California State University System (CSU)

If you will have at least 60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units completed by the time you enter a CSU, you are considered an upper-division transfer application.

To be admitted to the CSU as an upper-division transfer (UDT) student, you must: 

• Have completed a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable coursework.
• Have an overall college GPA of at least 2.00 (your GPA is calculated using all your transfer units attempted)
  • In high-demand majors and campuses a GPA of 2.00 may not be sufficient to be admitted.
• Be in good standing at the last college or university you attended.
  • In simple terms, “good standing” means you are eligible to re-enroll at your last college or university.
• Have completed 10 general education courses (30 semester units or 45 quarter units) of basic skills courses, with a grade of C- or better, and, specifically, four courses completed in the following areas (in either column) which are known as the Golden Four:

High-Unit Majors with Authorized Exceptions to Admission and GE Breadth Requirements. 

Some CSU campuses and/or majors may have additional requirements for admission. For the most up-to-date information on transfer requirements visit the individual campus websites and/or, schedule an appointment with the Transfer Center or a Counselor. 

When the number of applications received by a CSU campus from qualified applicants is greater than the number of available spaces, a campus is considered “impacted” for undergraduate degree programs or for undergraduate students who apply from outside the local admission area.

In this case, an impacted campus is allowed to use additional criteria to screen applications.

Campuses without the impaction designation at the program or campus level are open to all CSU eligible applicants.

If you're an upper-division transfer student to the CSU, you can use this database to find out whether a degree program or campus you're interested in is affected by impaction.

• Search for a CSU Campus or Major Impaction

The California State University (CSU) offers a comprehensive selection of undergraduate degree programs. Begin your search to get a personalized listing of CSU degree programs. Search Degrees at the CSU!

Looking for a 100% online program? Search CSU Online Programs!

Find out which CSU campuses have a program that is similar to the ADT program (AA-T or AS-T) you want to complete or have completed. Search for a CSU Campus.

The Transfer Center visits several campuses each semester. Make sure to check out our Events & Workshops page so you don't miss out! If you are unable to attend a campus tour in person, you can also take a virtual tour at any of the CSUs. 

A variety of financial aid sources are available to help you pay for college. Financial aid can come from, federal, state, school, and private sources to help you pay for college. For more information on the different types of financial aid available at the CSUs visit our Financial Aid webpage.

Learn more about federal grants, loans, and work-study jobs and how they can help fund your education - Types of Financial Aid: Loans, Grants, and Work-Study Programs

The CSU's offer many different options when it comes to housing for transfer students. It is important to look into housing options as you plan for transfer. Below is additional web links and contact information for each CSU campus. 

Last Updated: 10.25.2023

The CSU's offer childcare options for transfer students with children. Make sure to look into each campuses options and eligibility requirements. See links below for full details. 

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

Students with Disabilities

The CSU system fosters an inclusive environment for students with disabilities by providing necessary accommodations and services to help them reach their academic goals. Each campus is committed to supporting students and working with the campus community to eliminate barriers to educational access, while upholding the University’s values of equity and inclusion. For more details, click on the links for each campus below.

• Bakersfield
• Channel Islands
• Chico State
• Dominguez Hills
• East Bay
• Fresno State
• Fullerton
• Humboldt State
• Long Beach
• Los Angeles
• Cal Maritime
• Monterey Bay
• Northridge
• Pomona
• Sacramento State
• San Bernardino
• San Diego State
• San Francisco State
• San Jose State
• San Luis Obispo
• San Marcos
• Sonoma State
• Stanislaus State

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

Interested in connecting with your future CSU campus? Contact the admissions office of the school you're considering for more information.

CSU Campus directory

One of the most important things to know as a transfer student is that CSU applications are submitted almost one year in advance. 

For example, if Spring 2027 is your final semester at Barstow Community College, you will apply for Fall 2027 admission to the CSU system during the application period of October 1 - December 1, 2026.

⚠️Important: Not all CSU campuses offer spring admission. Be sure to review each campus's application dates and deadlines to confirm which universities accept spring transfers. 

If you have questions or need help planning your timeline, contact the Transfer Center for support.

When you're ready to complete CSU application, be sure to have the following items on hand:

• Unofficial transcripts - You'll need to enter all courses you've completed, courses currently in progress, and any courses you plan to take. Campuses will request official transcripts if needed.
• You're Social Security number, if you have one.
• Your citizenship status
• Annual income information - Your parents' if you are a dependent or your own income if you are independent.
• Your parents' employment background and two recommendations - Required only if you are applying to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). 

The Barstow Community College Transfer Center offers multiple workshops to assist students in completing the CSU admissions application. Check out our Events & Workshops page for a list of current workshops.

Ready to get started on your admissions application? Utilize the multiple resources listed below to help you complete the application. However, be sure to schedule an appointment with the Transfer Center so that we can check your application for errors prior to you submitting it. 

• CSU Admissions Application Website
• Transfer Application Guide (PDF)
• Transfer Credit Entry Guide (PDF)
• Instructional Videos on Completing Each Section of the CSU Admissions Application

So, you were offered admission to a CSU - congratulations! 🎉

But you're not done yet. Your next step is to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and complete the required next steps for admitted students.

Click on the link below for the university that you received an offer of admission to in order to see the next steps:

California State University, Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands*
California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt*
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
California Polytechnic Maritime Academy (formerly California State University Maritime Academy)**
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona**
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San José State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo**
California State University San Marcos*
Sonoma State University
California State University, Stanislaus

*Please note Channel Islands and San Marcos do not have a comma in their formal names.

**Please note the order of Polytechnic and State when referring to Maritime Academy, Pomona, and San Luis Obispo.

Housing & Financial Aid

The table below is a list of the California State University Housing & Financial Aid websites & phone numbers.

Unfortunately, you may receive a notice from a CSU campus you applied to stating that you were not offered admission. Hopefully, you've received offers from other universities you applied to. 

Even if you were denied admission, each CSU campus offers students the opportunity to appeal the decision or request reconsideration for admission.

Click on the link below for the university that you received a denial of admission to in order to see the appeal process:

California State University, Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands*
California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt**
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
Cal Poly Maritime Academy**
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona**
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San José State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo**
California State University San Marcos*
Sonoma State University
California State University, Stanislaus

*Please note Channel Islands, Maritime and San Marcos do not have a comma in their formal names.

**Please note the order of Polytechnic and State when referring to Pomona and San Luis Obispo.