Transfer Students If you've decided
to transfer to SF State, you've made an excellent
choice. With advising
support, orientation
programs,
and other student services, we are here to help you make a
smooth transition to one of the nation's leading public urban
universities. You can also set up your own personalized VIP Web page, through
which you can communicate directly with us about your own particular
interests and needs. At SF State you can discover yourself and develop
your
talents in a city rich with culture and opportunity. Here, as an
undergraduate, you will take classes from faculty members whose first
priority is excellent teaching. Welcome to San Francisco State!
Kinds of Transfer Students
How to Apply
When to
Apply
Special Admissions Programs
Ensuring a Quick Decision?
Transferrable
units
Transfer Requirements
All about Placement Tests
Improving Your Chances for Admission
Impacted Program
Programs With Special Application Deadlines
Immunizations
California Residency
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Frequently Asked Questions of Upper Division Transfer Students
Transfer Student Checklist
Looking for a Form?
Who is considered a transfer
student? If you have completed college units after
graduation from high
school, you are considered a transfer student.
- Lower Division: Freshman and sophomore students who have completed fewer
than 60 transferable semester units (90 quarter units) are considered lower-division
transfer students. SF State is not accepting applications from lower division transfer students.
- Upper Division: Junior and senior students who have completed 60 or more
transferable semester units (90 quarter units) are considered upper-division
transfer students.
- Second Baccalaureates: Students who earn a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
of higher learning who are seeking another baccalaureate degree. SF State is not accepting applications from second baccalaureate students.
- Note: Students who completed college units before they graduated from high school or during the summer immediately after spring graduation
are considered first-time freshmen and must meet those
admission requirements.
How do I apply for
admission to SF State?
Apply online through CSUMentor; it's the easiest and
fastest way to apply.
When to
apply
- Fall semester: The priority filing period is October 1 - November 30 of the previous year, but be sure to check the
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 the Hot News section for application deadlines that may be extended beyond the priority filing
period in any given year.
- Summer semester: Students who are clearly admitted for fall may attend summer
semester.
What special enrollment
opportunities are there for transfer students?
- 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 educational backgrounds. Students with a history of low income
and who need academic and financial 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's
EOP information page has more details.
- 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 much more quickly, giving you a faster admissions
decision. You may pay the $55 (non-refundable) 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.
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, send a copy of both sides of your Permanent
Resident ("green") Card.
- Send official transcripts to SF State as soon as possible from all colleges
you've attended, even if no coursework was completed. Transcripts for coursework
in progress should be sent after grades are on record or when the Undergraduate Admissions
Office tells you.
- Check your application status
to ensure all supporting materials have been received.
- To make sure you have covered everything, see our detailed application checklist.
Note: SF State may offer you conditional admission based on information you provide on your admission application.
You must submit a transcript showing final grades for all work completed before you begin attending SF State classes to verify
that you meet all admission requirements. Although a final deadline to submit transcripts will appear on your notice of admission,
we ask that you submit final transcripts as soon as they are available. If you do not complete admissions requirements or submit final
transcripts by stated deadlines, your offer of admission to SF State will be rescinded.
How can I determine if my
units (credits) will transfer? All California
community colleges have lists of their courses that will transfer to
CSU campuses. Most of the time you can find which courses are
transferable by consulting the community college catalog where you
took the course. ASSIST is
California's official online service to help you determine if you
will receive credit for courses you've already taken, and how those
courses apply to your specific academic goals. You may also consult your college
counselor or transfer center for assistance in determining which courses will
be accepted for transfer credit. If you are
transferring from a four-year college, most courses will be
transferable, but it is important that you consult with SF State
Admissions to gain assistance with identifying the specific courses
necessary to meet the transfer requirements.
What are the admission requirements for transfer students?
Note: SF State is accepting applications from junior/senior transfer students and second baccalaureates only.
Applications will not be accepted from students who do not have the minimum number of 60 transferable semester or
90 transferable quarter units.
Attention fall applicants: The admission requirements listed below must be successfully completed by the end of the previous spring term.
Classes in progress during the summer will not count toward fall admission requirements.
The admission requirements for upper division transfers are:
The admission requirements for second baccalaureates are:
- Must have received a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
- College grade point average in the last 60 transferable semester or 90 transferable quarter units must be at least a 2.50.
Please note: Applicants using California community college course work to satisfy the requirements for CSU admission must select courses that are certified by
the California community college to fulfill the requirements. Consult the ASSIST Web site or consult your community college counselor.
Do transfer students have to take placement tests in English and math?
Upper-division transfer students who have completed transferable English composition and college-level math courses with a grade of
C or better are exempt from the English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry Level Mathematics Test (ELM).
Upper-division transfer students must complete both English composition and college level mathematics that fulfill
the general education requirements in those areas prior to enrolling at a CSU campus.
What can I do to improve my
chances for admission?
Working hard, earning good grades and taking the right classes will improve your chances for admission.
Taking the appropriate general education courses is critical (you must complete the four admission subjects, for example),
and for some majors it is also important to complete lower-division major requirements to keep on track for timely graduation.
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. First-time freshman interested in Nursing may declare
"Pre-Nursing" as their major.
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
http://beca.sfsu.edu 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.
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 Upper-Division Transfer students
Q. Where can I take the required course work to be eligible as an upper-division transfer?
A. Any California community college has a list of courses that will satisfy CSU admission requirements.
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'm admitted?
A. SF State may offer admission based on the information you self-report on your application. Otherwise you may be asked to submit college transcripts reflecting all work completed to date for review.
Q. If I'm applying as an upper division transfer, do I need my high school transcript and test scores?
A. No, applying as an upper division transfer does not require information about high school.
Q. When do I need to submit my transcripts?
A. SF State will request that you submit official transcripts. However, you should submit official transcripts for any previous institution you've attended as soon as you've completed all course work at that institution. If you have applied to SF State and still have work in progress or worked planned for the period before you attend SF State, you should wait until all work is completed before submitting a transcript. Pay careful attention to any final transcript deadlines and adhere to those.
Q. How will I know if my course work transfers to SF State?
A. Applicants who have attended any California community college can check the ASSIST Web site.
The site will tell you if the course transfers, counts for general education requirements, or counts toward major requirements.
After you are admitted and eligible to enroll (see Intent to Register) you can check your DARS report online. For students admitted and eligible to enroll, the Admissions Office prepares an Advanced Standing Evaluation (ASE), which provides information about colleges and
universities that are not currently part of the DARS database. Your ASE will tell you how many units were accepted, and how those units count toward certain requirements.
It will also list specific courses that were not accepted in transfer. Your ASE and DARS report should be used together. For information about how courses accepted in
transfer may apply to your major program, consult your major advisor. Whenever you have an advising session, you should bring your DARS report, ASE, and copies of your
transcripts from colleges previously attended. Please note: if all the colleges you attended are part of the DARS database, you do not need an ASE. All your transfer work will appear in your DARS report.
Q. When do I have to tell SF State that I am planning to attend the University?
A. Newly admitted students who plan to attend 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.
Transfer Student 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.
- Calculate and provide your GPA for all transferable work.
- Identify the courses you have taken to satisfy oral communication, written communication, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning. (Second baccalaureates should provide this information to be considered for possible exemptions from placement tests)
- Pay careful attention to all communications from SF State and follow all instructions
- Pay careful attention to transcript submission deadlines
Looking for a Form?
Find
the form you need to fill
out here.
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