Freshman Admission

To be considered for freshman admission to a CSU campus, you must meet the following minimum requirements by the end of spring term prior to the desired Fall admission term:

• Complete each of the courses in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirement (the 'A-G' courses) with a grade of 'C-' or better, prior to high school graduation. Grades of “credit/pass" in ‘A-G’ courses completed in 2020 (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall) and 2021 (Winter, Spring, and Summer) will also be accepted.
• Achieve a qualifying overall GPA in the 'A-G' courses. The GPA is calculated using grades earned in all ‘A-G’ courses completed after the 9th grade. The minimum GPA requirements are:
  • California residents or graduates of CA high schools: 2.50 GPA
  • Non-California residents that are graduates of non-CA high schools: 3.00 GPA
  • Applicants who do not meet the above GPAs may still be considered for admission through a Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP) if they meet all other requirements, and have the following minimum ‘A-G’ GPAs:
    • CA residents or graduates of CA high schools: 2.00 GPA
    • Non-California residents that are graduates of non-CA high schools: 2.47 GPA
• Graduate from high school, or earn a GED. 
• Satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirement if at least 3 years of your high school coursework was not taken at a school where English is the only language of instruction.

Be aware, not all applicants who meet the above minimum CSU admission requirements will be offered admission. Pre-Nursing is an impacted major with supplemental admission criteria. See below for details.

Our admission practices reflect Cal State LA’s mission to cultivate our students’ unique talents and diverse life experiences in a challenging academic environment.

Except for Pre-Nursing and Music BM, applicants who meet the above minimum CSU Freshman Admission requirements, will be offered admission. Those who do not meet the required GPA for Cal State LA admission may still be considered for admission based on the Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP). See next section for more information.

Cal State LA has a long history of commitment to access, the local community, and social upward mobility. Except for Pre-Nursing, applicants who do not meet the regular minimum GPA criteria, but have at least a 2.00 GPA (or 2.47 GPA for non-CA residents), may still be considered for admission via the Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP). 

The MFRP takes additional supplemental factors into consideration, including the number of ‘A-G’ courses beyond the minimum 30 semesters, local admission area status, household income, work experience, extracurricular activities, and other available application information. For details, visit the Multi-Factor Review Process (MFRP) webpage.

Applicants to the Bachelor of Music program will also be evaluated by the faculty based on an audition and considered for the BM or BA program as appropriate. Information on the audition process is available from the Music Department.

• For Fall 2025 admission, the Cal State Apply application is due December 2, 2024, and the supplemental admission audition requirement must be completed by February 7, 2025. The Music Department will email additional audition details to applicants in December 2024.

Admission to the Nursing program at Cal State LA is very competitive. Freshman applicants must first gain admission to the Pre-Nursing program, and then meet the program admission requirements during their first two years at Cal State LA.

To be considered for admission to the Pre-Nursing program, freshman applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Meet Cal State LA freshman admission requirements as stated above.
• Have a minimum 3.50 GPA in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subjects (the 'A-G' courses).
• Have earned 'B' or better grades in the first attempt of the following year-long high school courses:
  • Intermediate Algebra, Algebra II, or Integrated Math III
  • Biology with lab
  • Chemistry with lab

Be Aware: Each term of the year-long course must be completed with a grade of 'B' or better. If AP, IB, or Honors courses are taken in these areas, applicants must also earn a 'B' or better grade in the course.

Applicants who meet the above criteria will be ranked for admission and offered admission to Pre-Nursing based on available spaces. Local Preference may be offered to students who graduate from a high school within our local admission area. Students who enroll as a Pre-Nursing student will follow a very prescribed roadmap at Cal State LA, and must meet specific course grade and GPA requirements to continue in the program.

Applicants who meet Cal State LA admission standards but are not offered admission to Pre-Nursing, will be offered admission to 'Exploring Health Professions' or their selected alternate pre-major. Those who accept the offer of admission to the Exploring Health Professions program will explore other majors that can lead to a career in related fields.

Students admitted to Cal State LA as Exploring (Undeclared), or as a major other than Pre-Nursing, will not be able to change their major to Pre-Nursing or Nursing during their tenure at Cal State LA.

1. Explore and choose a major to declare on your application
2. Apply online at Cal State Apply by the deadline
3. Submit official transcripts or other documents only if requested

STEP 1: Explore and choose a major to declare on your application

Freshman applicants may either select a specific major, or apply as Exploring (Undeclared). Applicants interested in Nursing should review the important information above. Admission to most majors will be to a 'pre-major' status. Continuation in the major will be subject to meeting specific lower division course and GPA requirements at Cal State LA that indicate the student's ability to successfully complete the major and graduate.

STEP 2: Apply online at Cal State Apply by the deadline

For Fall 2024 admission, applicants must apply between October 1, 2024-November 30, 2024. To apply to Cal State LA, visit Cal State Apply. For some tips on how to complete the application, visit our Application Tips webpage. Once the application is submitted, we will send you a notification by email to acknowledge the receipt of your application.

Cal State LA makes admission decisions based on self-reported information from the application so it is extremely important that coursework including grades and test scores are entered accurately and completely. Admitted students who intend to enroll at Cal State LA will be required to submit an official transcript in order to verify eligibility and high school graduation. Some applicants may be required to report Fall grades when available or submit additional information as needed. Admission decisions may be withdrawn for students who misreported academic information or do not meet the terms of the admission offer.

STEP 3: Submit official transcripts or other documents only if requested

If your application information is complete, we may have sufficient information to determine your eligibility for admission. If after reviewing your application, it is determined we need additional information, including transcripts, we will notify you by email with instructions and a specific deadline. Please do not send your high school transcript prior to your high school graduation, unless we request it.

Additional documents may be required in certain circumstances:

• For purposes of determining California residency, some students may be required to submit additional documents. Review the Residency webpage for information regarding the establishment of California residency for CSU tuition purposes.

• Veterans of the United States Armed Forces should submit discharge papers (Form DD 214). This should include descriptions of the types of training you received while in the service. Such training, in some cases, may count as credit transferable to Cal State LA. Veterans and active-duty military personnel also must be sure to include any military transcripts (e.g., AARTS and SMART) displaying additional coursework that may be transferable.

Cal State LA uses email as the official means of communication with applicants. Initial admission communications are sent to the email reported in the Cal State Apply application. Applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the University, and to check their email regularly.

Throughout the admissions process, the Office of Admissions and Recruitment will send communications to the "preferred" email address as indicated in your GET Student Center. You may update your email address at any time by visiting your Golden Eagle Territory (GET) Self-Service Student Center.

To help prevent these important emails from being flagged as spam/junk mail by your email provider, please mark the calstatela.edu domain as a safe sender in your email account.

Offers of admission are normally made in early March for Fall admission. All offers of admission will be provisional and subject to verification based on official transcripts and test scores. Admission offers may be withdrawn if the GPA, completed courses, course grades, or test scores are lower than what is reported, or if you miss any admission deadlines. Please make sure to report accurate information on your application.

How do I accept the offer of admission?

To accept the admission offer, newly admitted freshmen must pay the non-refundable $100 Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD) by May 1st for Fall admission; or Nov 1st for Spring admission. The deposit will offset a portion of the student's State University Fee.

What if I am not offered admission to Cal State LA?

In addition to applying to Cal State LA, we hope you have considered applying to one or two other colleges so that you will have alternatives in the event that you are not offered admission.

An alternate path to the CSU is available through the California Community College (CCC) system. You may begin your college journey at a local community college in California, complete an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), and then transfer to a CSU campus. To make it even better, if your ADT is in a deemed similar program, you will only need to complete an additional 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) at a CSU campus to earn a bachelor’s degree! For more information about the ADT pathway, visit the A Degree with a Guarantee webpage.

Would you like to be guaranteed future transfer admission to Cal State LA? Early in your fall term at your local California Community College, sign up for a Transfer Success Pathway with Cal State LA! For more information, visit our Transfer Success Pathway webpage.

Can I appeal my admission decision?

If you believe you are eligible for Cal State LA admission, you may appeal our decision. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 15 days of the date of the denial notification and must include a basis for the appeal and supporting academic records. We will respond via email to your appeal request within four to six weeks. Only one appeal may be submitted for an academic term. For more information, visit the Admission Appeals webpage.