The California State University is one of two public university systems in the state of California. With 23 CSU campuses serving over 400,000 students, it is the largest, most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country. The CSU offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in some 240 subject areas, as well as a variety of teaching credential programs. A select number of doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California or with private universities in California.
CSU Transfer Admission Information
Minimum CSU Transfer Eligibility Requirements
- 60 CSU-transferable units
- 30 General Education CSU-transferable units, completed with grades of "C" or better,
which must include the "golden four":
- All of Area A (speech, composition, critical thinking)
and - Area B4 (quantitative reasoning - college level math)
- Note: Many CSUs now require that these four courses be completed by spring for fall transfer, by summer for spring transfer.
- All of Area A (speech, composition, critical thinking)
- 2.0 GPA for California residents
Recommended CSU Transfer Guidelines
- 60 CSU-transferable units for full junior standing
- 39 CSU-transferable General Education units completed and certified, of which 30 units (including the "golden four") must be with a "C" or better
- Lower division major preparation done
- 2.5+ GPA (Impacted majors and popular campuses may use additional "selection criteria",
including a higher GPA and specific preparation.
Find out if the major or CSU campus you want is impacted.
Note: To graduate from a CSU, students are required to complete at least 9 units of upper division GE after transfer.
Make an appointment with an MPC counselor to make a two year educational plan detailing the courses you need to satisfy general education requirements and major preparation requirements by calling (831) 646-4020 or make an appointment online.
CSU Transfer Preparation
Impacted Majors
To maximize your chances of college admission, especially for impacted CSU schools or programs, it's essential to make yourself as competitive as possible.
Impacted campuses and programs receive more applications than they can accommodate, leading to a more selective admissions process with additional criteria. Currently, Fullerton, Long Beach, San Diego, San Jose, and San Luis Obispo are impacted campuses, with many other CSU campuses having impacted majors. You can view specific information on impacted majors and campuses at calstate.edu.
To enhance your competitiveness for impacted programs and campuses:
- Complete as many, if not all, required major preparation courses.
- Meet regularly with a counselor to ensure you're on track.
- Contact admissions representatives familiar with transfer students for guidance.
- Research the program’s website to understand expectations.
- Check if supplemental applications or materials beyond the standard CSU application are required.
CSU General Education-Breadth
Students transferring to a CSU may complete their general education in one of several ways:
- Complete the minimum transfer eligibility requirements of 60 CSU transferable units which must include the golden four (speech, composition, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning)
- Complete the CSU GE Breadth requirements
- Complete IGETC
Please note: CSU GE Breadth and IGETC are not an admissions requirement and are not recommended for all majors. Students majoring in STEM fields such as Engineering, Biological and Physical Sciences or majors that require extensive lower division preparation are not encouraged to follow IGETC. Make an appointment with an MPC counselor to see if IGETC or the CSU GE Breadth path is right for you.
Associate Degrees for Transfer: AA-T and AS-T
The Associate of Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T)
allow students to earn an associate degree and a bachelor's degree, with no wasted
units. They are intended to make it easier for CSU-bound students to successfully
transfer by having universal lower division major requirements for all 23 CSU campuses.
Students can prepare to transfer to the CSU system using just one set of preparation
courses for their major rather than having to meet different requirements for multiple
campuses.
The AA-T and AS-T degrees offer a simple and direct path to transfer to the CSU system.
Other benefits include:
- Guaranteed admission to a CSU, but not necessarily to a particular campus;
- GPA bump of .10 or .20 when applying to an impacted campus or major;
- Students can receive priority admissions to their local CSU campus to a major deemed similar to the AA-T or AS-T major;
- After transfer to CSU, guaranteed degree completion within 60 semester units at the CSU
- Requirements for an AA-T or AS-T include:
- Completion of required general education coursework;
- Completion of the courses required for the specific AA-T/AS-T major;
- Completion of 60 CSU-transferable units;
- 2.0 GPA (Note: student’s GPA will need to be more competitive if applying to an impacted campus or major)
- Completion of all requirements by the end of the Spring semester if transferring in Fall
For more information, visit icangotocollege.com
Interested in Transferring to CSUMB?
CSU Transfer Resources
Assist.org
Assist.org helps you find community college courses that are transferable to a UC or CSU campus and how those transferable courses might be used to satisfy subject matter requirements for specific majors or general education.
There are several tutorials available to help you use the website effectively.
CSU Transfer Checklist
- Meet with your counselor to verify you meet transfer admission eligibility
-
- Completion of Golden Four & 60+ CSU-transferable units by end of Spring for Fall admissions
- Gather transcripts from all colleges attended (unofficial is fine)
- Determine if you will earn an AA-T or AS-T in a counseling appointment
- CSU applications open October 1 - November 30. Highly recommended to apply in October at calstate.edu/apply Check your email for a confirmation letter after applying
- Attend transfer workshops
- Attend Transfer Day and ask your questions to university and college representatives directly
- Visit campus specific Preview Days & take campus tours. Search for local university Preview Days through the Transfer Events Calendar
- Apply for Financial Aid (priority deadline is March 2)
- FAFSA or California Dream Act
- Include the school code for all campuses that you applied to and that you may be redirected to
- Follow all instructions and meet all deadlines given to you by each CSU campus. They
may ask you to:
- Establish your student account. (Examples: CSUMB Portal, MySJSU)
- Log in and check the account regularly, including items listed under “To Do List”
- Note: Avoid being denied admission by checking your student account weekly and completing the requested To-Do’s well in advance. Check your SPAM folder for emails from the universities!
- Research housing and any other resources or services you need
- Research scholarship opportunities for next academic year
- Develop a timeline reflecting important deadlines from present to entering the university
- Update your CSU application at calstate.edu/apply.
- Record your Fall grades and finalize your planned Spring courses.
- Complete any required Supplemental Applications
- SJSU, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Diego State University, and CSU Long Beach are some of the campuses that require a Supplemental Application.
- Check email and student portal accounts frequently.
- Apply for graduation at Monterey Peninsula College
- Receiving an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T)? Your deadline to apply for graduation will be early February. Check MPC's Important Dates for the specific date.
- Not sure if you are eligible to earn a degree? Make an appointment with your counselor.
- Apply for Financial Aid (priority deadline is March 2)
- FAFSA or California Dream Act
- Include the school code for all campuses that you applied to and that you may be redirected to
- Continue checking email and student portal accounts for information and/or requests for documents
- Research/Apply for scholarships, housing, etc.
- Make sure to follow through on meeting the minimum CSU eligibility requirements and keep up your GPA.
- Submit Statement of Intent to Register and enrollment deposit (unless waived) by May 1st, unless provided a different date from the CSU campus.
- Research/Apply for housing, etc.
- Review Financial Aid Award Offer
- Submit final documents that may include:
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended
- GE Certification
- Official high school transcript(s)
- AP, IB, TOEFL scores
- Immunization Records
- Register for transfer student orientation (bring unofficial transcripts)
- Register for classes (usually done at orientation)
- If needed, check to see which campuses are accepting spring applicants.