Online Application Submission
General Admissions Process
- Complete the University application on Cal State Apply and pay a non-refundable $70 fee.
- Submit program materials through MyCED after completing the University application. Both applications are due by the application deadline.
- Submit official transcripts.
- Await notification.
If you have any questions or need help with the application process, please contact the College of Education Graduate Studies Office at ced-gradstudies@csulb.edu.
Completed applications must be submitted by the following deadline:
Fall 2023
Application period begins: October 1, 2022
Application due date: June 1, 2023*
Applications are not accepted after the deadline.
*Please note that international applicants (F1 or J1 visa) have an earlier deadline of March 15, 2023 for Fall 2023 consideration.
Use Cal State Apply to apply and be sure to complete all components of the application by the published deadline.
The Cal State Apply dashboard is divided into four sections:
- Personal Information: contact information, biographic information and financial information, etc.
- Academic History: colleges attended, GPAs, etc.; do not hand-enter transcript information
- Supporting Information: enter “I am not adding any experiences”
- Program Materials: statement of purpose, recommendations, etc.
Please refer the tutorial on the GSO Tutorials and Tips for Applying website for tips on filling out these sections of Cal State Apply. Please also refer below for detailed information for what documents to submit for the program materials.
Lastly, there is a non-refundable $70 application fee. Your application will not be processed until this fee has been paid. Please note that the CSU system does not offer a fee waiver for graduate level applications.
Important: you may only apply to one graduate program per CSU. If you are unsure about which program is best for you, contact the Graduate Studies Office.
For technical assistance with Cal State Apply, please contact the Cal State Apply Help Desk: (857) 304-2087, CalStateApply@liaisoncas.com or visit the Cal State Apply Applicant Help Center. Cal State Apply Application Support is available Monday – Friday, 6AM – 5PM PT.
After you complete and submit the university application, please upload supplementary program application materials via MyCED by the application deadline:
- Statement of purpose (prompt provided below)
- Résumé
- A copy of your credential (if held)
Statement of Purpose Prompt
Submit a 2-3 page, double-spaced, 12-point font response addressing the following two questions:
- What are your professional and academic experiences that led you to apply to the program?
- What are your professional and academic goals and how will this program help you achieve them?
NOTE: Each question may be answered sequentially or you may integrate your responses to all questions into one central discussion.
Need help with writing your Statement of Purpose? Visit our website for tips and resources: GSO Tutorials and Tips for Applying
Résumé
Please upload the most recent copy of your résumé.
Need help with updating your resume? Visit our website for tips and resources: GSO Tutorials and Tips for Applying
Copy of Teaching Credential
Please upload a copy of your teaching credential, if held.
Letters of recommendations must be submitted through MyCED. Access to MyCED is only permitted once you have completed and submitted the University application in Cal State Apply.
Be prepared to enter the names and e-mail addresses for two recommenders. Recommendations are preferred from a supervisor in a professional setting, or a university faculty member, or may be a general recommendation. We encourage you to seek the strongest possible letters regardless of the source. Therefore, we suggest speaking with your recommenders before completing this section.
When specifying the Due Date, enter 6/1/2023
Once you have entered and saved information for a recommender, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out.
Lastly, please ask your recommenders to:
Please provide the following relevant to the applicant’s suitability for graduate study:
- Academic abilities & intellectual capacity;
- Personal qualities & maturity;
- Ability to work with diverse groups of people;
- Obstacles overcome;
- Any additional topics that you believe are relevant to the applicant’s preparation and suitability for this graduate program.
- It is not necessary to address each of the topics noted above, especially if you do not have a basis for commenting on a certain area.
This information has been updated and is final for Fall 2023.
If you have any questions or need help with the application process, please contact the College of Education Graduate Studies Office via email.
