Freshman
This site explains
how to apply
to SF State as a first-time freshman. A first-time freshman is someone
who has earned no transferable college credit after high school
graduation.* If that's you, you're in the right place.
Here you'll
learn about entrance
requirements, what programs have early deadlines, what residency
requirements are, and more. You can set up your own personalized
VIP Web page to communicate
with us about your particular interests and needs. And you can
talk with the friendly staff in Student
Outreach Services if you have questions or concerns.
As big as SF State
is, you won't get lost. With the help of our Advising Center and other support
services at SF State, we'll do our best to help make sure you
do your best. Our First Year Experience course will help explain
such things as General Education,
individual majors,
graduation requirements,
and more. With assistance from faculty and staff who really care
about your success, you will find SF State a supportive academic environment
that can take you as far as you are willing to go.
*Note: You may
enroll in college courses the summer after high school graduation
before you enroll at SF State the following fall.
How to Apply
When
to Apply
Special
Admissions Programs
Ensuring
a Quick Admissions Decision
Entrance
Requirements
Early Admissions
Can
I Waive or Substitute Any Requirements?
Placement
Tests
Improving
Your Chances for Admission
Impacted
Program
Programs With Special Application Deadlines
Immunizations
California
Residency
Exemptions from Paying Nonresident Tuition
TOEFL
(Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Frequently Asked Questions of First-Time Freshmen
First-time Freshman Application Checklist
Looking
for a Form?
How do I apply for admission to SF State?
Apply online through CSUMentor;
it's the easiest and fastest way to apply.
When should I apply?
The earliest
you can begin applying to San Francisco State depends on the semester
in which you'd like to begin attending classes.
- Fall semester: The priority filing period is
October 1 - November 30 of the previous year, but be sure to
check our Hot
News section for application deadlines that may be extended
beyond the priority filing period in any given year.
- Spring semester: The priority filing period
is August 1 - 31 of the previous year, but be sure to check our
Hot News section
for application deadlines that may be extended beyond the priority
filing period in any given year.
- Summer semester: Students who are admitted
without conditions for fall may attend SF State's summer semester.
What special enrollment opportunities are there for freshmen?
- Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). San
Francisco State's Educational
Opportunity Program is designed for low-income undergraduate
students who are California residents and are disadvantaged
because of their economic and/or educational backgrounds. Students
with a history of low income and who need academic assistance
may apply for the program. EOP accepts students who do not meet
regular admission criteria, as well as those who qualify for
regular admission. The CSU EOP information page
has more details.
- Presidential Scholars Program. The Presidential Scholars Program
is a competitive program for a select group of newly admitted
freshmen each fall. Selection as a scholar is based on academic
merit (minimum GPA of 3.8) and carries a renewable scholarship
covering a full year of university academic fees.
- Find out about SF State's other special admissions
and enrollment opportunities.
How can I ensure a quick admissions decision?
Here are some
tips to keep in mind:
- Submit your application as early as possible
in the priority filing period (see above).
- Apply online. Applications
received electronically can be processed faster, giving you
a timely admissions decision. You may pay the $55 (nonrefundable)
application fee by credit card online to further speed processing
or complete the online fee waiver available with the CSUMentor
application.
- Answer all questions on the application completely
and accurately; early admission is based on self-reported information.
- Submit official SAT I or ACT test scores. Only
your official scores are compared to your self-reported high
school GPA.
- Submit all supplementary materials promptly
when requested (transcripts, fee waivers, etc..)
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, send verification
of your immigration status.
- Check
your application status to ensure all supporting materials
have been received.
- To make sure you have covered everything, see
our detailed application checklist.
You will receive an immediate confirmation via e-mail once you
submit the application. You will hear within five to 10 working days if you apply
during the early to middle part of the priority filing period. If you apply later
than that, it may take us a little longer because of the increased volume of
applications.
What are the minimum admission requirements for freshman
admission to SF State?
You are eligible
for first-time freshman admission if you:
- Have or will have graduated from high school;
have a GED, or have completed the California High School Proficiency
Exam.
- Meet the eligibility index with your grade point
average and ACT/SAT test scores. The eligibility index is a
formula to see if your grade point average in college preparatory
subjects and test scores meet the minimum standards for admission
to SF State.
- Have or will have completed with a grade of
C or better in each course a 15-unit comprehensive pattern
of college preparatory work.
If you are applying
for fall admission, all requirements must be completed by the
end of the spring quarter or semester. Work completed during the
summer session cannot be used to meet admission requirements for
the fall term.
What about early admissions?
SF State may offer
you early, conditional admission based on your work completed
through your junior year of high school and planned for your senior
year. You must submit a transcript showing final grades
and graduation from high school before you begin attending SF State
classes, to verify that you meet all admission requirements. If
the University does not receive your transcript and all other
required documents by the deadline that appears on your notice
of admission, your admission to SF State will be rescinded.
Can I waive the Language Other Than English requirement?
If you can demonstrate
competency in a language other than English which is equivalent
to or higher than that expected of students who have completed
two years of foreign language study, you may be allowed a waiver.
For information, contact the SF State Office of Undergraduate Admissions
at (415) 338-1113 or ugadmit@sfsu.edu.
Are
there any subject requirement substitutions for students with
disabilities?
All applicants
are expected to complete the 15 units of college preparatory
subjects.
If you are unable to complete certain subjects because of your
disability, you should contact the Disability
Programs and Resource Center to receive further information
about your eligibility to attend the University.
What placement tests am I required to take?
You will be
required to take the English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry
Level Mathematics Test (ELM) before enrolling in classes at SF State
unless you are exempt from either
of the tests. Depending on your scores on the EPT and/or ELM,
you may be required to complete one or more specific remedial
courses upon enrolling at SF State. The classes must be completed
satisfactorily within one academic year. For more information,
contact the SF State Testing Office at (415) 338-2271 or
testing@sfsu.edu.
The EPT and
the ELM tests are offered at SF State several times during the year.
You can register for the tests at SF State online,
or you may contact the CSU campus of your choice
for test locations.
More information
about examinations required by the CSU is available at www.ets.org/csu.
Read more about
placement tests.
How can I improve my chances for admission to SF State?
By working hard,
earning good grades and taking the right classes, you will improve
your chances for admission. Taking either the SAT or ACT test
in a timely basis is extremely helpful.
What majors are impacted?
A major is designated impacted when more applications are received in the priority filing period than can
be accepted. Nursing, Apparel Design and Merchandising, Interior Design and Social Work are the impacted programs at SF State.
Applications for impacted programs must be submitted between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30 for the following fall.
Factors common to all the impacted majors:
- Accept applications only for fall semesters. They have no spring admission programs.
- Applications for fall admission must be submitted during the initial filing period (Oct. 1 through Nov. 30).
- Applications from first-time freshman are not accepted.
Factors specific to the major program
Nursing (College of Health and Human Services): Is open only to California residents. Nursing does not accept applications from
second baccalaureate applicants. Has supplementary admission criteria. For more information about the major and admission requirements
visit the School of Nursing Web site or call (415) 338-1801.
Apparel Design and Merchandising (Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics Department): May consider non-residents and international students for admission,
but applications from California residents have priority. Will accept applications from students who are seeking a second baccalaureate degree. For
more information about the major and admission requirements visit www.sfsu.edu/~cfsd/ or call (415) 338-1219.
Interior Design (Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics Department): May consider non-residents and international students for admission, but
applications from California residents have priority. Will accept applications from students who are seeking a second baccalaureate degree. For more
information about the major and admission requirements visit the www.sfsu.edu/~cfsd/ or call (415) 338 1219.
Social Work (College of Health and Human Services): May consider non-residents and international students for admission, but applications from
California residents have priority. Social Work does not accept applications from second baccalaureate applicants. Applications for admission must complete
all lower division General Education requirements (referred to as Segment I and II at SF State). For more information about the majors and admission
requirements visit www.sfsu.edu/~socwork or call (415) 338-1003 or 1005.
Programs with Special Application Deadlines
San Francisco
State has three high-demand programs with special application
deadlines:
Cinema (College of Creative Arts) and Journalism (College of Humanities): Accepts applications only for fall semesters. Submit applications for fall admission during the
fall initial filing period (Oct. 1 through Nov. 30). Cinema and Journalism have no spring admission program. For more information
about the Cinema major visit http://www.cinema.sfsu.edu or call (415) 338-6510.
For more information about Journalism visit http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu
or call (415) 338-1689.
Radio and Television (College of Creative Arts): Accepts applications for both fall and spring semesters. Applications are to be submitted
during the fall and spring initial filing periods. The fall initial period is Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. The spring initial filing period
is August 1 through August 31. For more information about the major and admission requirements visit
www.sfsu.edu/~beca or call 338-1787.
Immunizations
SF State requires that all students provide proof of immunization against Measles, Rubella and Hepatitis B
before being allowed to register for classes.
Note: Students who were enrolled in a California public schools for the seventh grade or higher on or after July 1, 1999
will not have to provide proof immunization.
For complete information concerning immunization requirements and to print a copy of the proof of immunization form, please go
to the Student Health Service.
California Residency
California residents pay significantly lower registration fees than non-residents at California's public colleges and universities.
You are eligible for resident status only if you:
- have established and maintained residence in California at least one year prior to the following residence determination dates:
- Spring semester -- Jan. 25
- Summer semester -- June 1
- Fall semester -- Sept. 20
- are a U.S. citizen, are a legal immigrant, or hold a specific visa
and
- you have demonstrated evidence of intent to make California your permanent home
Read more about California Residency for Tuition Purposes.
Exemptions from Paying Nonresident Tuition
Any student,
other than a non-immigrant alien, who meets all of the requirements
below, shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the
California community colleges, the California State University
and the University of California (all public colleges and universities
in California) under AB 540.
Requirements
of AB 540
To be exempt,
the student must have attended a high school (public or private)
in California for three (3) or more years. The student must have
graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent
prior to the start of the term (for example, passing the GED or
California High School Proficiency exam).
To take advantage
of the exemption, a student who is without lawful immigration
status must file an affidavit with the college or university stating
that he or she has filed an application to legalize his or her
immigration status, or will file an application as soon as he
or she is eligible to do so.
Students who
are non-immigrants -- for example, those who hold F (student)
visas, B (visitor) visas, etc. -- are not eligible for this exemption.
Students who
wish to file an exemption request must include a signed affidavit
with the college that indicates the student has met all applicable
conditions described above. Student information obtained in this
process is strictly confidential unless disclosure is required
under the law.
Students eligible
for this exemption who are transferring to another California
public college or university must submit a new request (and documentation
if required) to each college under consideration.
Nonresident
students meeting the criteria will be exempted from the payment
of nonresident tuition, but they will not be classified as California residents. They will continue
to be "nonresidents."
AB540 does not
provide student financial aid eligibility for undocumented students. These students remain ineligible for state and federal
financial aid.
Read more
about AB 540.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all prospective
students, regardless of citizenship, who have not attended schools
at the high school level or above for at least three years of
full-time study where English is the principal language of instruction.
Read more about
TOEFL.
Frequently
Asked Questions of First-Time Freshmen
Q. When will
I hear about my application?
A.You will receive an immediate
confirmation via e-mail once you submit the application. You will
hear within five to 10 working days if you apply during the early
to middle part of the priority filing period. If you apply later
than that, it may take us a little longer because of the increased
volume of applications.
Q. How soon
will I know if I am admitted?
A. SF State may offer admission based
on the information you self-report on your application compared
to your official SAT I or ACT test scores. Otherwise you may be
asked to submit a high school transcript reflecting all work completed
to date for review.
Q. When should
I submit my high school transcript?
A. If you have already graduated
from high school by the time you apply, submit the final transcripts
showing evidence of graduation immediately. If you have not yet
graduated from high school, SF State will notify you if we need an
in-progress transcript. Otherwise you will be asked to submit
a final transcript by a specific deadline showing the date of
your graduation.
Q. I have
earned transfer course work. Am I still a first-time freshman?
A. As long as the transfer course
work you have earned was done while you were in high school or during the summer
immediately after spring graduation, you
should apply as a first-time freshman. If you have questions about
your student level, please call (415) 338-1113.
Q. When do
I have to tell SF State that I am planning to attend the University?
A.
Newly admitted students must indicate their enrollment plans as
soon as possible after they are admitted. To file your intention
to register at SF State, go to the SF State Application Status Web
site.
The Intent to Register process will enable SF State to know who is
planning to attend the University during the upcoming year. It
allows students to lock in their choice of attending San Francisco
State, and at the same time, it enables the University to plan
for the students who will be here. Academic departments will be
able to determine whether they need to adjust their class schedules
to accommodate additional incoming students.
For specific dates and other information about "Intent to Register," go to the Office of the Registrar's Intent to Register Q & A.
First-time Freshman Application Checklist
- Apply using CSUMentor at www.csumentor.edu
- $55 application fee may be paid at the time you apply by credit card or by mailing a check.
Paying by credit card is recommended for faster processing of your admission application.
- SAT or ACT test results. CSUMentor provides a service to applicants to transmit SAT test results
to multiple CSU campuses. Applicants simply list CSUMentor as the institution to receive their SAT results.
The SAT code for CSUMentor is 3594. You save time and money using this service.
The Educational Testing Service will also send SAT scores at your request. SF State's College Board SAT Code is 4684. SF State's ACT Code is 0404.
- College preparatory subject requirements you have taken should be included using the list that corresponds to your
California high school. If you did not attend a California high school, you may write in the courses you have completed to satisfy these requirements.
- Calculate your GPA.
- After submitting the application, print and retain the confirmation number.
Looking for a Form?
Find the form
you need to fill out here.
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