semester for which they applied must reapply through Cal State Apply and pay another application fee if seeking admission to any future semester. There is no deferred admission. Reapplication to the College is not necessary if readmission is sought within one academic year. We encourage you to complete your application file as soon as possible. Once your file is complete, we can proceed with the evaluation and issue a decision.

For application guides click on the following:

• Fall 2026 Application Requirements
• Cal State Application Instructions
• Writing a Statement of Purpose

Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Resume
• 2 Letter of Recommendations
• Statement of Purpose
• One set of Official sealed Transcripts sent to the Cal State LA Office (Cal State LA students and alumni do not need to request/submit their transcripts)

The admission process from application to faculty review can take anywhere from 8-12 weeks. Completed applications begin the review process as soon as they are received. We recommend you to submit your application as early as possible.

Transcripts may be sent by mail to:

California State University Los Angeles
Office of Admissions and Recruitment (SA 101)
5151 State University Dr.
Los Angeles CA 90032 USA

* MS Information Systems is considered as STEM program.  STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees are in high demand worldwide. For international students, obtaining a STEM degree at our University qualifies students who have F-1 visas to potentially have their 12-month OPT extended by 24 months. For all STEM graduates, a promising career awaits with this valuable degree.

The Cal State LA Veterans Resource Center (VRC) strives to help veterans and active duty students navigate the certification process, make a seamless transition to university life, support their success on campus, and prepare them to reach their career and life goals. For more information, visit the Veterans Resource Center webpage, or contact the VRC at (323) 343-5080, or via email at [email protected].

Cal State LA welcomes students from around the world who wish to study at our beautiful, urban campus close to Downtown Los Angeles. The University has been a leader in providing high-quality higher education for 70 years and now counts more than 250,000 alumni. Cal State LA's seven colleges offer more than 60 nationally recognized graduate and undergraduate programs across a wide range of disciplines.

Click on the link below to learn more about the admission process:

• https://www.calstatela.edu/admissions/international-applicants
• Graduate, Credential, Certificate, and 2nd Bachelor's Program Applicants - Students who hold a Bachelor's degree and wish to continue their education in graduate studies or other post-baccalaureate programs.