First-Year Students

Fall 2027

Application opens August 1. Submit October 1–November 30. Plan ahead and prepare early.

Application Resources

Application Checklist Cal State Apply

Your Path to Becoming an SDSU Aztec

Fall 2027

August 1: Application opens — create your account and begin preparing your application.
October 1–November 30: Submit your completed application during the official filing period.
November 30: Application deadline. No late applications are accepted.

Who Is a First-Year Student?

You can apply as a first-year student if you:

Are on track to graduate with a high school diploma by spring 2027
Graduated high school but have not taken college courses beyond the summer after graduation

Our admissions process considers a comprehensive range of factors for each applicant. We seek to enroll students who are both academically qualified and demonstrate the potential to contribute to San Diego State University's diverse community. SDSU Aztecs have a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and passions. Decisions are based on the information you report on your application and the academic qualifications of the applicant pool.

To meet minimum admission requirements, you must complete a 15-unit comprehensive pattern of college preparatory courses (known in California as A–G requirements) with grades of C- or higher. You must complete your subject requirements by the end of the spring term before enrolling at SDSU.

Review the list of A–G requirements.
A‑G	Subject	Years	Specifications
A	Social Science	2 years required	Must include one year of U.S. history and government.
B	English	4 years required	Acceptable courses must include substantial reading of classic/modern literature and writing of structured papers. Elective courses do not fulfill the English requirement.
C	Mathematics	3 years required; 4 recommended	Acceptable courses include algebra I, algebra II, geometry and other advanced courses that require algebra and geometry as prerequisites. Computer programming courses do not fulfill the math subject requirement.
D	Laboratory Science	2 years required; 3 recommended	Must include one year of biological science and one year of physical science. Both must have a laboratory component.
E	Foreign Language	2 years required	Must be the same language. Subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence.
F	Visual and Performing Arts	1 year required	Must be a year-long visual and performing arts course selected from visual art, dance, drama/theatre or music. May complete two semester-long courses from the same discipline.
G	Electives	1 year required	College preparatory courses selected from the areas listed above or other approved college preparatory A–G courses.

We consider the breadth and depth of your academic record, and encourage you to challenge yourself by taking a rigorous curriculum including Advanced Placement (AP), honors and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes.

CSU Minimum First-Year Eligibility

SDSU is an impacted campus with a competitive applicant pool. The average high school GPA for admitted students is 3.9. First-year students must meet the following minimum CSU eligibility requirements to be considered:

Be a high school graduate or equivalent
Complete 15 year-long college preparatory courses with C- grades or higher upon graduation from high school
Earn a qualifying A–G grade point average (GPA):
- 2.5 GPA or greater for California residents and graduates of a California high school
- 3.0 GPA or greater for non-California residents and graduates of a non-California high school

You must choose a major when you apply to SDSU. All majors are competitive, and every major has more applicants than available spots (impaction). While we look at all of the college preparatory coursework you have taken during high school, we also consider your performance and the number of units taken in courses most relevant to predict success in your intended academic discipline.

Computer Science and Engineering: Preference is given to applicants who have taken and earned strong grades in science and mathematics courses.
Dance; Music; Musical Theatre; Television, Film and New Media-Production; and Theatre Arts-Performance: Applicants must successfully pass an audition or portfolio and meet general admissions requirements for admission to the major and the university.
Nursing: You must earn a B or better grade in high school intermediate algebra, biology and chemistry with lab courses for consideration. If AP or IB courses are taken in these areas, you must earn a B or better grade in the course. Preference is given to applicants who have taken and earned strong grades in science and mathematics courses. Admission to the Direct Entry Nursing program is highly competitive. Review our Bachelor's of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry web page for more information.

Special consideration is given to students who have overcome life obstacles, participated in college preparatory programs and/or attended high schools within SDSU's local admission area.

Note: In alignment with the California State University (CSU) system, SDSU no longer uses SAT or ACT exam scores from first-year applicants for determining admission eligibility. If accepted, ACT or SAT test scores can be used as one of the measures to place students in the proper mathematics and/or written communication courses.

Before You Apply

Get organized, review requirements and prepare your application before the filing period opens.

Cal State Apply Checklist

Before you begin your application, have the following items on hand:
- Unofficial transcripts (both high school and college transcripts, if applicable). You'll be asked to enter all courses you've completed, those currently in progress and courses you plan to take. Enter your grades as they appear on your transcript using your school grading scale. Transcripts will be requested by campuses as needed.
- Your citizenship status.
- Credit card or PayPal account. Application fees are due at time of submission.
- Annual income. If you are a dependent, then report your parents’ income. If you are independent, then report your income.
- Educational Program, Work and Extracurricular Participation Information. You will need to provide the years you participated in college preparation programs and your average number of hours per week of work and/or participation in extracurricular activities.
- Information needed to apply to EOP (if applying). Review the Apply to EOP web page for information about materials needed to complete the optional EOP application.
- Test scores (optional). If you have taken or plan to take the ACT, SAT, AP or IB exams, you may include the information on your application. Reporting test scores is not required. SAT and ACT scores will not be used for determining who gets admitted into the CSU. If you are accepted, the campus will use official test scores for placement into mathematics and English courses.
- California statewide student ID (optional). Every K-12 student in a California public school is assigned an ID number. The number should be printed on your transcript.
Parent/Guardian Communication
The Office of Admissions will communicate information to parents or guardians using the email addresses provided on Cal State Apply if you grant permission. Parent or guardian email addresses are not updated after the application is submitted.

How to Apply

Review application requirements and submit your application through Cal State Apply.

Use the CSU admission application, Cal State Apply, to apply.
A nonrefundable filing fee of $70 must accompany your application.
As a first-year applicant, you have the option to choose an alternate major on the Cal State Apply application. If you are not selected for your first-choice major, then you may be considered for your alternate major if space is available.
Need help with the Cal State Apply application? Review the video tutorials or the Cal State Apply Application Guide. Are you an out-of-state student? Review the Academic History Guide for Applicants from Out of State.

Admission decisions are initially based on self-reported data on the application, meaning we do not need your transcripts until after you are admitted. You must provide complete and accurate information on your application, such as high school GPA, course titles and grades. Transcripts will be used to verify your self-reported information and any misreporting or omissions will jeopardize your admission status.

Before submitting your Cal State Apply application, carefully review all information for accuracy and completeness. Once your application has been submitted, the Office of Admissions cannot accept changes or corrections.

Apply to SDSU

After the application period ends, we will give special attention to reviewing your application. Admissions decisions are made in the spring. If you are admitted:

C- or Higher

Courses you listed on your application as in progress or planned must be completed with grades of C- or higher by the end of the spring 2027 term, or any offer of admission may be withdrawn.

GPA

You must maintain your reported overall GPA. If you earn a D or F during your senior year or if your GPA drops below what was reported on your application, any offer of admission may be withdrawn.

Misreport

If you misreported a required course, any offer of admission may be withdrawn.

Already Applied?

Track your application, review your admission status and complete next steps

Housing Requirement

All first-year students who graduate from a high school outside of SDSU's local admission area during spring 2027 will be required to live on campus for two years. First-year and second-year students who live in SDSU campus housing are proven to academically outperform their peers who live off campus. National and local statistics show that students who live on campus enjoy an increased sense of community and campus connectedness, are better prepared academically and graduate at faster rates than those who do not. Compared to students who live off campus, those who live on campus at SDSU have higher GPAs, take more units and are more likely to graduate in four years.

The Sophomore QUEST program enables program participants to receive customized career development support; flexible guest, meal and roommate policies; and enhanced safety and security. For more information about the Sophomore QUEST program and housing information, visit the Housing and Residential Education website.

Review and become familiar with the First-Year On-Campus Resident Parking Policy.