Requirements for admission to San Diego State University are in accordance with Title 5, Chapter I, Subchapter 3, of the California Code of Regulations. If you are not sure of these requirements, you should consult a high school or community college counselor or CSU campus admission office
Electronic versions of the CSU undergraduate and graduate applications are accessible on the World Wide Web at http://ww.csumentor.edu. The CSUMentor system allows students to browse through general information about CSU’s 23 campuses, view multimedia campus presentations, send and receive electronic responses to specific questions, and apply for admission and financial aid.
Applications may be obtained online or at any California high school or community college or from the Office of Admission at any of the campuses of the California State University. The application fee is nonrefundable and may not be transferred to a future semester.
Students attending the Imperial V alley Campus who plan to transfer to the SDSU main campus must fill out a transfer request form. Currently, the SDSU main campus is impacted which requires applicants to meet selective admissions criteria above the minimum established by the California State University.
Many majors at San Diego State University are designated as impacted majors. To be admitted to an impacted major, students must meet additional department-specific criteria, such as a specified minimum grade point average, completion of prerequisite courses, and completion of a certain number of units. Departmental criteria also appear each November in the CSU Review and made available online at http://www.calstate.edu/AR/csureview/ . Information about the supplementary criteria is also sent to program applicants. Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/impactedmajors for further information.
San Diego State University advises prospective students that they must supply complete and accurate information on the application for admission, residence questionnaire, and financial aid forms. Further, applicants must submit authentic and official transcripts of all previous academic work attempted. Official transcripts are defined as transcripts that bear the high school or college seal and remain in their original sealed envelope. Failure to file complete, accurate, and authentic application documents by specified deadlines, will result in denial of admission, and may result in cancellation of academic credit, suspension, or expulsion (Section 41301, Article 1.1, Title 5, California Code of Regulations). This requirement is effective from initial contact with the university and throughout the period the academic record is maintained.
Applicants are required to include their correct social security numbers (taxpayer identification numbers) in designated places on applications for admission pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6109). The university uses the social security account number to identify students and their records including identification for purposes of financial aid eligibility and disbursement and the repayment of financial aid and other debts payable to the institution. Also, the Internal Revenue Service requires the university to file information returns that include the student’s social security number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses, and interest on educational loans. This information is used by the IRS to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes.
Students are issued a nine-digit ID number (Red ID) for transactions that include accessing the SDSU WebPortal, registering for classes, meal plans, using library services, using Blackboard, communicating with the Center for Human Resources, financial transactions, and all student services.
Information on student health services and required immunizations is given in the section of The Imperial Valley Campus Bulletin on Student Affairs (Health Services), page 17. or click here |
Prospective students, applying for full-time or part-time undergraduate programs of study, in day or evening classes, must file a complete undergraduate application during the application filing period. The preferred method of application is through http://www.csumentor.edu . The CSUMentor system allows students to browse through general information about CSU’s 23 campuses, view multimedia campus presentations, send and receive electronic responses to specific questions, and apply for admission and financial aid. The $55 nonrefundable application fee must be in the form of a check or money order payable to the California State University or by credit card and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. The applications of persons denied admission to an impacted campus may be re-routed to another campus, but only if the applicant is CSU eligible.
It is essential that the application be filled out completely and accurately. Misrepresenting oneself on the application will result in a revocation of admission regardless of when the misrepresentation is discovered.
File Official Transcripts. You must file the following official transcripts with the Admissions and Records Office.
For a transcript to be official, it must bear the high school or college seal and remain in its original sealed envelope. All records or transcripts received by the university become the property of the university and will not be released nor will copies be made.
Deadlines:
First-time Freshmen
Note: All needed documents, for international applicants must be on file no later than May 1 for the fall semester.
Generally, applicants will qualify for admission as an upper division transfer student if:
Undergraduate applicants who did not complete subject requirements while in high school may make up missing subjects in any of the following ways.
Please consult SDSU or any CSU campus admissions office for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject requirements.
Subject Requirements
San Diego State University requires that 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.
For fall admission, you must complete your subject requirements by the spring term before enrollment at SDSU. For spring admission, you must complete your subject requirements by the summer term before enrollment at SDSU.
Subject Requirement Substitution for
Students with Disabilities
Applicants with disabilities are strongly encouraged to complete college preparatory course requirements if at all possible. If you are judged unable to fulfill a specific course requirement because of your disability, alternative college preparatory courses may be substituted for specific subject requirements. Substitutions may be authorized on an individual basis after review and recommendation by your academic adviser or guidance counselor in consultation with the director of a CSU disabled student services program. You should be aware that failure to complete courses required for admission may limit later enrollment in certain majors, particularly those involving mathematics. For further information and substitution forms, please call the director of disabled student services at your nearest CSU campus.
TOEFL or IELTS Requirement
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 of full-time study (only transferable courses count toward a student’s full-time status) where English is the principal language of instruction, must present a score of 550 or higher (using the paper version) or 213 or higher (using the computer version) or 79 or higher (using the Internet version) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 6.5 or better on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Some majors may require a higher score. Some campuses may also use alternative methods of assessing English fluency.
Adult Students
As an alter native to regular admission criteria, an applicant who is 25 years of age or older may be considered for admission as an adult student if he or she meets all of the following conditions:
Applicants seeking admission as an adult student must submit a statement of no more than two pages describing the alternate preparation which the applicant feels has prepared him or her for successful university work. The statement should also describe the applicant’s educational goals and what preparation has been made to pursue these goals. Consideration for admission 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.
Other Applicants
Applicants not admissible under one of the above provisions should enroll in a community college or other appropriate institution.
San Diego State University also offers a special program designed to expand educational opportunity for capable persons
who, for a variety of reasons, have not previously had the opportunity. For detailed information regarding admission to this program, refer to the section of the General Catalog on the Educational Opportunity Program.
Acceptance of Transfer Courses
Courses taken at a regionally accredited college or university and designated as appropriate for baccalaureate credit by that institution will be accepted by San Diego State University for credit toward transfer admission. San Diego State University reserves the right to determine the extent to which such credit satisfies the specific and elective requirements of degree programs.
Courses completed at regionally accredited institutions not offering the baccalaureate and at special-purpose baccalaureate-
granting institutions are acceptable if specifically certified by the institution or by San Diego State University as similar in level and rigor to SDSU courses.
Courses completed at institutions without regional accreditation
or taken at a regionally accredited institution as part of a professional program, i.e., medical, dental, legal, veterinary, optical, etc. are not normally accepted by San Diego State University. Such courses may be accepted on an individual basis if a review by the appropriate department determines comparability to a course in the San Diego State University curriculum.
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants (e.g., joint Ph.D., Ed.D., Au.D, and Ed.S. applicants, master’s degree applicants, those seeking credentials, or advanced certificates) must file a complete graduate application as described in the CSU graduate and postbaccalaureate admission materials at http://www.csumentor.edu. Applicants who completed undergraduate degree requirements and graduated the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and the $55 nonrefundable application fee. To be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it will be necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. Online applications are available at http://www.csumentor.edu.
Admission Requirements
Graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants may apply for a degree objective, or a credential, or certificate objective. Depending on the objective, San Diego State University will consider an application for admission as follows:
General Requirements
The minimum requirements for admission to graduate and postbaccalaureate 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, a student shall at the time of enrollment:
(1) have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution
accredited by a regional accrediting association, or shall have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined
by appropriate campus authorities; (2) be in good academic
standing at the last college or university attended; (3) have attained a grade point average of at least 2.85 (A = 4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted (this calculation may not include lower division courses taken after award of a baccalaureate degree); and (4) satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards for graduate study including qualifying examinations, as appropriate
campus authorities may prescribe. In unusual circumstances,
a campus may make exceptions to these criteria.
All applicants seeking admission to postbaccalaureate study at San Diego State University must apply and meet the minimum requirements to be accepted in one of the four following
categories (consult the Graduate Bulletin for detailed information):
•Postbaccalaureate Standing (Unclassified). Exchange students, visitors from other CSU campuses, and other transitory students may be admitted for onesemester as unclassified graduate students; or
•Postbaccalaureate Standing (Classified). If you wish to enroll in a credential or certificate program, you will be required to satisfy additional professional, personal,
scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying
examinations, prescribed by the campus; or
•Conditional Graduate Standing (Classified). You may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority,
you can remedy deficiencies by additional preparation;
or
•Graduate Standing (Classified). To pursue a graduate
degree, you will be required to fulfill all of the professional,
personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus.
Graduate and Postbaccalaureate
TOEFL/IELTS Requirement
All 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. Those who do not possess a bachelor’s degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 or higher (using the paper version) or 213 or higher (using the computer version) or 79 or higher (using the Internet version) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Students must obtain a score of 6.5 or better on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Individual degree programs may require ahigher minimum score. Applicants taking the Computer-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language must present a score of 213 or above. Applicants may be required by a program
to submit a score for the Test of Written English (TWE). Individual degree programs may use the score on the TWE as an admission criterion or as an advising tool to identify students
who may need further training in English.
San Diego State University is not accepting applications for second bachelor’s degrees.
Students enrolled at San Diego State University have access to courses at other CSU campuses on a space available basis unless those campuses or programs are impacted. This access is offered without students being required to be admitted
formally to the host campus and sometimes without paying
additional fees. Although courses taken on any CSU campus will transfer to the student’s home CSU campus as at least elective credit, students should consult their San Diego State University academic adviser to determine how such courses may apply to their degree programs before enrolling at the host campus.
There are two programs for enrollment within the CSU and one for enrollment between CSU and the University of California or California community colleges. Additional information
about these programs is available from the Office of Admissions and Records
CSU Concurrent Enrollment
Matriculated students in good standing may enroll at San Diego State University and a host CSU campus during the same term. Credit earned at the host campus is reported at the student’s request to San Diego State University to be included on the student’s transcript at the home campus.
Intersystem Cross Enrollment
Matriculated CSU, UC, or community college students may enroll for one course per term at another CSU, UC, or community college and request that a transcript of record be sent to the home campus.
Registration
San Diego State University students register online at http://www.sdsu.edu/portal . On-campus and telephone registration are not conducted. The Class Schedule available at http://www.sdsu.edu/schedule contains specific information on registration, the courses offered for the term, and a listing of the fees required for enrollment. Students will not be permitted to register until fees are paid. Payment of fees by itself does not constitute registration.
A student is considered registered when:
The registration system will check for the satisfactory completion of the following tests and requirements: EPT (English Placement Test); ELM (Entry-Level Mathematics Examination); GSP (Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Test); and Writing Proficiency Assessment).
The registration system will not allow registration in courses that meet at the same day and time or have overlapping meeting times.
Enrollment in some courses is restricted to students in specific majors. Major code restrictions are listed in the Class Schedule footnotes.
Enrollment in some courses is restricted to students at specific levels (i.e., freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate). Student level restrictions are listed in the Class Schedule footnotes.
The registration system will not allow enrollment in more than one section of the same course unless it is repeatable.
Students registering for more than 18 units must have the consent of the division chair for their major and the associate dean.
Students entering SDSU as freshmen are required to complete
coursework in composition, mathematics, oral communication,
and critical thinking in a specific order. These enrollment requirements are enforced by the registration system.
For more information, refer to the registration workbook that is distributed at new student orientation.
Late Registration. Late registration is allowed during the first 15 class days of the semester. Students wishing to late register must pay registration fees plus a $25.00 late fee before the end of the 15th class day of the semester by 6:00 p.m. After receiving an add code from the instructor of the course the student wants to add, the student accesses the SDSU WebPortal to officially register.
Improper Registration in Graduate Courses. Only undergraduate students who are completing their bachelor’s degree and who have filed a formal request for permission to enroll for concurrent master’s degree credit or for concurrent postbaccalaureate credit may be authorized to enroll in 600 and higher numbered courses. Undergraduate students who have not received permission for concurrent enrollment may not enroll in 600 or higher numbered courses for any purpose without prior permission of the graduate dean. Undergraduates
who enroll in advanced courses without permission are subject to administrative disenrollment. The registration for graduate students who have not met the stated prerequisites for Course 799A, Thesis, at the time of registration may be canceled.
Schedule Adjustment Policy. All schedule adjustments (formerly called Change of Program) MUST BE COMPLETED
BY THE END OF THE 15TH CLASS DAY OF THE SEMESTER BY 6:00 P.M. The schedule adjustment period allows you to add a course, drop a course, withdraw from the university, and change grading basis. Students will no longer be allowed to make ANY schedule changes (excluding total withdrawal from the university for extremely serious, documented cases involving health or accident) after the 15th class day of the semester by 6:00 p.m.
Instructor Initiated Drop Policy. Students who do not attend the first class session and the beginning of the second class session of a course may be dropped from that course by the instructor within the first 12 class days of the semester. Students who do not meet prerequisite requirements can also be dropped within the first 12 class days of the semester. Any student dropped by the instructor during this period will be notified of the action by e-mail. It is the student's responsibility to keep a current e-mail address on file through the SDSU WebPortal at http://www.sdsu.edu/portal. To reenroll, the student must receive an add code from the instructor and reenroll in the course within the first 15 class days of the semester by 6:00 p.m.
NOT ALL INSTRUCTORS WILL DROP STUDENTS WHO MISS THE FIRST CLASS SESSION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND CLASS SESSION. Students are responsible for all courses on their schedules. Students should check their online schedules regularly and take necessary action to add or drop during the first 15 class days of the semester by 6:00 p.m.
Religious Observances. By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of affected courses of planned absences for religious observances. Instructors
shall reasonably accommodate students who notify them in advance of planned absences for religious observances.
Statewide Placement Test Requirements
San Diego State University requires each entering undergraduate,
except those who qualify for an exemption, to take the CSU Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination and the CSU English Placement Test (EPT) prior to enrollment. Admitted freshmen must take the ELM/EPT (if required) by the May test date prior to enrollment. These tests are designed to identify entering students who may need additional support in acquiring basic English and mathematics skills necessary to succeed in CSU baccalaureate-level courses. Undergraduate students who do not demonstrate college-level skills both in English and in mathematics will be placed in appropriate remedial programs and activities during the first term of their enrollment. Students placed in remedial programs in either English or mathematics must complete all remediation in their first year of enrollment. Students who do not successfully complete
their remediation requirements within one year of their initial enrollment will be administratively disqualified.
Students register for the EPT and/or ELM at the Student Testing, Assessment and Research Office. Questions about test dates and registration materials may be addressed to the Prospective Student Center.
English Placement Test (EPT). The EPT is designed to assess the level of reading and writing skills of entering undergraduate
students so that they can be placed in appropriate baccalaureate-level courses. The CSU EPT must be completed
by all entering undergraduate students, with the exception
of those students who present proof of one of the following:
•Students must place (score) in the “exempt” category on the Early Assessment of Readiness for College English taken in conjunction with the 11th grade California
Standards Test in English Language Arts.
•A score of 550 or above on the verbal section of the College
Board SAT Reasoning Test taken April 1995 or later.
•A score of 24 or above on the enhanced ACT English Test taken October 1989 or later.
•A score of 680 or above on the re-centered and adjusted College Board SAT II: Writing Test taken May 1998 or later.
•A score of 3, 4, or 5 on either the Language and Composition
or the Composition and Literature examination of the College Board Scholastic Advanced Placement Program.
•Completion and transfer of a course that satisfies the General Education-Breadth or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) written communication
requirement, provided such course was completed with a grade of C or better.Entry-Level Mathematics (ELM) Placement Examination. The ELM examination is designed to assess the skill levels of entering San Diego State University students in the areas of mathematics typically covered in three years of rigorous college preparatory mathematics courses in high school (algebra I, algebra II, and geometry). The CSU ELM must be completed by all entering undergraduate students, with the exception of those students who present proof of one of the following:
•Students must place (score) in the “unconditionally exempt” category on the Early Assessment of Readiness
for College Mathematics taken in conjunction with the 11th grade California Standards Test in High School Mathematics or Algebra II.
•Students must place (score) in the “conditionally exempt” category on the Early Assessment of Readiness
for College Mathematics taken in conjunction with the 11th grade California Standards Test in High School Mathematics or Algebra II PLUS successful completion of a CSU-approved mathematics or mathematics-related course or activity taken in the 12th grade.
•A score of 550 or above on the mathematics section of the College Board SAT Reasoning Test or on the College Board SAT II Mathematics Tests Level I, IC (Calculator), II, or IIC (Calculator).
•A score of 23 or above on the American College Testing Mathematics Test.
•A score of 3 or above on the College Board Advanced Placement Mathematics examination (AB or BC) or Statistics
examination.
•Completion and transfer of a course that satisfies the General Education–Breadth or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) quantitative reasoning requirement, provided such course was completed with a grade of C or better.
TThe law governing residence for tuition purposes at the California State University is California Education Code sections
68000-68090, 68120-68134, and 89705-89707.5, and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Subchapter 5, Article 4, sections 41900-41916. This material can be viewed on the Internet by accessing the California State University’s Web site at http://www.calstate.edu/GC/resources.shtml.
The Office of Admissions and Records is responsible for determining the residence status of all new and returning students based on the Application for Admission, Residence Reclassification Request Form and, as necessary, other evidence
furnished by the student. A student who fails to submit adequate information to establish eligibility for resident classification
will be classified as a nonresident.
Generally, establishing California residence for tuition purposes
requires a combination of physical presence and intent to remain indefinitely. An adult who, at least one full year prior to the residence determination date for the term in which enrollment is contemplated, can demonstrate both physical presence in the state combined with evidence of intent to remain in California indefinitely may establish California residence
for tuition purposes. A minor normally derives residence
from the parent(s) they reside with or most recently resided with.
Evidence demonstrating intent can vary from case to case but will include, and is not limited to, the absence of residential ties to any other state, California voter registration and voting in California elections, maintaining active California bank accounts, filing California income tax returns and listing a California
address on federal tax returns, owning residential property
or occupying or renting an apartment where permanent belongings are kept, maintaining active memberships in California
professional or social organizations, and maintaining a permanent military address and home of record in California.
Adult noncitizens establish residence in the same manner as citizens, unless precluded by the Immigration and Nationality
Act from establishing domicile in the United States. Unmarried
minor noncitizens derive their residence in the same manner as unmarried minor citizens except that both parent and minor must have an immigration status consistent with establishing domicile in the United States.
Exceptions to the general residence requirements are contained
in California Education Code sections 68070-68084 and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Subchapter 5, Article 4, sections 41906-41906.5, and include, but are not limited to, members of the military and their dependents, certain
credentialed employees of school districts, and most students
who have attended three years of high school in California and graduated or attained the equivalent. Whether an exception applies to a particular student cannot be determined
before the submission of an application for admission and, as necessary, additional supporting documentation. Because neither campus nor chancellor’s office staff may give advice on the application of these laws, applicants are strongly urged to review the material for themselves and consult
with a legal adviser.
Nonresident students seeking reclassification are required to complete a supplemental questionnaire including questions
concerning their financial dependence, which will be considered along with physical presence and intent in determining
reclassification. Reclassifications are coordinated through the Office of Admissions.
Resident determination dates are set each term. The residence
determination dates are September 20 for fall, January 25 for spring, and June 1 for summer. The residence determination
dates for the four stages of CalStateTEACH are September 20 (Stage 1), January 5 (Stage 2), June 1 (Stage 3), and September 20 (Stage 4).
Students classified as non-residents may appeal a final campus decision within 120 days of notification by the campus.
A campus residence classification appeal must be in writing
and submitted to:
The California State University
Office of General Counsel
401 Golden Shore, 4th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802-4210
The Office of General Counsel can either decide the appeal or send the matter back to the campus for further review.
Students incorrectly classified as residents or incorrectly granted an exception from nonresident tuition are subject to reclassification as nonresidents and payment of nonresident tuition in arrears. If incorrect classification results from false or concealed facts, the student is subject to discipline pursuant
to Section 41301 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.
Resident students who become nonresidents, or who no longer meet the criteria for an exception, must immediately notify the Office of Admissions.
Changes may have been made in the rate of nonresident tuition and in the statutes and regulations governing residence
for tuition purposes in California between the time this catalog is published and the relevant residence determination date. Students are urged to review the statutes and regulations
stated above.
7/21/07