Generally, applicants will qualify for consideration for first-time freshman admission if they meet the following requirements:
Contact a high school or community college counselor, or CSUMB Office of Admissions if you have questions.
Your CSU Eligibility Index (EI) is the combination of your high school grade point average and your scores on either the ACT or the SAT. The CSU uses only the ACT score or the SAT mathematics and critical reading scores in its admission eligibility equation. The SAT or ACT writing scores are not currently used by CSU campuses.
Your grade point average is based on grades earned in courses taken during your final three years of high school. Included in calculation of your GPA are grades earned in all college preparatory A-G subject requirements, and bonus points for approved honors courses.
Up to eight semesters of honors courses taken in the last three years of high school, including up to two approved courses taken in the tenth grade, can be accepted. Each unit of A in an honors course will receive a total of 5 points; B, 4 points; and C, 3 points.
You can calculate your EI by multiplying your grade point average by 800 and adding your total score on the mathematics and critical reading scores of the SAT. If you took the ACT, multiply your grade point average by 200 and add ten times your ACT composite score.
If you are a California high school graduate (or a resident of California for tuition purposes), you need a minimum index of 2900 using the SAT or 694 using the ACT. The CSU Eligibility Index Table for California High School Graduates or Residents of California illustrates several combinations of required test scores and averages.
The university has no plans to include the writing scores from either of the admissions tests in the computation of the CSU Eligibility Index.
If you have neither graduated from a California high school nor qualify as a resident of California for tuition purposes, you need a minimum index of 3502 using the SAT or 842 using the ACT. The CSU Eligibility Index Table for Nonresidents or Nongraduates of California High Schools illustrates several combinations of required test scores and averages. Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries must be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section.
If your grade point average is 3.00 or above (3.61 for nonresidents), you are not required to submit test scores. However, all applicants for admission are urged to take the SAT or ACT and provide the scores of such tests to each CSU to which you seek admission.
Campuses use these test results for advising and placement purposes and may require them for admission to impacted majors or programs. Impacted CSU campuses require SAT or ACT scores of all applicants for freshman admission.
The California State University requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of C or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling 15 units. A unit is one year of study in high school.
The foreign language subject requirement may be waived if you demonstrate competence in a language other than English equivalent to or higher than expected of students who complete two years of foreign language study. For further information, you should consult with a school counselor or any CSU campus admissions or school relation's office.
Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to complete college preparatory course requirements. In certain circumstances, if you are judged unable to fulfill a specific course requirement because of a disability, alternate college preparatory courses may be substituted for specific subject requirements. Substitutions may be authorized on a case-by-case basis after review of disability documentation and academic records and recommendation by your academic advisor or guidance counselor in consultation with the director of a CSU disabled student services program. You should be aware that failure to complete the courses required for admission may limit later enrollment in certain majors, particularly those involving mathematics. For further information and substitution forms, please contact CSUMB Student Disability Resources.
CSUMB may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on academic preparation through your junior year of high school and planned coursework for the senior year. The campus will monitor the final terms of study to ensure that admitted students complete their secondary school studies satisfactorily, including the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school.
Students are required to submit an official transcript after graduation to certify that all course work has been satisfactorily completed. Official high school transcripts must be received prior to the deadline set by the university. In no case may documentation of high school graduation be received any later than the census date for a student's first term of CSU enrollment.
The campus may rescind admission decisions, cancel financial aid awards, withdraw housing contracts, and cancel any university registration for students who are found not to be eligible after the final transcript has been evaluated.
You will qualify for regular (nonprovisional) admission when the university verifies that you have graduated and received a diploma from high school, have a qualifiable minimum eligibility index, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory A-G subjects, and, if applying to an impacted program, have met all supplementary criteria.
Most commonly, college level credits earned from an institution of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting agency is accepted for transfer to campuses of the CSU; however, authority for decisions regarding the transfer of undergraduate credits is delegated to each CSU campus.
California Community Colleges and other authorized certifying institutions can certify up to 39 semester (58.5 quarter) units of General Education-Breadth (GE-Breadth) or 37 semester (55.5 quarter) units of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) for transfer students to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for any CSU campus prior to transfer.
"Certification" is the official notification from a California Community College or authorized institution that a transfer student has completed courses fulfilling lower-division general education requirements. The CSU GE-Breadth and the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) certification course lists for particular community colleges can be accessed at www.assist.org.
CSU campuses may enter into course-to-course or program-to-program articulation agreements with other CSU campuses and any or all of the California community colleges, and other regionally accredited institutions. Established CSU and CCC articulations may be found on www.assist.org. Students may be permitted to transfer no more than 70 semester (105 quarter) units to a CSU campus from an institution which does not offer bachelor’s degrees or their equivalents, for example, community colleges. Given the university’s 30-semester (45-quarter) unit residency requirement, no more than a total of 90-semester (135-quarter) units may be transferred into the university from all sources.
Applicants who have completed fewer than 60 transferable semester college units (fewer than 90 quarter units) are considered lower-division transfer students.
Applicants who have completed 60 or more transferable semester college units (90 or more quarter units) are considered upper-division transfer students.
Applicants who complete college units during high school or through the summer immediately following high school graduation are considered first-time freshmen and must meet the CSU minimum eligibility requirements for first-time freshman admission.
Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses and accepted as such by the campus to which the applicant seeks admission.
NOTE: Due to enrollment pressures, CSUMB does not admit lower division transfer students at this time.
Generally, applicants will qualify for CSU admission consideration as a lower-division transfer if they have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted.
Applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 should contact the admission office to inquire about alternative admission programs.
Lower-division applicants who did not complete subject requirements while in high school may make up missing subjects in any of the following ways:
Please consult with the CSU campus admission office to which you are applying for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject requirements.
Due to increased enrollment demands, most CSU campuses do not admit lower-division transfer applicants.
Generally, applicants will qualify for consideration for upper-division transfer admission if they meet all of the following requirements:
The 60 units must include at least 30 units of courses, which meet the CSU general education requirements including all of the general education requirements in communication in the English language (both oral and written) and critical thinking and the requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (usually 3 semester units) OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements in English communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning.
The Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and the Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degrees offered at the California Community Colleges (CCC) are designed to provide a California community college student a clear transfer preparation and admission pathway to the CSU degree majors.
California Community College students who earn an associate degree for transfer (AA-T or AS-T) are guaranteed admission with junior standing to the CSU and given priority admission over other transfer students when applying to a local campus, or non-impacted program. AA-T or AS-T admission applicants are given priority consideration to an impacted campus/program or to campuses/programs that have been deemed similar to the degree completed at the community college. Students who have completed an AA-T/AS-T in a program deemed similar to a CSU major are able to complete remaining requirements for graduation within 60 semester (90 quarter) units.
It is the responsibility of the student who has earned an AA-T/AS-T to provide documentation of the degree to the CSU campus.
Click here to see the list of AA-T/AS-T programs offered at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay may grant you provisional or conditional admission as a transfer applicant based on your academic preparation and courses planned for completion. If so admitted, the campus will monitor your final terms to ensure that you complete all required courses satisfactorily.
All accepted applicants are required to submit an official transcript of all college-level work completed.
The campus may rescind admission for any student who is found not to be eligible after the final transcript has been evaluated. In no case may such documents be received and validated by the university any later than registration for your second term of CSU enrollment.
CSUMB uses articulation as a general term referring to written agreements between CSUMB and other institutions within the California Community College (CCC), University of California (UC), and California State University (CSU) systems, as well as various accredited independent colleges and universities. This general term is also often used in reference to the preparation to enter a CSUMB major.
Lower-division course-to-course articulation is a formal, written, faculty-approved agreement that identifies courses (or sequences of courses) taught at other institutions that are equivalent to, or acceptable in lieu of, specific courses/outcomes/requirements at CSUMB.
Course-to-course articulation agreements are developed for the transfer of coursework toward general transfer to CSUMB, transfer to CSUMB at the upper-division level, and transfer to CSUMB which includes meeting some of the lower-division requirements of an academic major at CSUMB. These articulation agreements spell out how specific courses completed at another institution match up with specific courses taught at CSUMB, satisfy specific University Learning Requirements (ULRs), or meet specific Major Learning Outcomes (MLOs).
Course-to-course articulation agreements for primary institutions are located on the CSUMB.EDU/articulation webpage.
The dynamic of preparation to enter a CSUMB major is similar in that it provides a transfer pathway for students who are interested in a particular major; however, it is much more detailed. The preparation recommended for each major is unique.
Transfer to CSUMB in the following majors requires satisfactory completion, at the primary institution, of a selection of required and recommended courses:
Transfer possibilities to CSUMB in the following majors are presented to interested students in a narrative format that is applicable to virtually any primary institution from which a student may transfer:
Major preparation and articulated courses from all California community colleges are listed on assist.org. It is strongly recommended that you review this information with the assistance of the academic advising counselors assigned to you at your primary institution.
CSUMB Articulation oversees the articulation and major preparation process described above. This office ensures that appropriate CSUMB academic program faculty members review all requests from other postsecondary institutions for course-to-course articulation, that they approve all agreements, and that they sign off on all major preparation formats which CSUMB offers as the means by which you can enter a CSUMB major as a transfer student.
ASSIST is an articulation and transfer planning system providing information about California public higher education institutions. ASSIST is designated as California's official repository of articulation and transfer information. As such, ASSIST carries all of CSUMB's course-to-course articulation information as well as major preparation information.
The Lower-Division Transfer Pattern (LDTP) project, sponsored by the California State University (CSU) and supported by the California Community Colleges, presents potential transfer students with the most direct path to a bachelor's degree in the CSU system. The LDTP project provides a set of "road maps" for students to follow that will ensure appropriate academic preparation and that will decrease time to graduation once LDTP students enter the CSU. Students may enter into an LDTP agreement up to the time they have completed 45 transferable units. Students who elect to follow the LDTP option will receive the highest priority for admission to a CSU campus.
"Highest priority for admission" is defined as a written guarantee of admission to a particular CSU campus and major, and it goes into effect when both the student and the CSU campus ratify an LDTP agreement. The guarantee is subject both to satisfactory completion of the agreement requirements and to the campus's ability to accommodate the student. Students will be asked to complete successfully a specified set of general education courses and major courses that will be common to all CSU campuses offering that major, and they will be asked to complete successfully an additional set of courses identified by the particular CSU campus named in the LDTP agreement. The coursework in the systemwide and campus-specific LDTP pattern will total at least 60 units, the number needed to transfer to CSU as an upper-division student. Through CSU Mentor and ASSIST, students and counselors will be able to find road maps detailing coursework preparation by CSU campus and major.
As an undergraduate applicant, you must satisfy certain testing requirements. Depending on your status at entry, these may include Entrance Tests, English Language proficiency exams including the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Education Language Testing System (IELTS), and CSU Placement Tests.
Freshman and transfer applicants who have fewer that 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable college credit are strongly encouraged to submit scores, unless exempt (see Eligibility Index), from either the ACT or the SAT of the College Board. If you apply to an impacted program on campus, you may be required to submit test scores and should take the test no later than November or December. Test scores also are used for advising and placement purposes. Registration forms and dates for the SAT or ACT are available from school or college counselors or from a CSU campus testing office including CSUMB Office of Admissions. Or you may write to or call:
The College Board (SAT)
Registration Unit, Box 6200
Princeton, NJ 08541-6200
609-771-7588
www.collegeboard.org
ACT Registration Unit
PO Box 414
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
319-337-1270
act.org
All undergraduate applicants whose native language is not English and who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full time where English is the principal language of instruction must present a sufficient score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some majors may require a higher score.
A few campuses may also use alternative methods of assessing English fluency:
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and the International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP). Each campus will posts the tests it accepts on its website and will notify students after they apply about the tests it accepts and when to submit scores.
CSU minimum TOEFL standards are:
Internet: 61
Computer: 173
Paper: 500
Our TOEFL code is 1945
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
CSU Monterey Bay requires a minimum score of 6.
See International Student Requirements for more information.
The California State University requires that each entering undergraduate, except those who qualify for an exemption, take the CSU Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination and the CSU English Placement Test (EPT) prior to enrollment. These placement tests are not a condition for admission to the CSU, but they are a condition of enrollment. These examinations are designed to identify entering students who may need additional support in acquiring college entry-level English and mathematics skills necessary to succeed in CSU baccalaureate-level courses.
If you do not demonstrate college-level skills both in English and in mathematics, you will be placed in appropriate remedial programs and activities during the first term of your enrollment. If placed in remedial programs in either English or mathematics, you must complete all remediation in your first year of enrollment. Failure to complete remediation by the end of your first year may result in denial of enrollment for future terms.
Students register for the EPT (www.csuenglishsuccess.org/ept) and/or ELM(http://www.csumathsuccess.org/elm_exam). Campus may establish deadlines by which new students must register for and/or take placement exams as a requirement for enrollment. Questions about test dates and registration materials can be found at www.ets.org/csu or may be addressed to:
Office of Admissions
100 Campus Center
Seaside, California 93955-8001
831-582-3738
admissions@csumb.edu
The English Placement Test (EPT) is designed to assess the level of reading and writing skills of students entering the California State University. The CSU EPT must be completed by all non-exempt entering undergraduates prior to enrollment in any course, including remedial courses. Students who score 147 or above on the EPT will be placed in college-level composition classes.
Exceptions from the EPT are granted only to those who present proof of one of the following:
The Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) Examination is designed to assess and measure the level of mathematics skills acquired through three years of rigorous college preparatory mathematics coursework (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry) of students entering the California State University (CSU). The CSU ELM must be completed by all non-exempt entering undergraduates prior to enrollment in any course, including remedial courses. Students who score 50 or above on the ELM will be placed in college-level mathematics classes.
Exemptions from the ELM are granted only to those students who present proof of one of the following:
Entering resident freshman who are not proficient in math or English will need to start the remediation process before their first regular term.
The goals of Early Start Program are to:
Newly admitted freshman students who are required to complete Early Start will be notified of the requirement and options for completing the program as part of campus communications to newly admitted students.
Graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants may apply for a degree objective, apply for a credential or certificate objective, or have no program objective. Depending on the objective, the CSU will consider an application for admission as follows.
The minimum requirements for admission to graduate and post-baccalaureate studies at a California State University campus are in accordance with university regulations as well as Title 5, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3 of the California Code of Regulations. Specifically, you shall at the time of enrollment:
If you apply to a masters or post-baccalaureate program, the academic program may require you to successfully complete a nationally standardized qualifying examination (e.g. Graduate Record Examination, Graduate Management Admission Test) and fulfill other admission criteria. Please refer to the individual academic program department websites for information on specific requirements. When tests are required, you must file the test scores with CSUMB Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline. The Office of Admissions forwards completed files to the department for review.
If you meet the minimum requirements for graduate and post-baccalaureate studies, you may be considered for admission in one of the four following categories:
Postbaccalaureate Unclassified
To enroll in graduate courses for professional or personal growth, you must be admitted as a postbaccalaureate unclassified student. By meeting the general requirements, you are eligible for admission as a postbaccalaureate unclassified student. Some departments may restrict enrollment of unclassified students because of heavy enrollment pressure. Admission in this status does not constitute admission to, or assurance of consideration for admission to, any graduate degree or credential program. (Some CSU campuses do not offer admission to unclassified postbaccalaureate students.)
Postbaccalaureate Classified (e.g. admission to an education credential program)
Anyone enrolling in a credential or certificate program will be required to satisfy additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by CSUMB. Please contact specific programs for details.
Graduate Conditionally Classified
You may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, you may remedy deficiencies by additional preparation.
Graduate Classified
To pursue a graduate degree, you must fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus.
(These and other CSU admission requirements are subject to change as policies are revised and laws are amended. The CSU website www.calstate.edu and the CSU admissions potral www.csumentor.edu are good sources of the most up-to-date information.)
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence in English. If you do not possess a bachelor's degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction, you must meet the following minimum scores on TOEFL or IELTS:
Our TOEFL code is 1945
Some programs may require a higher score. Some CSU campuses may use alternative methods for assessing fluency in English.
You must submit official test scores to Office of Admissions, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955-8001.
See International Student Requirements for more information.
Postbaccalaureate students (i.e. those already holding a bachelor's degree) may pursue a program leading to an additional baccalaureate degree. You should consult with a faculty advisor within your selected academic program to determine whether a second baccalaureate or graduate program best meets your needs.
Students who hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education may be admitted to CSUMB as a postbaccalaureate student if they meet the same admission requirements as graduate applicants, and if they file a graduate application and pay the appropriate fee within the established filing period.
No credit may be applied to your second bachelor's degree from courses taken for an earlier degree. If you previously took required major courses, you must substitute other appropriate coursework with the approval of the academic program. Also, you may not apply graduate-level (500 or 600) courses toward the requirements for a second bachelor's degree.
Postbaccalaureate students may not earn minors, and are not considered for university honors. You cannot concurrently pursue a graduate degree objective and a second baccalaureate degree at CSUMB.
The CSU must assess the academic preparation of foreign students. For this purpose, _foreign students_include those who hold U.S. temporary visas as students, exchange visitors, or in other nonimmigrant classifications.
The CSU uses separate requirements and application filing dates in the admission of foreign students. Verification of English proficiency (see undergraduate and graduate English language proficiency requirements), financial resources, and academic performance are each important considerations for admission. Academic records from foreign institutions must be on file at least twelve weeks before registration for the first term and, if not in English, must be accompanied by certified English translations.
If you have foreign academic work, you must submit official copies of academic records directly from your school, college or university along with a certified English translation.
Your academic records should include all of the following:
All official documents submitted become the property of CSUMB. The university will determine the acceptability of any foreign work.
Health Insurance Requirement
Effective August 1, 1995, all F-1 and J-1 visa applicants must agree to obtain and maintain health insurance as a condition of registration and continued enrollment in the CSU. Such insurance must be in amounts as specified by the United States Information Agency (USIA) and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Financial Verification
Evidence of sufficient financial support to complete a degree program is required for admission. The amount required is approximately $28,609 per academic year. Fees are subject to change. You must submit the required Affidavit of Financial Support form along with official bank, loan, or sponsor financial documentation.
Academic Major
To be eligible for an F-1 Student Visa, you must pursue a specific degree objective. Please refer to the descriptions of our majors and select a major that fits your educational objectives.
English Proficiency
As an international student applicant, you must demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in English. If you have attended a school where English was the primary language of instruction for at least three years immediately preceding admission to CSUMB, you meet this proficiency requirement. For all other students, the following minimum scores on TOEFL or IELTS:
| TOEFL Method | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | 500 | 550 |
| Computer | 173 | 213 |
| Internet | 61 | 80 |
CSUMB's TOEFL code is 1945.
OR
International English Language Testing System (IELTS):
CSUMB requires a minimum score of 6 on the IELTS.
For more information, please visit the international admissions page on our CSUMB.EDU/admissions website.
If still enrolled in high school, you will be considered for enrollment in certain special programs if recommended by the principal and the appropriate campus department chair and if preparation is equivalent to that required of eligible California high school graduates. Such admission is only for a given specific program and does not constitute the right to continued enrollment. For participating programs, contact CSUMB Office of Admissions.
High school students other than those accepted into the above programs may also enroll concurrently in college courses without fee reduction upon approval of parents, high school principal, appropriate CSUMB program directors, and Office of Admissions.
As an alternative to regular admission criteria, an applicant who is twenty-five years of age or older may be considered for admission as an adult student if he or she meets all of the following conditions:
Consideration will be based upon a judgment as to whether the applicant is as likely to succeed as a regularly admitted freshman or transfer student and will include an assessment of basic skills in the English language and mathematical computation.
Although CSUMB is not currently on year-round operation, the campus does offer distinctive summer programs, and housing and food services are available. You can get information regarding summer session from:
Extended Education
100 Campus Center
Seaside, CA 93955-8001
831-582-4500
extended@csumb.edu
CSUMB.EDU/extended
Effective Fall 2012, CSUMB is not open for students interested in applying to the Over 60 program.
The CSU has established a program which allows California residents 60 years of age or older to enroll in regular session courses without payment of certain specified fees and with reduction in the amounts of others. If interested in this program, you must be admissible as stipulated in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations and you shall, at time of enrollment, register after regular students. Students requesting participation in the Over-60 Program must initiate contact with the Office of Admissions office, prior to the start of the term they wish to be considered. Further information is available from:
Office of Admissions
100 Campus Center
Seaside, CA 93955-8001
831-582-5100
Fax 831-582-3783
admissions@csumb.edu
CSUMB.EDU/admissions
If you are a former CSUMB student who has been absent for two or more semesters and you were not eligible for a Leave of Absence, you must apply for readmission and pay the application fee. You must submit official transcripts of all college work attempted during your absence from the university. Appropriate campus officials will base readmission decisions on a review of your academic status.
Former Students Who Were on Academic Probation
If you were on probation at the end of your last enrollment, you may be readmitted on academic probation provided any work you may have completed elsewhere in the interim is satisfactory. If readmitted on probation, you are subject to such conditions as appropriate university officials may prescribe.
Former Students Who Were Academically Disqualified
If you were a disqualified undergraduate or second baccalaureate degree candidate who has been absent for one or more years, you must apply for readmission and an application fee is charged. Contact Admissions & Records for procedures and documents that must be submitted. Appropriate campus officials will base readmission decisions on a review of your academic status and personal situation. Submit your application as early as possible.