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Cal State Apply Quick Start Information and FAQs

What is Cal State Apply?

Cal State Apply is a Centralized Application Service (CAS) that simplifies the process of applying to California State University (CSU) programs. You start by selecting the programs you wish to apply to, then you submit one application that includes all necessary materials. Once received by Cal State Apply, your application and materials are transmitted to all of your selected programs.

Start your 2024-2025 cycle application.

Start your 2025-2026 cycle application

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Coursework and Transcripts

Application Edits and Programs

Fees and Payments

Top Questions on Deadline Day

What if I attended a high school that has both quarter and semester term types?

List the high school twice: once as one term type and again as the other.

 

Do I need to send transcripts?

If a program requires transcripts, you will receive instructions from the campus after submitting your application. These transcripts will be sent directly to the campus(es) you are applying to.

 

Do I really have to enter all coursework? (Undergraduate/Transfer Only)

Yes.

 

How do I enter my coursework?

2025-2026 Application: For detailed instructions on entering coursework, see the College Coursework section, the Freshman Application Guide, and the Transfer Application Guide.

2024-2025 Application: For detailed instructions on entering coursework, see the College Coursework section, the Freshman Application Guide, and the Transfer Application Guide.

 

Am I required to list 7th and 8th grade coursework?

If you took a course in 7th or 8th grade that fulfilled A-G subject requirements, report your course(s) and grade(s) earned with the appropriate grade level.

 

What if an AP course fulfills one of the A-G requirements (Freshman Applicants)?

If you met one of your A-G requirements with an AP or IB test, then you should enter that test in the High School Coursework section as follows:

  1. Course Title: Enter the test and an abbreviated subject (e.g., AP Eng Lit)
  2. Grade: Enter “Pass” in each semester
    • If you need the exam to complete multiple years, enter the course on consecutive rows to match the number of years (i.e. 2 years = 2 rows)
  3. Course Type: Select None

 

How do I manually enter A-G requirements?

Once all high school and, if applicable, college coursework are entered, navigate to the A-G Matching section of the application. Click Update A-G Courses and enter the letter requirements (A-G) next to each course. For more information, see the 2024-2025 Freshman Application Guide or the 2025-2026 Freshman Application Guide

 

What if an AP course fulfills one of the general education requirements (Transfer Applicants)?

If you met one of your General Education requirements with an AP, IB, or CLEP test, then you should enter that test in College Coursework section as follows:

  1. Course Code: Enter the test and an abbreviated subject
  2. Title: Enter the test and a full description
  3. Subject: Enter “Test-No subject”
  4. Credits: Enter the full credit value of the transfer
  5. Grade: Enter “CR” (regardless of the grade listed on the transcript)
  6. Transferrable: Do not check this box

 

How do I list my repeated high school courses (Freshman Applicants)?

Cal State Apply defines repeated courses as the exact same course with the exact same course title taken at the same school or school district at a later time.

If a new grade has been earned, only report the highest grade for the course. Do not enter the repeated courses twice.

If the course is in-progress or planned and you have not yet earned a new grade, report the grade you originally received, along with the planned/in-progress course. The original grade will be counted in your GPA until a new grade is earned.

 

How do I list my dual enrollment courses?

Dual enrollment courses (college courses completed during high school) are considered Freshman and should be listed under the college where you took them. Do not report these courses again in the High School Coursework section even though they were taken while you were in high school. You will be able to match college courses to the A-G matching section.

 

How do I list my repeated/academic renewal courses (Transfer Applicants)?

You should list these courses twice. Enter either “RP” (repeat) or “AR” (academic renewal) for the first course attempt; then, enter the actual grade you received for the second attempt.

Note that repeated courses are only considered if the course was taken at the same institution and has the same course title/prefix (these courses will not hurt your GPA).

 

I received an error message about my ADT degrees. How do I fix it?

If you are seeking an ADT degree, you must select either Associate of Arts for Transfer or Associate of Science for Transfer in the Colleges Attended section. If you select any other Associates degree in the degree list, you will receive an error message that prevents you from submitting your application. Ensure that the correct degree is selected.

 

Why does my A-G GPA go down when I add additional courses?

This application uses a weighted GPA which accounts for the difficulty level of a course, assigning more points for grades earned in eligible honors/college courses. No more than eight extra points for eligible honors/college courses can be awarded to any one applicant. Therefore, when you add more courses after this eight point limit is reached, those subsequent courses are “weighted” less regardless of their difficulty level and will slightly decrease the GPA even if they have grades of A+.

Example: you have eight courses each with a grade of A+ that are eligible for an honors “boost” and your calculated GPA is approximately 4.5. If you add a ninth course with a grade of A+, your GPA changes from 4.5 to 4.44. You have reached the maximum number of extra points for honors/college courses and therefore the ninth course is “weighted” less than your previous eight courses, resulting in a slightly decreased GPA.

I made a mistake on my application. How can I make corrections?

After you submit your application, you can't make any changes. Contact your campus(es) directly with any updated information. For more information, see the Updating Your Cal State Apply Application section.

 

I would like to add supplemental information to my application (volunteer hours, extracurriculars, etc.). How can I submit those?

If you are applying to a graduate program, you can add this information to the Experiences section. Some campuses may also request specific information in the Program Materials section. Note that you cannot make any changes to previously submitted information. If you are applying to an undergraduate program, note that experiences, extracurriculars, and volunteer hours are not considered for admission.

 

How do I remove a program?

Your application must always have at least one program selected. To remove a program, click the checkmark next to the program name on the Add Program tab or click the trash icon on the Submit Application tab.

 

What does face-to-face vs. online mean for program delivery type?

Face-to-face means the program requires that you complete your courses on campus; online means that you complete the majority (if not all) of the courses online and hybrid means that you do a combination of both.

 

What if I want to apply to more than one program at a campus?

You can’t apply to more than one program at the same campus during the same term.

 

I submitted my application to the wrong program. What do I do?

If you would like your application to be considered for a different program at a campus to which you've applied, contact the campus to determine if they can change your program.

If you applied to the incorrect level (i.e. Graduate vs. Undergraduate), you must create another account in order to apply to the correct program. After creating a new account and applying for a new program, contact Application Support to place the incorrect application on hold.

 

My campus said that this program would be available as of a certain date, but I still can’t find it?

Visit the Application Dates and Deadlines page. If the program that you are interested in does not appear, contact the campus directly.

 

Why can't I find the program I want to apply for?

Programs are displayed based on your applicant type. Ensure you have completed your Extended Profile correctly. If you still can’t locate the program, contact the campus directly.

Refer to the Application Dates and Deadlines page for more information on campus programs available to each applicant type.

 

When will I learn about admissions decisions? Did I get in!?

Campuses have varying admissions decision time frames. Upon submission of your application, the campus will confirm receipt and provide additional information regarding the next steps and a timeline for making admission decisions.

 

How do I change my degree goals or edit my Extended Profile?

To change your degree goals or make other edits to your Extended Profile, click your name in the upper-right of the application and select Extended Profile.

 

What if I do not have a current address to enter in the application?

The Current Address field is required in the application; you must at least provide a mailing address where you can reliably receive mail. Your mailing address can be the address of a relative or friend who has given you permission to use it, or it can be your college's address. If you want to use your college's address, you must contact the school for permission and instructions to ensure that your mail reaches you. Enter the approximate date through which the address is valid and mark it as your permanent address. If you find more permanent housing after you submit your Cal State Apply application, contact the campuses directly to update your address.

 

Is there any other way to pay other than by credit card?

We accept payments by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) and PayPal.

 

I want a refund. What do I need to do?

The application fee is non-refundable. If you have additional questions, please contact the campus you applied to.

 

Do fee waivers expire?

Eligible applicants receive four application fee waivers per term. Fee waivers expire at the end of each term’s application filing period and are non-transferrable for a different term.

 

Why don’t I see the option for a fee waiver?

As you complete your application, you will answer several questions that automatically calculate a fee waiver. Once you complete the application, all four quadrants turn green (Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials), indicating you have answered all questions, including the fee waiver-related questions. On the Submit Application tab (to the right of Total Fees), a message will appear alerting you if you are eligible for an application fee waiver.

 

Am I eligible for a fee waiver?

Fee waivers are available for applicants who are undergraduate students (you cannot be in an extension program), California residents for one year or longer, and US citizens or those without lawful immigration status who qualify for AB540 non-resident tuition exception. See Cal State Apply Fee Waivers for more information.

 

I get an error message when trying to save my college coursework. What should I do?

If you receive an error when entering coursework in the College Coursework section, delete the institution, then re-enter it.

 

Why is my Transfer GPA taking so long to calculate?

As a result of higher than usual activity in the application system, some Transfer GPAs can take extra time to calculate and display. You do not need to wait for this GPA to display to submit your application; your GPA will display once it becomes available.

 

Why am I not eligible for a fee waiver?

To be eligible for a fee waiver, you must meet several requirements. Review Cal State Apply Fee Waivers for more information.

 

I'm eligible for a fee waiver. Why can’t I use it for the program I want to apply to?

If you received a fee waiver but can't apply it to your program, it may be because the program cannot accept fee waivers. Only undergraduate programs can accept fee waivers; extension programs cannot accept fee waivers.

 

I missed the deadline; how can I submit?

If you missed the deadline, you must reach out to the campus you wanted to apply to for the next steps.

What type of student am I?

Applicant Type

Description

Learn More Here

Freshman A first-time freshman applicant is someone who is currently attending high school and will earn (or has earned) a high school diploma, but has not earned any college units beyond the summer following graduation.

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/freshman

Transfer A transfer applicant is someone who has studied at another college or university and now wants to transfer to the California State University (CSU).

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/transfer

Returning A returning applicant is someone who previously attended a CSU campus, stopped their studies for any period of time, and is now applying to return to the same CSU campus to complete their degree. Returning applicants are also considered transfer applicants.;

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/transfer

Graduate A graduate applicant is someone who is currently completing (or has earned) their undergraduate bachelor’s degree, and is interested in pursuing a master's degree, certificate, or credential.

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/graduate

International Most California State University campuses welcome students from outside the US. Find out how to apply for admission to the California State University (CSU) as an international student.

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/international

Teaching Credential Do you want to teach kindergarten, elementary school, high school, or special education? Learn how to apply to earn your teaching credential through the California State University (CSU).

https://www.calstate.edu/apply/teaching-credential

 

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