Future Students

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How to Apply - International

About 1,500 international students from more than 100 countries study at San Francisco State University. SF State is strongly committed to international education and to providing quality support and services for international students and scholars. Explore our campus virtually now, then apply for admission as an undergraduate or graduate student.

Applicants interested in improving their English language skills may study at the American Language Institute before being admitted to SF State.

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On This Page . . .

Who Is an International Student?

An international student is a student who plans to study at SF State on a non immigrant visa.

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How to Apply

International students should apply on-line through California State University application web site CSU Mentor. Click on International Admissions Application. Applying online is the quickest and easiest way to send an application to San Francisco State University.

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When to Apply

Undergraduate Application Periods

Spring semester 2013 (January - May)

Undergraduate application filing period: August 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012

Required documents deadline date: November 1, 2012

The following undergraduate majors will not be accepting applications for Spring 2013 admissions: Apparel Design and Merchandising, Child and Adolescent Development, Cinema, Criminal Justice, Dietetics, Environmental Studies, Health Education, Industrial Arts, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Kinesiology, Nursing, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Visual Communication Design.

For more information about impacted majors visit http://admissions.sfsu.edu/impaction.

 

Fall semester 2013 (August - December)

Undergraduate application filing period: Begins October 1, 2012; Ends May 1, 2013

Students interested in Fall 2013 should apply online at www.csumentor.edu beginning on October 1, 2012.

The following majors will not be accepting applications after November 30, 2012: Apparel Design and Merchandising, Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Arts, Child and Adolescent Development, Cinema, Dietetics, Environmental Studies, Health Education, Industrial Arts, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Nursing, Psychology, Social Work, and Visual Communication Design.

Required document deadline date: June 15, 2013

(Post)Graduate

Application deadlines vary for graduate programs at San Francisco State University. The application filing period for Fall begins October 1 and the application filing period for Spring begins August 1. Application to graduate study at SF State is a two part process. Applicants must apply to the University and to the specific graduate program. Please visit the Graduate Studies web site to learn about individual graduate program deadlines and additional academic department application requirements.

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Costs and Fees

The Estimated Expenses Chart shows the most current costs for attending San Francisco State University. These include University fees, tuition fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal/transportation and medical insurance for the academic year or for two semesters.

Graduate programs in the College of Business, Public Administration, Human Sexuality and the College of Education Ed.D in Educational Leadership Program charge additional Graduate Program or Professional Program fees.

For complete information on current fees for Non-Resident and International students, please visit the Bursar's Office website at:
http://www.sfsu.edu/~bursar/

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Impacted Programs

A major is designated impacted when more applications are received in the priority filing period than can be accepted. Only upper division transfers may apply to the following impacted majors: Apparel Design and Merchandising, Child and Adolescent Development, Dietetics, Interior Design, Industrial Arts, Industrial Design, Nursing, Psychology, Social Work, and Visual Communication Design. First-Time Freshmen and Transfers may apply to the Journalism major with a supplemental application. First-Time Freshmen and Transfers may also apply to the Environmental Studies major without a supplemental application. Visit http://admissions.sfsu.edu/impaction for more information on impacted majors.

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Undergraduate Academic Requirements

First-Time Freshman - a student applying directly from secondary school (high school) who has earned no college or university credit.

First-Time Freshman applying with academic course work from outside the U.S. should:

  • Complete a high/secondary school curriculum which totals 12 years of primary-secondary education, and earn a graduation diploma or certificate. See specific secondary school credentials by country.
  • Complete high school curriculum with above satisfactory grades or marks which equals a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) in the 4.0 grading scale.
  • Submit official high school transcript (academic record), showing all courses with grades or marks, and graduation diploma or certificate. Official transcript must be in the original language of issue. Submit certified English translations for non-English documents.
  • Submit official verification of English proficiency except where English is the applicant's native language and has attended for at least three years full time at an institution where English was the principal language of instruction.
    • TOEFL score report with at least a minimum of 500 paper/173 computer/61 ibT
    • or
    • IELTS score report with at least a minimum of 6.0.
  • SAT is not required.
  • Written essay or personal statement is not required.

First-Time Freshman applying with academic course work from inside the U.S. should:

  • Complete the California State University high school college preparatory pattern with grades of C or better.
  • Meet eligibility index, which is a combination of high school grade point average (GPA) and SAT or ACT scores.
  • Submit official high school transcript and proof of high school graduation.
  • Submit SAT or ACT.

Transfer - a student who is or has enrolled in an accredited college or university following high school graduation.

Lower Division Transfer: An applicant who completes fewer than 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable college credit considered a Lower Division Transfer

Upper Division Transfer: An applicant with 60 semester or 90 quarter units or more of transferable college credit is considered an Upper Division Transfer. A student who attended at least two years full time and completed a full schedule of transferable course work may be considered an upper division transfer.

Transfer with academic course work from outside of the U.S. must:

  • Complete a high school/secondary school curriculum which totals 12 years of primary-secondary education and earn a graduation diploma or certificate (for lower division transfers) with above satisfactory results.
  • Lower and upper-division transfer students must complete college or university level courses from a government recognized college/university with above satisfactory grades or marks which equals a 2.5 grade point average in the 4-point grading scale.
  • Submit an official transcript (academic record) from all international institutions attended showing completion of courses with examinations and grades or marks.
  • Submit certificates or diplomas. Official transcript and certificate/diplomas must be in the original language of the issue. Submit certified English translations for non-English documents.
  • Submit official verification of English proficiency except where English is the applicant's native language and has attended for at least three years full time at an institution where English was the principal language of instruction.
    • TOEFL score report with at least a minimum of 500 paper/173 computer/61 ibT
    • or
    • IELTS score report with at least a minimum of 6.0.
  • SAT is not required.
  • Written essay or personal statement is not required.

Transfer with academic course work from inside the U.S. must:

  • Complete a high school/secondary school curriculum which totals 12 years of primary-secondary education and earn a graduation diploma or certificate (for lower division transfers).
  • Complete college or university level courses from a regionally accredited college/university in the U.S. with a minimum overall grade point average of a 2.4.
  • Complete college or university level courses from a government-recognized college/university with above satisfactory grades or marks which equals a 2.5 grade point average in the 4.0 grading scale.
  • Upper-division transfer students must complete a total of 60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units of credit to include CSU General Education courses in Written Communication (Freshman English Composition), Quantitative Reasoning (Math above Intermediate Algebra level), Oral Communication (Speech) and Critical Thinking with C or better grades. Transfer applicants from California Community Colleges must consult the ASSIST website at www.assist.org for a complete listing of approved General Education courses. Transfer applicants from out of state may use this list of approved General Education courses as a guide to determine if a course is appropriate. Applicants who have not completed all requirements can be reviewed for exceptions based on the overall academic profile and individual circumstances.
  • Submit an official transcript from each U.S. institution attended.
  • Submit official transcripts (academic record) from all international institutions attended showing completion of courses with examinations and grades or marks.
  • Submit certificates or diplomas. Official transcript and certificate/diplomas must be in the original language of issue.
  • Submit certified English translations for all non-English documents.
  • Submit official verification of English proficiency except where English is the applicant's native language and has attended for at least three years full time at an institution where English was the principal language of instruction.
    • TOEFL score report with at least a minimum of 500 paper/173 computer/61 ibT
    • or
    • IELTS score report with at least a minimum of 6.0.
  • TOEFL/IELTS is waived by completing one year of freshman English composition at an accredited U.S. college or university with C or better grades or by meeting the complete Upper division transfer eligibility requirements.

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Graduate International Admission Requirements

Application to graduate study at San Francisco State University is a two part process. Applicants must apply to the University and to the specific graduate program. The university has minimum requirements for graduate admissions eligibility. However, individual graduate programs may have more strict/additional application requirements. Please visit the Graduate Studies Web site to learn about the international applicant eligibility requirements for admission to a graduate program at San Francisco State University.

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Application and Required Documents Checklist

Use this checklist to be sure you have completed all steps to apply for admission.

NOTE: San Francisco State University requires ALL colleges/universities attended to be listed on your application for admissions.

  • Complete the CSU Mentor Online Application
  • Submit application fee: $55 by credit card online, personal check, or money order
  • Submit official TOEFL score report or IELTS score report.
  • Submit official GRE/GMAT score report for certain postgraduate majors.
  • Submit official transcript (academic record) and certificate or diploma from high school or secondary school, if needed
  • Submit official transcripts/diplomas from all colleges/universities attended
  • Complete and submit additional department applications and documents for undergraduate impacted majors and postgraduate majors.
  • Submit certified English translations for all non-English documents
  • Submit other Required Documents:

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Where to Send Application Materials

Undergraduate

Undergraduate application materials should be sent to:

International Undergraduate Admissions
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132 U.S.A.

Graduate

Graduate university application materials should be sent to:

Graduate Admissions
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132 U.S.A

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Admissions Decision

Once your application is submitted, you will receive an immediate email confirmation that your application has been received.

For undergraduate applications, you should hear from the Undergraduate Admissions office within a few weeks after submitting your application and all the required documents for a decision.

Graduate applications may take longer because the final admission decision is made by the academic department for each major.

You can check the status of both undergraduate and postgraduate applications online at www.sfsu.edu/admit

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More information for International Applicants

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