Transfer to the California State University

Transfer students are eligible for admission as an upper division transfer student if they meet the following requirements:

1. Complete a minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester (90 quarter) units, of which 30 semester (45 quarter) units must be from general education.
   
   
2. Obtain a minimum 2.0 transfer GPA. Impacted majors often have higher GPA requirements for admission.
   
   
3. Be in "good standing" at the last institution you attended. Good standing means that you are eligible to re-enroll at your last college or university.
   
   
4. Complete “The Golden Four“ (Oral Communication, Written Communication, Critical Thinking, and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning) with a grade of “C-” or better. Pass/No-Pass grades are not recommended in these areas. (Note, students who plan to use Cal-GETC for general education must earn a grade of C or higher in the Golden Four.)

Students with less than 60 transferable units will be classified as lower division transfer students. 

Some CSU campuses limit lower-division transfer student admissions, or outright do not accept lower division transfer students (such as SDSU). Students should review the specific policies of the university they are interested in to confirm if they accept lower-division transfer applications.

Students are encouraged to complete a General Education pattern such as CSUGE-Breadth, IGETC or Cal-GETC (coming fall 2025) prior to transferring.

Note: Not all applicants who meet the above minimum CSU admission requirements will be offered admission. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor to discuss requirements for competitive admissions based on major and campus choice.

At minimum, transfer students will need to complete at least 60 transferable units in order to transfer as an Upper Division Transfer Student.

Transfer units generally are made up of:

1. General Education courses such as the courses noted on the CSU General Education pattern (used for CSU campuses only) or the IGETC pattern (can be used for CSU and UC campuses), or Cal-GETC. Cal-GETC will be the only GE Pattern available for new students beginning fall 2025 or later and can be used for transfer to the UC, CSU and many other schools. Students with catalog rights prior to fall 2025 have the option to continue with the CSU GE or IGETC patterns. 
   
   
2. Major Preparation Courses. Major preparation courses (also called "prep for major") are the courses established by the CSU campuses in order for students to effectively prepare for and advance to upper division coursework in the major after transferring. 
   • Students are strongly encouraged to complete all articulated major preparation courses to prepare for transfer and be competitive for admissions. 
   • ASSIST.org can help you find the major preparation courses for your major at many schools. Please check with a counselor to ensure you're following the correct courses.
     
     
3. Electives. Students who will not accumulate 60 transferable units through their GE courses and major preparation must complete transferable elective courses in order to transfer. 

Your course distribution may look different from the pie chart above. Depending on your campus and major, you may have more or fewer major prep courses, electives, or other requirements.

Note: Most schools will require that the courses necessary for transfer be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to fall transfer.

We recommend balancing your semesters with general education and prep for major courses when possible. Taking all of your GE courses first, and then waiting to take your prep for major courses can cause delays in transferring.

Work with your counselor to create an educational plan that will ensure you're taking the right courses at the right time to match your goals.

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How long does it take to transfer?

Transfer students typically spend 2 or more years completing their transfer coursework. The time required depends on factors such as whether students attend part-time or full-time, attend summer school/intersession, their chosen major, availability of coursework, individual circumstances, etc.

For example, students going into Nursing or STEM fields often have more extensive major preparation, which may require additional time to complete.

Note: Your diploma will not reflect how long it took you to earn your degree! Focus on a pace that works for you, balancing academic, personal, and work responsibilities.

The best degree is a completed degree!

Transfer students may be eligible for guaranteed admission to the California State University (CSU) system by completing one of the following pathways. Note: Some CSU campuses may offer additional guarantee programs for local students or specific populations.

CSU Transfer Success Pathway (TSP).

The CSU Transfer Success Pathway (TSP) is a dual admission program that guarantees admission for first-time college students pursuing a major included in TSP at their chosen campus.

Quick Facts about the CSU TSP:

• Students must sign a TSP agreement in their first semester, between August 1 - October 31.
• Students can sign one agreement for TSP.
• Students are required to transfer within 3 years of signing the agreement.
• Guarantees admission into a specific major at a specific college as long as it's part of the CSU Transfer Success Pathway and all requirements are met.

The Transfer Center hosts workshops throughout the summer and early fall terms so that eligible students can opt in to TSP beginning August 1st! 

View majors that SDSU offers through the CSU Transfer Success Pathway. (Majors are updated August 1st each year.)

Enroll in CSU TSP

Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT).

The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (SB 1440) created Associate Degrees for Transfer for California Community College students, offering a clear pathway to CSU degree majors. The Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degrees are specifically designed to simplify the transfer process to a CSU in a closely related major.

These degrees are also called "ADT's". 

Unlike traditional AA or AS degrees, the AA-T and AS-T align with specific majors and curriculum at California State University campuses, supporting a smoother transition.

Benefits of completing an AA-T or AS-T include:

• Priority consideration for transfer admission with a 0.1 GPA boost for some competitive or impacted CSU majors and campuses. Check if your campus or major is impacted here.
• A guarantee to be *redirected to an open CSU campus for a similar major if not admitted to any of the CSU campuses that you applied to. (For example, if you applied to SDSU and CSULB and were not admitted to either, your CSU application is eligible to be rerouted to a different CSU campus that has space for your major/a similar major.) *Must be a CA resident for tuition purposes to receive the guarantee of redirection.
• The ability to complete your bachelor's degree at a CSU in just 60 additional semester units after you transfer.

 

 

The Associate Degree for Transfer is called "A Degree with a Guarantee" because students who complete it are guaranteed a spot in a major that is similar someplace in the CSU system!

 

 

Note: Completing an ADT with a 2.0 or higher guarantees admission into the CSU system but does not guarantee admission to a specific campus or major.

The ADT is different from other Associate degrees offered by San Diego City College. Review the I Can Go to College web page for general information on the ADT Program.

Review SDCCD ADT's

Find out which CSU campuses accept each Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) here!

You may be guaranteed admission into SDSU if your major is part of the CSU Transfer Success Pathway at SDSU or offered as part of SDSU's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG).

CSU Transfer Success Pathway

Find information on the Transfer Success Pathway at SDSU here.

SDSU Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG):

SDSU offers a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) for California Community College transfer students applying to dozens of majors who meet the following criteria:

• Have not attempted any course work from any college outside SDSU's local admission area of community colleges. City, Mesa and Miramar are among several colleges in SDSU's service area. (Exception to the local admission area policy: SDSU accepts up to two courses taken through the California Virtual Campus (CVC). Check with your counselor on how to use the CVC.)
• Must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum requirements outlined by SDSU, including GPA requirements for your major, and completing all outlined coursework.

Visit the SDSU Transfer Pathways page to explore majors and their eligibility for the TAG Program. If your major is listed in the TAG column with an "X", it is part of the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. This means you can secure guaranteed admission if you meet the program requirements.

Meet with a counselor to ensure you can maximize these or other opportunities.

The Transfer Process begins nearly one year before the semester in which you intend to transfer, which means you will be applying for the upcoming fall admission cycle, while you're enrolled in the current fall semester of classes at San Diego City College (for fall transfers).

All CSU campuses offer fall admission, while only some campuses offer winter/spring admission. Check to see which campuses are accepting applications here.

SDSU typically announces whether spring admission will be available on or around August 1 each year.

General CSU Dates & Deadlines for Fall Transfer Students*

*Housing: Since campus housing is highly impacted and assigned first-come, first-served, it is recommended that you submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), housing contract or application, and first housing payment as early as possible.

*This is a general transfer timeline. Some campus timelines may vary. Please check with your specific campus for exact deadlines. If you need assistance, please meet with a counselor.

SDSU Transfer Timeline   CSUSM Transfer Timeline

The transfer application for each of the CSU campuses is the same and can be found on the Cal State Apply website. 

Note: Some colleges (such as SJSU, CSULB, etc.) and programs at various colleges (i.e., music, dance, film, etc) may require supplemental materials as part of the application process. Please review the college and major website for additional information.

SDSU has a video tutorial of the Cal State Apply application that may be useful for all CSU-bound students.

Cal State Apply offers a helpful PDF Guide to support you in completing your transfer application. 

During the fall and winter/spring application cycles, the Transfer Center hosts a variety of workshops and application labs to assist students in completing their application. You'll find these workshops listed on our events page.

Many of the CSU campuses will host virtual and in-person application workshops to support students throughout the application process.

Find additional tips on our CSU Application Hub page.

Sign up for our Transfer Email list so you can stay up to date on important events and information!

Sign up for our Email List! 

Explore a variety of CSU campuses HERE

Find out which CSU campuses offer your major:

CSU Major Search

Transfer Major Explorer

Need some flexibility as you work toward your degree? Through Cal State Online, students can pursue online or hybrid Certificate Programs, Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Degree Programs.

The CSU Transfer Planner is an online tool designed to help California Community College students explore and plan their transfer journey to any of the 23 California State University campuses. With the CSU Transfer Planner, you can:

• Discover information about CSU campuses, programs, and transfer requirements.
• Save degree programs to your account for easy access.
• Track your community college coursework and general education progress while comparing your GPA to transfer requirements.
• Get tips on transferring to your chosen CSU efficiently.
• Transfer your coursework into your Cal State Apply account when you're ready to transfer.

CSU campuses can also discover you and share information about degree programs.

Whether you're preparing to transfer or exploring your options, the CSU Transfer Planner can help you connect to resources!

Check out this CSU Transfer Planner walkthrough, courtesy of CSU Stanislaus:

Create a CSU Transfer Planner Account