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How to Apply - International - More Information for Applicants

Here are more important details for international students who decide to apply for admission to SF State.

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Application and Required Documents Checklist

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

  • 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

Overseas Courier Service

SF State offers expedited overseas courier service for the Notice of Admission and I-20 form. To request overseas courier service through DHL or Federal Express, please download the Request for Courier Service form or contact the admission offices.

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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
  • 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 or TOEFL.

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 requirement.

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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. First-Time Freshmen cannot apply to the following impacted majors: Apparel Design and Merchandising, Interior Design, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work. Freshmen interested in these majors should apply to the Pre-major if available or apply as Undeclared. First-Time Freshmen may apply to the Journalism major with a supplemental application. See below for more information on impacted majors:

Apparel Design and Merchandising

  • Upper Division students only may apply
  • Additional supplemental application information required: cfsd.sfsu.edu/programs.aspx
  • Pre-Major: For students interested in Apparel Design and Merchandising. Note that pre-major status does not guarantee that students will be eligible for the major. Pre-major students will need to apply for the major during their 2nd year.

Interior Design

  • Upper Division students only may apply
  • Additional supplemental application information required: cfsd.sfsu.edu/programs.aspx
  • Pre-Major: For students interested in Interior Design. Note that pre-major status does not guarantee that students will be eligible for the major. Pre-major students will need to apply for the major during their 2nd year.

Dietetics (Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics)

Journalism (College of Humanities)

  • Open to both First-time Freshmen and Upper Division Transfers
  • Additional supplemental application required: www.journalism.sfsu.edu

Nursing

  • Visit the School of Nursing website to determine which program to apply to: www.nursing.sfsu.edu/prospective_students.aspx
  • On-Campus Program (California Residents Only)
  • Off-Campus (Sequoia Hospital) Program
  • Advanced Placement Option: On-campus program for applicants who are already Registered Nurses.
  • Upper-division Transfers only may apply
  • Additional supplemental application information required: www.nursing.sfsu.edu/prospective_students_info.aspx
  • Pre-Nursing: For First-time Freshmen interested in nursing. Note that Pre-nursing status does not guarantee that students will be eligible for the Nursing major. Pre-nursing students will need to apply for the Nursing major during their 2nd year.

Psychology (College of Behavioral and Social Sciences)

  • Upper Division Transfers only may apply
  • No additional supplemental application required; applicants will be ranked according to data provided on the CSU Mentor application and on official transcripts
  • More information about the department can be found at: bss.sfsu.edu/psych/
  • First-time Freshmen may not declare Psychology as a major at the time of application. They may apply to Psychology during their sophomore year. If accepted, they may declare Psychology as a major in their junior year. Note that interested students will compete for eligibility to the Psychology major based on criteria established by the Psychology Department faculty.

Social Work

  • Upper Division Transfers only may apply
  • Additional supplemental application information required: http://socwork.sfsu.edu/BASW.aspx
  • First-time Freshmen may not declare Social Work as a major at the time of application. They may apply to Social Work during their sophomore year. If accepted, they may declare Social Work as a major in their junior year. Note that interested students will compete for eligiblity to the Social Work major based on criteria established by the Social Work Department faculty.

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Community College and Overseas Calendar

International student admission advisors visit various community colleges during the semester. Please check with your school for up-coming visits in order to make an appointment with an advisor when they come to your college. For up-coming visits to countries outside the U.S., please check the Office of International Programs.

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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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International Student Financial Statement

For students who plan to enter the U.S. on an F-1 or J-1 student visa, certificates of eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019) for obtaining the visas cannot be issued until the student has proven ability to provide full financial support for the entire stay at SF State. A financial statement must show that the student has the cost of living and studying at SF State for two semesters in deposit at a financial institution in the U.S. or foreign country. The date on the financial statement must be no more than 12 months from the start of the application term. For fall semesters, financial statements must be dated no earlier than August of the previous year. The cost of living and studying at SF State for two semesters are shown on the costs section of this site.

Students who are studying at other U.S. institutions and have valid visas may be able to transfer to SF State without applying for a new visa, but they still need to submit a financial statement.

An original letter on the financial institution's letterhead, signed and dated by the institution's appropriate officer must be submitted with the SF State Financial Statement form available at www.sfsu.edu/~admisrec/forms/ugradforms/fs.pdf.

Sponsor

A sponsor is a person willing to financially support the student while he or she is studying at SF State. The sponsor must submit a letter indicating willingness to support the student, signed and dated by the sponsor, or sign and date the appropriate section on the SFSU Financial Statement form. In addition, the sponsor must submit her/his original financial statement (see above) and attach it to the letter or form.

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On-Campus Jobs

International students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the semester and up to 40 hours per week during winter/spring break and summer. F-1/J-1 visa students are only eligible for on-campus jobs that are non-work study. Work Study jobs are a part of the federal financial aid program.

For more information regarding on-campus jobs, please visit OIP's web page at www.sfsu.edu/~oip

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Medical Insurance Agreement

International students must agree to have or obtain insurance coverage for health, medical repatriation and evacuation that meets the NAFSA medical insurance guideline for admission. This agreement is on the bottom of the financial statement or SF State International Student Application.

After admission to SF State, students may purchase medical health insurance through the SF State Student Health Service (SHS).

Students who already have insurance must submit a "Student Affidavit of Health Insurance" form to the SF State Student Health Service (SHS). The affidavit must be completed and signed by the student's medical health insurance provider.

Students must have medical health insurance before registering for classes. If you have purchased the SF State sponsored health insurance policy, it will be automatically reported to SF State Registrar's Office. For students who have their own medical health insurance, after the SHS has reviewed the affidavit from the student's insurance provider, the Registrar's Office will be notified. Please allow 10 business days for this review.

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Immunizations

All new and readmitted students born after Jan. 1, 1957 will need to show present proof of measles and rubella immunizations. Students younger than 18 must also present proof of immunization against hepatitis B. Submit a copy of immunization record with English translation, if needed, or use the MMR/Hep B certification form for your doctor/clinic to complete. Please submit by mail or fax to:

San Francisco State University
Registrar's Office
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
FAX: 415-338-0588

Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a registration hold that prevents you from enrolling in classes. San Francisco State University's Student Health Center has more information about immunization.

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Obtaining an F-1 Student Visa

Apply for a visa at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country using the Notice of Admissions and an I-20 form from SF State. If you have been accepted by several U.S. colleges or universities, do not apply for your F-1 student visa until you decide which institution you want to attend. Only use the SF State I-20 form to apply for a visa and enter the U.S. if you are planning to attend our university.

Please read the "Important Visa and Immigration Information" section in the Welcome Packet on the OIP Web page: http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/welcomef1.htm

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Improving English Language Skills

The American Language Institute (ALI) on the SF State campus can provide you with the English skills necessary for academic success. You are encouraged to enroll in ALI if you haven't acquired the minimum TOEFL/IELTS score to be admitted to SF State or if you need assistance in improving your language skills. ALI programs are offered three times a year, beginning in February, June, and September. Instruction focuses on reading, writing, listening and comprehension. ALI issues certificates of eligibility (I-20) for F-1 student visas.

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California Residency

To be eligible for California resident classification, an applicant must be either a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (Green Card holder) or have a visa that allows residency, and have maintained residency in California at least one year. F and J visa holders are not eligible for California residency.

Under California law, nonresidents are required to pay nonresident tuition.

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International Transcript Assessment Service

SF State offers an international transcript assessment and evaluation service for prospective applicants. The transfer evaluation is meant to assist prospective applicants who have completed course work from overseas and plan to transfer to SF State to prepare by taking the appropriate courses at U.S. institutions they are currently attending. For more information go to: http://www.sfsu.edu/~admisrec/forms/ugradforms/AppointmentRequest.pdf.

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Forms

Find a list of forms online that are applicable to SF State applicants.

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