California State University (CSU)

• CSU Application Tutorial
• CSU Apply Transfer Application Guide
• CSU Apply Top Transfer Do's and Don'ts
• CSU International Student Application Guide
• CSU Transfer Application Checklist
• CSU Application Fee Waiver
• EOP Admission by Term
• Resources for Undocumented Students
• Transfer Application Tips for Undocumented Students

• Obtain unofficial transcripts for all colleges attended and AP/IB/CLEP scores (if applicable). The application requires you to enter all courses you have taken, including non-transferable courses. Input courses exactly as they appear on your transcript, including those in which you received "F," "D," "W," "EW," "I," and "NP" grades. Refer to the Transcript Credit Entry Guide on how to input your courses.
  
  

• If you see the "07 - Academic Renewal" code in your course history, you should report this grade as "AR."

• If you repeated a course in which you received a "D" or "F" for a better grade and have the "05 - Course Repeated Excluded" code in your course history, you should report this grade as "RP."

• You will also need to indicate what courses you plan to take for the remainder of your time at GCC. If you are unsure, meet with a counselor to map out what courses remain for your intended goal.
  
  
• Identify the courses you are using to fulfill the Golden Four: Oral Communication, English Composition, Critical Thinking, and Math/Quantitative Reasoning.
  
  
• Remember that you need to meet all admission requirements, including 60 transferable units, by the end of the spring term prior to transfer to be considered for fall admission. Most CSU campuses require that all admission requirements be completed by the end of the summer term prior to transfer to be considered for spring admission.
  
  
• Please do not assume you can take courses in the summer before transfer, and have those courses "make up" for courses you didn't previously complete. Please contact each CSU campus directly about their policies regarding summer course completion.
  
  
• When you apply for admission through Cal State Apply, you are automatically considered for an application fee waiver based on the information requested in the application. Applicants who are eligible for the application fee waiver may apply to up to four CSU campuses per application term (i.e., fall, spring).

• The CSU application does not require completion of essays or personal statements.

• You do not need to send transcripts or GE certification at the time of your application. You only send transcripts when they are requested by the CSU campus. Campuses may have different deadlines. Check your email and CSU campus portal(s) for deadlines. 

• If you kept a copy of your application, go back over it and check to make sure you entered all the information correctly. If there are errors or omissions, notify the campuses that you applied to immediately.

• Domestic students should apply for financial aid on the FAFSA website or California Dream Act website starting in December and no later than April 2 for maximum aid consideration.

• Activate your campus student portal(s) as soon as possible. In addition to email, the campus portal is one of the primary means that campuses use to communicate with students regarding important updates, such as your application status and required document deadlines.
  
  
• Follow all deadlines and requirements for tuition and fee payments and required documents to ensure your application continues to be processed (i.e., official transcripts, exam scores, accepting your offer of admission, residency documents, etc.)
  
  
• Respond immediately to all requests for follow-up information and/or documents from CSU campus offices (Financial Aid, Admissions, EOP, etc.)
  
  
• If you have college or university courses (other than GCC) or AP/IB/CLEP credit that you are using to satisfy CSU GE Breadth or IGETC requirements, or elective units for transfer, they must be evaluated to determine transferability and applicability to specific requirements. If you haven't done so, please see a GCC counselor to start that process.

CSU Application Update Tutorial

After applying to the CSU, some CSUs request that transfer applicants update their academic information to ensure they have your most recent grades and courses.

If so, you must provide your final grades from Fall 2023 and list all courses in progress or planned for Winter and/or Spring 2024.

Please take this opportunity to ensure you have provided the most accurate information on your transfer application.

Please complete the following steps prior to January 31, 2024:

1. Login to Cal State Apply and select the "Check Status" page.

2. Download a PDF copy of your applications to review your academic information and transferable GPA.

3. Review your Transcript Entry for each college you have attended

o Ensure ALL Courses have been entered

o Review and update the Transferable Flag, if needed

o Update ALL grades for Fall 2023 coursework

o Ensure all Winter/Spring 2024 courses are entered

o Ensure repeated courses have a grade of RP and Academic Renewal courses have a grade of AR

4. Update your General Education information, if needed

For further details on completing the Transfer Academic Update, please refer to the Academic Update Guide. You can also refer to the Transfer Application Guide for more detailed instructions.

In addition to completing the Cal State Apply Academic Update, some CSU campuses may request that you complete a supplemental application. Please make sure that you complete both.

Cal State Apply Applicant Help Center & Resources

Cal State Apply Support Team

• Applicant Support Email: calstateapply@liaisoncas.com
• Applicant Support Phone: 857-304-2087
• Applicant Support Chat: Live Chat support located in Help Center