Cal State Apply 2024-25 International Application User Guide

International Application Guide
2024-2025

INTRODUCTION AND PREPARING TO APPLY

What is Cal State Apply?
Cal State Apply is the Centralized Application System for all 23 universities in the California State University (CSU) system. You only need to submit ONE Cal State Apply application even if you are applying to multiple CSU campuses (note: each campus you apply to requires a $70 fee).
When to fill out the application
Use these charts and the information below to help guide you on application deadlines:
Undergraduate Applicants

Review the Application Dates & Deadlines information on calstate.edu/apply before starting your application to find out which programs are available for each term.

Graduate Applicants

• Be sure to apply for the correct term. Do not apply before the “application opens” date listed in the chart above. A submitted application is only considered for the term which you applied.
• Deadlines vary from campus to campus, and not all campuses accept applications each term, nor for every program. For details, contact the campus admission office.
• There may be supplemental materials and/requirements you are asked to provide. Check the campus website(s) for more details, and be sure to check your email regularly.

How to apply
Start by visiting calstate.edu/apply.
Then, click the term you are applying for in the drop-down menu. About this guide
This guide provides instructions for international applicants on creating an account in Cal State Apply and completing the Personal Information, Academic History, and Program Materials sections of the application as they relate to international applicants.
While some parts of the application may not be covered in this guide, you can find detailed help text within the Cal State Apply application and the Applicant Help Center.
Who should use this guide
For the purpose of the admission application, you are an international applicant if you require an F1 or J1 visa to study in the United States. Applicants with other visa statuses may also use this guide.
Information to review before you apply
The calstate.edu/apply website provides general information about campuses, programs and minimum admissions requirements for international students. Please review the information prior to applying,
It is also recommended you view the campus website for details on requirements. From the calstate.edu/apply/international page select the campus under “Choosing a Campus.” For questions and detailed information, please contact the campus directly.

About the Applicant Help Center
Use this guide as a supplement to the instructions provided in the Applicant Help Center. To access the Applicant Help Center, click on your name in the upper right hand corner of the Cal State Apply application.

FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION

Setting up your Cal State Apply account (new users)
Once you’ve selected the appropriate term and hit “apply” from the Cal State Apply website, you will be taken to the application portal for that term.
Create an account (My Profile)

• Be sure this is an email address you will check regularly. Official communication regarding admissions and other important information usually comes via email.
• You will only need to create an account once. After that, sign in with your Username and Password.

Completing your Extended Profile
Be sure to answer questions on the Extended Profile correctly. The application is dynamic, meaning that answers you provide on the Extended Profile determine which question blocks (tiles) appear for the remainder of the application and what programs (majors) are available for you to choose. Come back to your questions on the Extended Profile any time if you need to make corrections by clicking your name on the top right-hand corner. Degree Goal

• First Bachelor’s Degree: Select if you are seeking your first bachelor’s degree and have not earned a prior bachelor’s degree
• Second Bachelor’s Degree: Select if you already have earned a prior bachelor’s degree.

Educational Status
For First Bachelor’s, select which of the following best describes your educational status. If you are unsure which best describes you, please visit this page of the Applicant Help Center. For Second Bachelor’s, select one or more of the following degree goals. Returning Students
A returning student is someone who previously attended a CSU campus, left, and are now applying to return to the same CSU campus they had previously attended. Select Yes if it applies to you. Then you will be prompted to select the campus and enter your Campus ID. If you are not a returning student, select No and proceed. US Military Status
If you have never served in the United States Military, select “No. I have not served in the US military.”
Otherwise, select the appropriate response from the drop-down menu. Residency – F1 and J1 Visa
If you have or will require an F1 Visa (student) or J1 Visa (exchange) to study at the CSU, select Yes. If not, select No. Selecting No indicates you are a domestic applicant.
Selecting what program(s) you will apply to
After you complete your Extended Profile, you will be taken to the Add Program page. This is where you can select the specific program(s) you will apply to.
Finding a program
You can begin by typing in a campus name or a program (major) in the search box. You can also use the filters to narrow down your search quickly.
Selecting a program
Once you have found a program you wish to apply to, click the plus sign to the far left of the program name.This will add it to your application.
Common mistake to avoid: Applying to the wrong campus. Check the entire name of the campus and program carefully. You can apply to as many campuses as you wish, but note you can only apply to one program per campus.
Once you are done making your selection(s), click Continue To My Application.

Reviewing your selection(s)
Before moving on, review your program selections.
This page shows you all programs you are applying to, your application status, and total fees due.
You will review this information again on the Submit Application tab to ensure you are ready to submit.          How the information you enter is used
The CSU uses self-reported coursework to calculate overall GPA and to determine admission eligibility.
Failure to report all coursework completed may adversely affect admission eligibility and could result in a denial decision.
The four parts (quadrants) of your application
Click the My Application tab to complete the rest of your application. You must complete all sections within a quadrant. All quadrants must be complete to submit your application.

HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED

My High Schools
Add up to five (5) high schools attended, from grades 9-12. Add each high school you attended individually. Do not add middle school, nor colleges attended in this section. ![Cal State Apply 2024-25 International Application

• FIG 14](https://manuals.plus/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cal-State- Apply-2024-25-International-Application-FIG-14.png)If you have attended a high school/secondary school outside of the United States:

  • Enter the name, location and dates of attendance. In the next section (Academic Information) you will be asked to complete additional information.

Steps to add your high school(s) to the application
STEP 1 – Click Add a High School. STEP 2 – To narrow your search, enter Country. Enter either State, city, zip code, or CEEB code.
STEP 3 – In the High School Name field, begin to enter your school’s name. Click on the appropriate school as it appears.
STEP 4 – If you attend a home school, click on the Home School tab. Manually enter the name of your home school, associated school or organization.

Not seeing your high school on the list? Try entering any abbreviations of your school’s name or attempt a second word in your school name. If the name of the school still does not appear, you may manually enter by selecting Can’t find your school?. If you are reporting a California high school, manually entering your high school is not recommended. STEP 5 – Enter the dates you attended the school. Incorrect attendance dates will prevent you from entering coursework on the High School Coursework part of the application.
STEP 6 – Select your high school’s term type. Use the guide below to determine your high school’s term type:
What if your high school has multiple term types? If your high school offers courses that have various term types, or has converted term types during your attendance then you must report the high school once for each term type. Unsure about what term type(s) fit your school? Speak with your high school counselor.

TERM TYPE GUIDE
How many grades does your high school give you per course each academic year?
1 grade given = Full year term type
2 grades given = Semester term type
3 grades given = Trimester term type
4 grades given = Quarter term type

Graduation Status
If you have received or expect to receive a high school diploma, select that option. Then, select the school granting you the diploma. Enter the date you received/expect to receive the diploma.
If you have or will have received a high school equivalency (e.g. GED, HiSET, or TASC), select that option.
Then, enter the date you received/expect to receive it by clicking on the calendar icon. Use the left or right arrows to change the year. Once you are in the correct year, select the appropriate month. ONCE YOU HAVE ALL REQUIRED FIELDS COMPLETED, THE “SAVE THIS SCHOOL” BUTTON WILL TURN BLUE. CLICK SAVE AND PROCEED TO THE NEXT SECTION OF THE APPLICATION.

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Academic Information
If you have not and do not expect to earn a high school diploma or high school equivalency, please select that option.
If you have not attended high school/secondary school outside of the United States:

• Select No.
• You are complete with this section and may move onto the next section of the application.

If you have attended high school/secondary school outside the United States:

• Select yes.
• List your Academic Performance (High School GPA, Standing, Percentage, etc.).
• List the name of Degree/Diploma (e.g. Diploma, A-Level, Abitur, Certificado).

COLLEGES ATTENDED

What to include for Colleges Attended
Complete this section carefully and do not click Save until you have reviewed the information you entered. You cannot edit previously entered colleges and universities once you’ve saved.
In this section you will add all colleges/universities attended.

• For each college/university entered include any degrees awarded or will be awarded.
• Report each college only once, regardless of the number of degrees earned or gaps in dates of attendance.
• Include international post-secondary colleges* and U.S. colleges you attended regardless of accreditation status.

For college credit outside the United States/Canada
For a college/institution outside the United States/Canada, you will be given the option to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript. This is not required but may expedite the processing of your application.
Add a College of University
Follow these steps for each college/university you’ve attended or are currently attending.
STEP ONE – Select Add a College or University.
STEP TWO – Type in the name of the college/university.
Begin typing the full institution name. The system will display results that match the information. Select the correct matching institution.   Additional matches may be further down the list. Scroll down using your mouse or the down arrow to see potential matches.
Can’t find your college/university?
The lookup table includes all domestic and international institutions with a College Board CEEB code. If you are unable to find your institution, verify the name is entered without abbreviations and matches the official name on your transcript. If the institution is still not found, select “Can’t find your school” and complete the additional information requested. Degree information
Identify whether or not you completed (Degree Awarded) or will complete (Degree In Progress) an associate degree or other degree(s) prior to transfer. If yes, you will be asked to provide details on the type of degree, date earned/will earn, your major, minor, and whether you had a double major.If you do not see your major or minor listed, select a related major or one of the “Other” options at the bottom of the list.
If you identified yourself as an Associate Degree for Transfer (AD-T) student in the Extended Profile questions on your application, then be sure to select the appropriate degree from the list here – either an Associate of Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or an Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T). You should not select these options if you have not completed or will not complete an approved Associate Degree for Transfer (AD-T). Term Type
Select the type of term the college/university used while you attended. Refer back to the Term Type Guide in the High Schools Attended section for help.
Once you’ve selected the term type, you will be prompted to enter the term, month, and year that you first attended and your last attended. If you are still attending, be sure to check the box “Check if you are still attending this college of university” under the Last Quarter drop downs.

HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK

Reporting foreign (outside US) high schools
If your coursework is split between a US and a non-US high school
For applicants that have some of their credit taken outside the US and some of it taken at a US high school, enter only US high school coursework that meets the A-G requirements. For instructions see the High School Coursework section of the Help Center.
Students in this scenario may not fulfill all of the A-G subjects on this application. The campus admissions office will review the file and include the international coursework using transcripts provided by the applicant.
If all coursework is taken at US high school or International American high school For applicants whose coursework is taken entirely at a US high school or an International American high school, enter in the coursework that fulfills the A-G requirements. In the A-G Matching section of the application, these applicants should also follow the instructions to match their coursework to A-G requirements.
For help on entering US high school coursework into your application, see the steps in the Freshmen Application Guide or the Transfer Application Guide (High School Coursework section).
You are not required to complete the following areas for foreign (outside US) high schools:

• High School Coursework
• A-G Matching sections for foreign high schools.

This includes applicants who are US citizens and only attended foreign high schools, as well as applicants who only attended foreign high schools but may have taken a US course.

COLLEGE COURSEWORK

What to include in College Coursework
Complete the College Coursework section by entering all college courses you’ve taken, have planned, or have in progress. This includes non-transferable courses and repeated courses. College Coursework for foreign institutions is not required.
Use official copies of your transcripts and enter courses carefully as they appear on your transcripts. Initial admission eligibility determination is made based on applicant reported courses and grades.
Domestic undergraduate degree applicants are required to enter all college coursework based on transcript information as it appears on the transcript.
Adding college coursework
On the College Coursework main page, you should see each college/university you entered into the Colleges Attended section. Under the college/university name, you will have a progress bar and a Start button. Hit the Start button to begin entering courses for that college/university.
Adding a term
You will enter your courses by term. Start by adding your first term. Depending on the term type you selected in Colleges Attended, it will prompt you to add a semester, trimester, or quarter (example shows “add a semester”) Then, enter term, year, academic status and completion status.

• Term and Year: The options that appear are based on information you entered in the Colleges Attended section. If you are still attending the college/university, future years display to allow entry of in-progress and planned courses, If the year is missing you can go back to Colleges Attended to update the dates of attended for the college/university.
• Academic Status: Corresponds to the number of credits completed at the time you began that term. Use the guide on the right to help determine academic status. For any courses that were taken outside of the typical academic statuses, select Freshman.

Freshman: 0-29 semester credits
Sophomore: 30-58 semester credits
Junior: 60-89 semester credits
Senior: 90+ semester credits
Enter course information for the term line by line, following the sequence of the transcript copy you are using for reference. Complete all fields for a course before selecting to add another course. After each line, select “Add A Course” to continue entering courses for the specified term.
Enter a course
Enter course information for the term line by line, following the sequence of the transcript copy you are using for reference. Complete all fields for a course before selecting to add another course. After each line, select “Add a Course” to continue entering courses for the specified term, until all your courses are entered for that term.
STEP ONE – Click Add a Course to add courses for that term.
STEP TWO – Enter the course code.

• Department prefixes (Subject) and course numbers must exactly match what appears on your official transcript. Do not enter any space between the subject and the number (e.g. enter “BIO2,” not “BIO 2”)
• As you type in the course, those listed in the ASSIST transferable course table appear in the drop-down list.
• If your course does not appear on the drop-down list automatically, manually enter the course subject and number exactly at it is listed on your transcript.

STEP THREE – Enter the course title.

• Course title and course credits will pre-populate if selected form the Course Code results list (previous step).
• If you manually entered a Course Code, you must also manually enter the Course Title.
• This box allows you to enter the full title even though only part of the title is visible on the screen.

STEP FOUR – Select the course subject area.

• Select the subject area from the drop-down list. In most cases, it is the same as the Course Code entered before.
• This field does not default with a value so make sure you select a subject for each course line as you cannot save the page without entering this information.
• It is recommended that you select the more specific subject, if available. If there is no corresponding subject, select Special Topics.

STEP FIVE – Enter the course credits exactly as they appear on your transcript.

• Enter the first digit, and then use the pulldown to select the decimal value.
• If credits automatically populate from Course Code entry earlier, double-check that the values match what is listed on your transcript. You may need to adjust credit amounts for variable credit courses.

STEP SIX – Enter the grade exactly as it appears on your transcript, including any pluses or minuses. All attempts and grades should be included.

• Enter Pass grades as “P” and Credit grades as “CR.”
• If your grades are listed as “BA,” “CB,” or “DC,” you must list them as “AB,” “BC,” and “CD” in order for the system to recognize them (higher grade first).
• If your grades are listed as numbers (e.g., 93), enter them exactly as they appear on your transcript. They will automatically convert to the equivalent CAS letter grade.
• If you have repeated courses or Academic Renewal courses to report, see this section of the guide for details.
• The CAS Grade populates automatically. This allows us to standardize your coursework for all programs and cannot be edited.

STEP SEVEN – Click the checkbox if the course is CSU transferable. This box is defaulted to be unchecked so you must check the box to note the course is transferable. Tips for determining course transferability

• California Community College students can use ASSIST.org to view CSU transferability.
• Course numbering system on the back of the transcript or in course catalog often indicates college level, bachelor degree applicable courses.
• CCC course catalog may indicate CSU in the course description.
• Does not include college preparatory or remedial level coursework.
• Check with transfer counselor at community college

CSU GE for International Transfer applications
Applicants with only international coursework will not enter General Education information. If credit history includes some U.S. credits that qualify for GE, designate credit towards the eligible GE categories.
Otherwise, click Opt Out for each GE that you do not have a corresponding course to match from your College Coursework entry.

Add additional terms/semesters
Select “Add A Semester” to add courses for another term. Repeat steps until all terms have been entered.
For terms that are in progress or planned, select In Progress/Planned in the drop-down box in the term header.
Grades are not required for in progress or planned terms.

Once coursework entry is completed for all reported colleges, double check your information by visiting the main page of the College Coursework section (click “College Coursework” on the left). Run through these steps to make sure you’ve reported everything accurately. Remember, no changes can be made to coursework entry once you submit your application.

• Compare the information to your transcript. Make sure to enter ALL courses with correct unit and grade values. This includes non-transferable courses, withdrawals and repeats.
• Verify the Transferable box selection for all transferable courses, regardless of grade entered.

Checking your transfer GPA
Once all coursework has been entered you can preview your Transfer GPA by selecting Calculate my Transfer GPA at the top right of the main College Coursework page. If you add additional courses, you can recalculate.

Repeats and Academic Renewal
For admission purposes, the CSU honors “the grading policies of the institution where credit was earned by accepting official transcript entries including those reflecting academic renewal, repeat, and incomplete grades” (CSU Admission Handbook).
How to enter grades for repeats and academic renewal
Repeats: If transcript identifies the course as repeated and excludes the course from the college/institution GPA, enter a grade of “RP,” unless the repeat is in progress. If a repeat is in progress, the original grade is reported.
Academic Renewal: If your college offers academic renewal, use a grade of AR for courses noted as such on the transcript.

A-G MATCHING

About A-G Matching
You are not required to complete the following areas for foreign (outside US) high schools:

• High School Coursework
• A-G Matching sections for foreign high schools.

This includes applicants who are US citizens and only attended foreign high schools, as well as applicants who only attended foreign high schools but may have taken a US course.
If your coursework is split between a US and a non-US high school
For applicants that have some of their credit taken outside the US and some of it taken at a US high school, enter only US high school coursework that meets the A-G requirements. For instructions see the High School Coursework section of the Help Center.
Students in this scenario may not fulfill all of the A-G subjects on this application. The campus admissions office will review the file and include the international coursework using transcripts provided by the applicant.
All coursework from US high school or International American high school
For applicants whose coursework is taken entirely at a US high school or an International American high school, enter in the coursework that fulfills the A-G requirements. In the A-G Matching section of the application, these applicants should also follow the instructions to match their coursework to A-G requirements.
For help on entering US high school coursework into your application, see the steps in the Freshmen Application Guide or the Transfer Application Guide (High School Coursework section).

STANDARDIZED TESTS

Reporting standardized tests
In this section, you can self-report your standardized test scores or self- report tests you plan to take, such as SAT, ACT, AP, IB and CLEP, IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, GRE, GMAT results or or the date you plan to take the tests.
For Freshman admissions, the CSU will not be using standardized tests to determine your admission eligibility, although they may be used once you are admitted to place you in the appropriate math and English courses, as applicable. For more information, please visit the First-time Freshman Frequently Asked Questions page of the website.

To add a test score or planned test, simply click Add Test Score under the related test name. If applicable, select the test subject. It will ask if you have taken the test or exam. If no, add the date you plan to take the test. If yes, add your test ID, the date you took the test and the test score. Once you have entered test information, click Save This Test.
No tests to report? If you have not taken any standardized tests and do not have any planned, click:

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Achievements
Enter any relevant professional or academic achievements in this section by clicking “Add an Achievement.” For undergraduate applicants, achievements will not be used during the consideration of your application for admission; you may select “I Am Not Adding Any Achievements” if you do not have any or do not want to add any achievements.

PROGRAM MATERIALS

Program Materials
For each program you are applying to, you will see one blue tile. Click into each tile to find information for the specific program and, if applicable, questions or documents for you to complete.              Once you select the tile, you will see information about that program on the Home tab. Note that you cannot submit your application if you do not complete all required information in Program Materials. Questions

In the Questions section, you may be asked to complete multiple choice, essay, or other questions pertaining to your program(s) of interest.
Questions that are required will be marked with an * asterisk and are required for submission. Questions that are optional are not required for application submission.
Answer all required questions, and when you have completed answering the questions, click Save in the top right corner. Documents

In the Documents section, you will attach any required documents such as statement of purpose, unofficial transcripts, CV/Resume, writing sample, and many others. Documents listed as optional are not required for submission but may be attached by the applicant for review by the program.
To attach a document, make sure your file is in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png format. The size limit for each file upload is 15MB, and the document cannot be passcode protected.
Select Add Document and attach the corresponding file.
Once the document is attached, you can preview the document by clicking the blue link in the file name, or you can remove the document by clicking the trash can icon.
Required Documents Recommendations In the Recommendations section, you will provide contact information for each of your recommenders. The recommender will receive a separate, secure email where they will upload your recommendation letter.
Fill in the recommender’s First Name, Last Name, Email Address, Due Date, and a Personal Message.      Once the recommender’s information has been updated, you may track the status of the recommendation and update the contact information at any point until the recommendation is completed.
Once the recommendation status changes to “Completed,” the recommendation can no longer be edited.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Submitting your application
Once submitted, your application cannot be changed with minor exceptions. Incomplete or inaccurate information may affect admission eligibility.

You are ready to submit when the first three quadrants are highlighted green, at least one of the Program Materials section is completed, and a red 1 appears on the Submit Application tab.
If you are applying to more than one program, you can either click Submit All or click Submit under each program that you wish to apply to. You can submit to programs at different times if you wish, as long as it is prior to the application deadline.
Review the Summary Page carefully before submitting
Note any warning symbols and red text that may require you to update or fix something in your application before submitting. Review your programs. This is the last chance to review, so please do it carefully. There are no refunds issued if you make a mistake. You can remove a program by clicking the trashcan icon on the submit application tab.
When ready, click continue and note the Fee Total. Here, enter payment details including credit card and confirm your billing address. Select Continue to proceed with payment processing.
Application Fee Waivers
The CSU does not provide application fee waivers to graduate or international applicants. Applicants must submit a $70 application fee for every application submitted.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Troubleshooting common issues
I am having a technical issue with completing the application. How can I contact customer support?
Log in to Cal State Apply to and chat with customer support. Alternatively, email CalStateApply@liaisoncas.com or call 857-304-2087. Visit the Cal State Apply Applicant Help Center to verify hours of operation.
Be sure to have your CAS ID number (located under your name in the upper-right corner of the application) when contacting Cal State Apply via phone or email. Changes to your application
I have new or updated information to submit. How can I do this?
There are limitations to updating information on Cal State Apply. Please contact the campus(es) to confirm how to submit any new or updated information.
I made a mistake on my application. How can I fix it?
Once you submit your application, the information on the application cannot be edited on Cal State Apply.
Please contact the campus(es) you applied to and provide the correct information.
Admissions-related questions
When do I send my transcript?
Submit transcripts only when requested by the campus(es) you applied. Ensure transcripts and other documents are submitted by the deadline for the program you applied. See the program or campus website or contact the campus for details.
Where or how will I receive the admission decision?
The admission decision will not be found within Cal State Apply. You will hear directly from the campus (usually via email) regarding your admission decision.

INTERNATIONAL GUIDE 2024-2025
CAL STATE APPLY
LAST REVISED 10/2/23

Documents / Resources

| Cal State Apply 2024-25 International Application [pdf] User Guide
2024-25 International Application, 2024-25, International Application, Application
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References

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