Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Freshman Requirements            

Generally, first-time freshman applicants will qualify for regular admission if they meet the following requirements:

1. Have graduated from high school, have earned a Certificate of General Education Development (GED) or have passed the California High School Proficiency Examination; and
2. Have a qualifiable minimum eligibility index (see section on Eligibility Index); and
3. Have completed with grades of C or better each of the courses in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirements (see “Subject Requirements”).

Eligibility Index – The eligibility index is the combination of the high school grade point average and scores on either the ACT or the SAT. Grade point averages (GPA) are based on grades earned in courses taken during the final three years of high school. Included in calculation of GPA are grades earned in all college preparatory "a-g" subject requirements, and bonus points for approved honors courses.

Up to eight semesters of honors courses taken in the last three years of high school, including up to two approved courses taken in the tenth grade can be accepted. Each unit of A in an honors course will receive a total of 5 points; B, 4 points; and C, 3 points.

A CSU Eligibility Index (EI) can be calculated by multiplying a grade point average by 800 and adding your total score on the mathematics and critical reading scores of the SAT. Students who took the ACT, multiply your the grade point average by 200 and add ten times the ACT composite score. Persons who are California high school graduates (or residents of California for tuition purposes), need a minimum index of 2900 using the SAT or 694 using the ACT. The Eligibility Index Table illustrates several combinations of required test scores and averages.

 Persons who neither graduated from a California high school or are a resident of California for tuition purposes, you need a minimum index of 3502 (SAT I) or 842 (ACT). Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries must be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section.

An applicant with a grade point average of 3.00 or above (3.61 for non-residents) is not required to submit test scores. However, all applicants for admission are urged to take the SAT or ACT because campuses use these test results for advising and placement purposes and may require them for admission to impacted majors or programs. Impacted CSU campuses require SAT or ACT scores of all applicants for freshman admission.

Eligibility Index Table for California High School Graduates or Residents of California [top]

GPA	ACT Score	SAT I Score
3.00 and above qualifies with any score
2.99	10	510
2.98	10	520
2.97	10	530
2.96	11	540
2.95	11	540
2.94	11	550
2.93	11	560
2.92	11	570
2.91	12	580
2.90	12	580
2.89	12	590
2.88	12	600
2.87	12	610
2.86	13	620
2.85	13	620
2.84	13	630
2.83	13	640
2.82	13	650
2.81	14	660
2.80	14	660
2.79	14	670
2.78	14	680
2.77	14	690
2.76	15	700
2.75	15	700
2.74	15	710
2.73	15	720
2.72	15	730
2.71	16	740
2.70	16	740
2.69	16	750
2.68	16	760
2.67	16	770
2.66	17	780
2.65	17	780
2.64	17	790
2.63	17	800
2.62	17	810
2.61	18	820
2.60	18	820
2.59	18	830
2.58	18	840
2.57	18	850
2.56	19	860
2.55	19	860
2.54	19	870
2.53	19	880
2.52	19	890
2.51	20	900
2.50	20	900
2.49	20	910
2.48	20	920
2.47	20	930
2.46	21	940
2.45	21	940
2.44	21	950
2.43	21	960
2.42	21	970
2.41	22	980
2.40	22	980
2.39	22	990
2.38	22	1000
2.37	22	1010
2.36	23	1020
2.35	23	1020
2.34	23	1030
2.33	23	1040
2.32	23	1050
2.31	24	1060
2.30	24	1060
2.29	24	1070
2.28	24	1080
2.27	24	1090
2.26	25	1100
2.25	25	1100
2.24	25	1110
2.23	25	1120
2.22	25	1130
2.21	26	1140
2.20	26	1140
2.19	26	1150
2.18	26	1160
2.17	26	1170
2.16	27	1180
2.15	27	1180
2.14	27	1190
2.13	27	1200
2.12	27	1210
2.11	28	1220
2.10	28	1220
2.09	28	1230
2.08	28	1240
2.07	28	1250
2.06	29	1260
2.05	29	1260
2.04	29	1270
2.03	29	1280
2.02	29	1290
2.01	30	1300
2.00	30	1300
Below 2.00 does not qualify for regular admission

Provisional Admission [top]

CSU Channel Islands may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned for the senior year. The campus will monitor the senior year of study to ensure that admitted students complete their senior year of studies satisfactorily, including the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school. Students are required to submit an official transcript after graduation to certify that all course work has been satisfactorily completed. Official high school transcripts must be received prior to deadline set by the university. In no case may documentation of high school graduation be received any later than the census date for a student's first term of CSU enrollment. A campus may rescind admission decisions, cancel financial aid awards, and cancel any university registration for students who are found not to be eligible after the final transcript has been evaluated.

Applicants will qualify for regular (non-provisional) admission when the university verifies that they have graduated and received a diploma from high school, have a qualifiable minimum eligibility index, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory "a-g" subjects, and, if applying to an impacted program, have met all supplementary criteria.

The CSU uses only the SAT mathematics and critical reading scores in its admission eligibility equation. The SAT or ACT writing scores are not currently used by CSU campuses.

Subject Requirements  [top]

The California State University requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of C or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling 15 units. A "unit" is one year of study in high school.

• 2 years of social science, including 1 year of U.S. history, or U.S. history and government
• 4 years of English
• 3 years of math (algebra, geometry and intermediate algebra)
• 2 years of laboratory science (l biological and 1 physical, both with labs)
• 2 years in the same foreign language (subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence)
• 1 year of visual and performing arts: art, dance, drama/theater, or music
• 1 year of electives: selected from English, advanced mathematics, social science, history, laboratory science, foreign language, and visual and performing arts

High School Students [top]

Students still enrolled in high school will be considered for enrollment in certain special programs if recommended by the principal and the appropriate campus department chair and if preparation is equivalent to that required of eligible California high school graduates. Such admission is only for a given specific program and does not constitute the right to continued enrollment.  

Transfer Requirements [top]

Students who have completed fewer than 60 transferable semester college units (fewer than 90 quarter units) are considered lower division transfer students. Students who have completed 60 or more transferable semester college units (90 or more quarter units) are considered upper division transfer students. Students who complete college units during high school or through the summer immediately following high school graduation are considered first-time freshmen and must meet those admission requirements. Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses and accepted as such by the campus to which the applicant seeks admission.

Lower Division Transfer Requirements [top]

Generally, applicants will qualify for admission as a lower division transfer student if they have a grade point average of at least 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted, are in good standing at the last college or university attended, and meet any of the following standards:

1. Will meet the freshman admission requirements (grade point average and subject requirements) in effect for the term to which they are applying (see “Freshman Requirements” section); or
2. Were eligible as a freshman at the time of high school graduation except for the subject requirements, and have been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation, and have made up the missing subjects.

Applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 should contact the Admission Office to inquire about alternative admission programs.

Making Up Missing College Preparatory Subject Requirements  [top]

Lower division applicants who did not complete subject requirements while in high school may make up missing subjects in any of the following ways:

1. Complete appropriate courses with a C or better in adult school or high school summer sessions.
2. Complete appropriate college courses with a C or better. One college course of at least three semester or four quarter units will be considered equivalent to one year of high school study.
3. Earn acceptable scores on specified examinations.

Please consult with any CSU Admission Office for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject requirements.

Due to enrollment pressures, many CSU campuses do not admit or enroll lower division transfer students.

Upper Division Transfer Requirements  [top]

Generally, applicants will qualify for admission as an upper division transfer student if they meet the following requirements:

1. They have a grade point average of at least 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted; and
2. They are in good standing at the last college or university attended; and they have completed at least 60 semester units of college coursework with a grade of C or better in each course to be selected from courses in English, arts and humanities, social science, science and mathematics at a level at least equivalent to courses that meet general education requirements. The 60 units must include all of the general education requirements in communication in the English language (both oral and written) and critical thinking (at least 9 semester units) and the requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (usually 3 semester units) OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements in English communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning.

Provisional Admission  [top]

CSU Channel Islands may provisionally or conditionally admit transfer applicants based on their academic preparation and courses planned for completion. The campus will monitor the final terms to ensure that those admitted complete all required courses satisfactorily. All accepted applicants are required to submit an official transcript of all college level work completed. Campuses will rescind admission for all students who are found not to be eligible after the final transcript has been evaluated. In no case may such documents be received and validated by the university any later than a student's registration for their second term of CSU enrollment.

Test Requirements  [top]

Freshman and transfer applicants who have fewer that 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable college credit must submit scores, unless exempt (see "Eligibility Index" on page 31), from either the ACT or the SAT of the College Board. Persons who apply to an impacted program may be required to submit test scores and should take the test no later than October or November. Test scores also are used for advising and placement purposes. Registration forms and dates for the SAT or ACT are available from school or college counselors or from a CSU campus testing office.

 

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