Transfers
Who is a Transfer applicant?
You are considered a transfer applicant if you have completed coursework at a college or university since leaving high school, but you have not yet completed a Bachelor's degree.
How do I qualify for admission as a lower-division transfer applicant?
You are considered a lower-division transfer student if you will have completed less than 60 transferable semester units or 90 transferable quarter units by the end of the prior Summer term for Fall entrance or the prior Fall term for Spring entrance.
Lower-division transfer remains closed for all but two areas. The University will consider lower-division applicants from a limited number of highly-qualified Nursing and Engineering students.
How do I qualify for admission as an upper-division transfer applicant?
You are considered an upper-division transfer student if you will have completed 60 or more transferable semester units or 90 transferable quarter units by the end of the prior Summer term for Fall entrance or the prior Fall term for Spring entrance.
Be aware that some admission requirements must be met earlier. See the General Education requirements below.
Important Notice:
You will be required to have completed sixty (60) transferable semester units or 90 transferable quarter units to be considered for admission to the CSU as an upper-division transfer student.
As an upper-division transfer student, you must also meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:
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Apply to a specific major. Some majors may be impacted and will require supplementary admissions criteria. If applying to an impacted major, you are encouraged to designate an alternate major for consideration in case you are not admitted to the impacted major. [Note: If applying to a business major, the alternate major must be in another area since the entire College of Business is impacted.]
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Have a minimum, overall college GPA of 2.00 or higher in all transferable college course work attempted. Non-residents must have a minimum GPA of 2.40.
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Be in good standing at the last college or university attended in a regular session.
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Complete a minimum of 30 semester units or 45 quarter units in courses approved to meet CSU General Education (GE) requirements.
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The CSU GE requirements in Written Communication, Oral Communication, Critical Thinking and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better by the end of the prior Spring term for Fall admission or by the end of the prior Summer term for Spring admission.
| Area | GE Category | IGETC |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | A2 | 1C |
| Written Communication | A1 | 1A |
| Critical Thinking | A3 | 1B |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | B4 | 2 |
Applicants who meet these criteria will be considered for admission. Applicants to impacted majors must also meet the supplemental criteria for that program.
How do I apply to CSULB?
You should apply online to CSULB by visiting CSUMentor . If you don't have access to the Internet, you may obtain an admissions application from a CSU Campus.
When is the application deadline?
| Term | Initial Filing Period | Lower Division Deadline | Upper Division Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2008 | August 1-31, 2007 | Nursing and Engineering only: August 31, 2007 | August 31, 2007 |
| Fall 2008 | October 1-November 30, 2007 |
|
Impacted Majors: November 30, 2007 Non-impacted: November 30, 2007 |
How will I know that you received my application?
We will send you an email or letter confirming receipt of your application. During peak periods of application processing, it may take four to six weeks for confirmation notices to be mailed.
You may also call our automated phone system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (562) 985-2500 to find out the current status of your application. Have your 9-digit student identification number handy when accessing this system.
What transcripts or other documents are required of transfer applicants?
For purposes of determining California residency, students may be required to submit additional documents. These documents may include a Residency Questionnaire, photocopies of Immigration documents, proof of California residency, etc. For additional information regarding the establishment of California residency for educational purposes, visit the Residency information page or visit CSUMentor.
Fall Term Applications:
If you WILL have 60 or more transferable semester units (or 90 transferable quarter units) completed by the end of the previous Summer term, then we will require the following initial documents from you no later than April 28:
- Official transcripts of all college coursework completed including coursework completed through the previous Fall term.
Spring Term Applications:
If you WILL have 60 or more transferable semester units (or 84 transferable quarter units) completed by the end of the previous Fall term, we will require the following initial documents from you by November 1:
- Your official transcripts of all college coursework completed through the Summer term.
Veterans and active-duty military personnel
If you are a veteran of the United States armed forces, be sure to submit, as part of your application, your discharge paper, Form DD 214, which includes descriptions of the types of training you received while in the service. Such training, in some cases, may count as credit transferable to CSULB. Veterans and active-duty military personnel also must be sure to include any military transcripts (e.g., AARTS and SMART) displaying additional course work that may be transferable to CSULB.
When and where should I send my transcripts and other documents?
All transcripts and other requested documents should be sent to CSULB as soon as you receive confirmation from us that we are in receipt of your application. Send all documents to:
What are the deadlines for completing admission requirements?
Upper division transfer applicants must complete course requirements by the end of term indicated in the following table:
| Requirement | Fall Admission | Spring Admission |
|---|---|---|
| GE English | Prior Spring term | Prior Summer term |
| GE Critical Thinking | Prior Spring term | Prior Summer term |
| GE Oral Communication | Prior Spring term | Prior Summer term |
| GE Math | Prior Spring term | Prior Summer term |
| 60 transferable units | Prior Summer term | Prior Fall term |
| Required pre-requisite courses for Impacted Majors | Prior Summer term | Prior Fall term |
Offers of admission based on coursework planned or in-progress will be conditioned on the successful completion of these requirements by the terms indicated above. Failure to successfully complete these requirements will result in the withdrawal of the admission offer. Proof of enrollment of required courses may also be required prior to registration.
Transcripts should be submitted as soon as grades are available but no later than the following deadlines:
Fall Admission
| Transcript including the following grades: | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Prior Fall term | April 28 |
| Prior Spring term | July 15 |
| Prior Summer term | September 10 |
Spring Admission
| Transcript including the following grades: | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Prior Summer term | November 1 |
| Prior Fall term | January 15 |
When will I be notified of my admission status?
You will receive written notification of your admission status after we have received all necessary documents. Often we can respond in two to four weeks. However, it may take six to eight weeks for an admission decision to take place during peak periods of application processing. Those peak periods are: March, April and May for Fall applications, and September and October for Spring applications. Remember, you can check your admission status at any time by calling our automated system at (562) 985-2500.
Do I need to respond to an acceptance letter?
Absolutely!
Newly admitted transfer students are required to accept their admission offer and pay a non-refundable $150 enrollment deposit in order to reserve a spot in the class. The enrollment deposit may be waived for students receiving state or federal need-based grants or full financial assistance. The deposit will offset a portion of the student's State University Fee.
Please make sure to check the following term deadlines for accepting your admission and paying the enrollment deposit.
- Spring 2008 Incoming Class: Inform us within four weeks of the date on your admission letter.
- Fall 2008 Incoming Transfer: Inform us of your intent to enroll by June 2nd. If you received your admission letter after May 1st, you must inform us within four weeks of that date.
What's the next step?
To help ensure a smooth transition to CSULB, new freshmen and transfer students are required to participate in the University’s Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) program.
Placement Tests
If you do not qualify for an exemption, you will be required to take the English and Mathematics placement tests no later than June 14, 2008. If required, we encourage you to take them as soon as possible after being offered admission so results will be available for advisement at your SOAR session. If the test results demonstrate that you are not ready for baccalaureate classes in English and Math, you will be required to take the pre-baccalaureate courses in your first semester. For more information, including examination dates and qualified exemptions, please visit the Testing and Evaluation Services web site.
Financial Aid and Registration
Visit Registration to learn about the registration process and Financial Aid to learn how you can qualify for financial aid.