Online Application Submission
General Admissions Process
- Use Cal State Apply to file all application materials before the deadline
- Pay a non-refundable $70 fee
- Submit your official transcripts
- Await notification
- Group interviews for admission will be held virtually on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Applicants are expected to save-the-date for a potential interview. Applicants will be notified by email approximately 1 week before the interview date whether or not they are being invited to the interview.
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.
NOTE: The Statement of Purpose prompt and other required materials may be found under "Program Materials - Documents Tab in Cal State Apply"
Completed applications must be submitted via Cal State Apply by the following deadline:
Fall 2022
Application period begins: October 1, 2021
Application due date: June 1, 2022*
Applications are not accepted after the deadline.
*Please note that international applicants (F1 or J1 visa) have an earlier deadline of April 1, 2022 for Fall 2022 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.
Section 4 of Cal State Apply application requires you to submit supplementary program materials for the Admissions Review Committee. Upload the following on the 'Documents' tab in the Program Materials section of Cal State Apply:
- Statement of purpose (prompt provided below)
- Résumé
- A copy of your credential (if held)
- Unofficial transcripts
Statement of Purpose Prompt
Please respond to the prompt below in 3-4 pages, double-spaced with 12-point font. This is a presentation of you as a prospective graduate student, thus a clear and comprehensive written sample is essential.
Describe how your past schooling, work experiences, or your interactions with family, friends, or others have influenced your decision to enter the field of special education. Then, explain why you are seeking a master’s degree in special education at CSULB and what you hope to accomplish upon completion.
Need help with writing your Statement of Purpose? Visit our website for tips and resources: GSO Tutorials and Tips for Applying
Resume
Please upload the most recent copy of your resume.
Supplemental Materials (optional)
Please upload a copy of your teaching credential, if held. This proof should be a print-out (i.e., screen shot) from the CTC website.
Unofficial Transcript(s)
Please upload an unofficial transcript from each university or college where you earned a baccalaureate, graduate degree and/or credential. (Reminder: applicants must also submit official transcripts to Enrollment Services, see Official Transcripts section)
Need help with updating your resume? Visit our website for tips and resources: GSO Tutorials and Tips for Applying
Be prepared to enter the names and email contact information for two people who will complete letters of recommendation for you in the 'Recommendations' tab in the Program Materials section of Cal State Apply. Recommendations are preferred from a supervisor in a professional setting, a university instructor, or maybe 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 6/1/2022.
You may complete and submit your Cal State Apply application before your recommenders submit their letters.
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.
Please also review these helpful tips regarding recommendations.
Lastly, Cal State Apply allows you to enter a note to the recommender. Please copy and paste the instructions below to be included in the email request to your recommenders.
Please provide information relevant to the applicant’s suitability for graduate study. We are especially interested in the applicant’s strengths and challenges with regard to potential for graduate study and future success as a professional. These comments are weighed very heavily by our admissions committee.
This information has been updated and is final for Fall 2022.
If you have any questions or need help with the application process, please contact the College of Education Graduate Studies Office via email.
