Application Procedures

Introduction

Requirements for admission to Cal State Fullerton are in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3, of the California Code of Regulations. Complete information is available at calstate.edu. 

All CSU applications must be submitted online at calstate.edu/apply. An acknowledgement will be sent to the applicant when the online application has been submitted. 

Importance of Filing Complete, Accurate and Authentic Application Documents

Cal State Fullerton advises prospective students that they must supply complete and accurate information on the application for admission, residency questionnaire and financial aid forms. Further, applicants must, when requested, submit authentic and official transcripts of all previous academic work attempted. Failure to file complete, accurate and authentic application documents may result in denial of admission, cancellation of registration or academic credit, suspension or expulsion (Section 41301, Article 1.1, Title 5, California Code of Regulations).

Undergraduate Application Procedures

Prospective students applying for part-time or full-time undergraduate programs of study must submit a completed undergraduate application. The $55 nonrefundable application fee should be paid online at the time of application via credit card or PayPal and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. An alternate major may be requested on the application if desired by the campus. The applications of persons denied admission to an impacted campus may be redirected to another campus at no cost, but only if the applicant is CSU eligible. 

Use of Social Security Number

Applicants are required to include their correct Social Security numbers in designated places on applications for admission pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6109). The university uses the Social Security number to identify students and their records including identification for purposes of financial aid eligibility and disbursement and the repayment of financial aid and other debts payable to the institution. Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the university to file information returns that include the student’s Social Security number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses and interest on educational loans. This information is used by the IRS to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes.

How to Apply for Admission

1. Submit an application via the web by going to Cal State Apply at calstate.edu/apply. Complete the application, and designate “CSU, Fullerton” to receive it. An alternative major may be indicated on the application, however, Cal State Fullerton does not use the alternative major when considering an applicant for admission. Submit it by following directions in the website.
    
2. When asked to do so, request required transcripts of records of all previous scholastic work from each school or college attended. The transcripts required at CSUF are:
   1. undergraduate applicants with fewer than 60 transferable semester units
      1. the high school transcript, and
      2. an official transcript from each college or university attended.
   2. undergraduates with 60 or more transferable semester units
      1. an official transcript from each college or university attended.
   3. graduates
      1. all applicants must submit a transcript from the college or university where the baccalaureate was earned. Further, one transcript from other institutions attended is required as necessary so that the university has a complete record of the last 60 semester units attempted prior to enrollment at Fullerton, as well as all units earned.
      2. applicants for a master’s degree or teaching credential, or both, may be required to submit a second copy of the transcript from each college or university attended to the master’s degree department and/or the credential office.
         
         Note: In addition, all students should have a personal set of college transcripts for advising purposes. All transcripts must be received directly from the issuing institutions and become official records of the university; such transcripts therefore cannot be returned or reissued. Foreign language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations.
3. All undergraduate students who have completed fewer than 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable work are required to submit scores from either one of two national testing programs before eligibility for admission to the university can be determined. Registration forms and test dates for either test may be obtained from school or college counselors, from the address below, or from campus testing offices. For either test, submit the registration form and fee at least one month prior to the test date.
   
   ACT Address
   American College Testing Program Inc.
   Registration Unit, P.O. Box 414
   Iowa City, Iowa 52243
   319-337-1270
   
   SAT Address
   The College Board (SAT 1)
   Registration Unit, P.O. Box 6200
   Princeton, New Jersey 08541
   609-771-7588

Applicants to graduate programs must submit the scores of any qualifying examinations required in their prospective programs of study.

Impacted Programs

The CSU designates programs as impacted when more applications from regularly eligible applicants are received in the initial filing period (October and November for fall terms, June for winter terms, August for spring terms, February for summer terms) than can be accommodated. Some programs are impacted at every campus which they are offered; others are impacted only at a few campuses. Candidates for admission must meet all of the campus’ specified supplementary admission criteria if applying to an impacted program or campus. 

The CSU will announce during the fall filing period those campuses or programs that are impacted. Detailed information on campus and program impaction will be available at calstate.edu/attend/impaction-at-the-csu.

Campuses will communicate supplementary admission criteria for all impacted programs to high schools and community colleges in their application service area and will disseminate this information to the public through appropriate media. This information will also be published on the Cal State Fullerton website at fullerton.edu. 

Applicants must file applications for admission to an impacted program during the initial filing period. Applicants who wish to be considered for impacted programs at more than one campus should file an application at each campus for which they seek admission consideration.

Cal State Fullerton has been declared impacted on the first-time freshman level and upper-division transfer level.

Supplementary Admission Criteria

Each campus with impacted programs or class-level admission categories uses supplementary admission criteria in screening applicants. Supplementary criteria may include rank-ordering of freshman applicants based on the CSU eligibility index or rank-ordering of transfer applicants based on verification of the Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or Associate in Science Transfer (AS-T) degrees, the overall transfer grade-point average (GPA), completion of specified prerequisite courses and a combination of campus-developed criteria. Applicants for freshman admission to impacted campuses or programs are required to submit scores on either the SAT or the ACT, regardless of GPA. For fall admission, applicants should take tests as early as possible, but no later than November or December of the preceding year. 

The supplementary admission criteria used by individual campuses to screen applicants are made available by the campuses to all applicants seeking admission to an impacted program.

Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Application Procedures

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants (i.e., doctorate, joint Ph.D. applicants, master’s degree applicants, those seeking educational credentials or certificates and, where permitted, holders of baccalaureate degrees interested in taking courses for personal or professional growth) must file a complete graduate application as described in the graduate and post-baccalaureate admission materials at calstate.edu/apply. Applicants seeking a second bachelor’s degree must submit the undergraduate application for admission. Applicants who completed undergraduate degree requirements in the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and the $55 nonrefundable application fee. To be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it is necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. All CSU applications must be submitted online at calstate.edu/apply. An acknowledgement will be sent to the applicant when the online application has been submitted.

Cal State Fullerton does not accept applications for undeclared post-baccalaureate study or for second baccalaureate degrees (except in nursing).

Graduate Application Deadlines

In most cases, applications need to be postmarked no later than March 1 for the fall semester and Oct. 1 for the spring semester. However, deadlines may be changed for individual programs based upon enrollment projections. Check the university graduate studies website for current information, fullerton.edu/graduate.

Application Filing Period

Filing Period Duration

Each non-impacted campus accepts applications until capacities are reached. Many campuses limit undergraduate admission in an enrollment category due to overall enrollment limits. If applying after the initial filing period, consult the campus admission office for current information. Similar information is conveniently available at calstate.edu/apply.

Application Acknowledgment

On-time applicants may expect to receive an acknowledgment from the campuses to which they have applied within two to four weeks of filing the application. The notice may also include a request that applicants submit additional records necessary to evaluate academic qualifications. Applicants may be assured of admission if the evaluation of relevant qualifications indicates that applicants meet CSU admission requirements, and in the case of admission impaction, supplemental criteria for admission to an impacted program. Unless specific written approval/confirmation is received, an offer of admission is not transferable to another term or to another campus.

Hardship Petitions

The campus has established procedures for consideration of qualified applicants who would be faced with extreme hardship if not admitted. Petitioners should write the campus Admissions Office regarding specific policies governing hardship admission.

admissions.fullerton.edu/prospectivestudent/appeals.php

Record Retention

The university retains the admissions materials for those who apply, but who for whatever reason do not enroll, for two years. For those who do enroll, the university will retain the materials including transcripts of the record of work completed elsewhere for five years beyond the date of last attendance. Records of academic performance at Cal State Fullerton, including individual student records, faculty grade lists and graduation lists are kept permanently.