International First-Year Steps to Apply

Complete the Cal State Apply online application with the $70 USD nonrefundable application fee. Submit the online application with the nonrefundable $70 USD application fee before submitting any other documents.

Guidelines for Completing the Cal State Apply Application

1. The name on your Cal State Apply application should match your name as it appears on your passport.
2. Date of birth must be written in Month/Day/Year format (mm/dd/yyyy).
3. You are required to select an intended major/program of study. Undeclared is not an option. As a first-year international 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.
4. If you are applying to the international business major, then you must select a language emphasis that is not your native language.
5. After you submit your application you will receive an email confirmation.
6. Do not submit transcripts or test scores prior to submitting the online application.

Apply to SDSU

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After completing the Cal State Apply application, visit SDSU's First-Years: Requirements by Country web page. Carefully review your country of study to determine the exact academic records SDSU requires in order for you to be considered for admission. If your country of study is not listed or if you have questions about the documents required of you, please contact the International Admissions Office.

First-Years: Requirements by Country

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Within two weeks of submitting your Cal State Apply application, you will receive an email from San Diego State University that includes your SDSUid. Your SDSUid is an identifier to securely access many campus IT services, including my.SDSU, the official online portal for student admissions, student records, financial aid, tuition and fee payment, and more. Please follow the instructions provided in the email to activate your SDSUid account.

Visit my.SDSU and select my.SDSU Login. Enter your SDSUid and password, and select Sign In to log in to my.SDSU.

• Keep your email address updated on your my.SDSU account, as email is SDSU's official form of student communication. It is recommended that you check your email account regularly.
  • Use the Profile tile to review and update your contact information, if needed.
• Track Your Status
  • Use the Admissions tile to check the status of your application.
  • Use the Tasks tile to review any checklist items (To Do's) you need to complete.
• Dance, music, musical theatre, and theatre arts-performance applicants will receive an email with further instructions from the department regarding the audition requirement.

Need Help?

If you did not receive the email with your SDSUid or have questions regarding your SDSUid, you can get help from IT services. Learn how to activate your SDSUid on the SDSUid Help web page, or check out the How Do I Activate My SDSUid? video tutorial. Please reach out to the Student Help Resources available to you if you are experiencing difficulties with your account.

For help with my.SDSU, review the my.SDSU Student Resources page.

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High School Transcripts From All High Schools Attended

San Diego State University will accept unofficial transcripts for initial evaluation. To be considered for admission, please upload unofficial transcripts from all high schools attended in PDF format through my.SDSU. Admitted students will be required to submit official documents as part of the Intent to Enroll process and submit final documents prior to Orientation.

• Log in to my.SDSU and select the option to upload documents.
• Please note that after your transcripts are uploaded, it will take a few weeks for these to be updated on my.SDSU as they are being reviewed and evaluated by International Admissions.
• Once you have uploaded your documents in my.SDSU, please do not submit duplicates. This will only cause delay with processing your documents.

High School Diploma/Graduation Certificate

If you have completed high school at the time of your application, you must upload a copy of your diploma/graduation certificate with your unofficial transcripts through my.SDSU. If you are in your final year of high school, you will be required to submit a copy of your diploma/graduation certificate prior to enrollment at SDSU.

English Translation

If the high school transcript(s) and diploma/graduation certificate are not issued in English, you must upload a certified literal English translation of each document, which must come directly from your high school or from a professional, certified translator. The translation must contain all information shown on the original language documents in the same format.

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All international first-year students, regardless of citizenship status or native language, applying to SDSU from an institution where the medium of instruction was not English or from a country* who official/primary language is not English, must submit proof of English proficiency. San Diego State University will accept one of the following unofficial test score reports for initial evaluation:

• TOEFL 80 iBT/ 550 PBT or higher. Test score must be from within the past two years.
• IELTS overall score of 6.5 or higher. The test score must be from within the past two years.
• Duolingo English Test score of 105 or higher is required. The test score must be from within the past two years.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 58 or higher. Test score must be from within the past two years.
• Completion of SDSU's American Language Institute Level 106 course with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• ACT English section: Score of 22 or higher.
• SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing score of 550.
• Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) exam: Score of 4 to 7.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Test (Language & Composition or Literature & Composition): Score of 3 or higher.

Upload Unofficial Test Score Report(s) in my.SDSU

To be considered for admission, please upload unofficial test score report(s) in PDF format through my.SDSU. Log in to my.SDSU and select the option to upload your unofficial test scores.

Your name on your test score report must match the name in my.SDSU. If the spelling of your name does not match your score report exactly, contact International Admissions.

*Applicants from the following countries will be automatically exempt from the English proficiency requirement: American Samoa, Australia, England, Gibraltar, Guam, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, Marshall Islands, Fed States of Micronesia, Fed States Of, Nigeria, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, St. Kitts & Neives, Virgin Islands, and Whales. If, upon receipt of transcripts, it is determined that the medium of instruction was not in English at your institution, an English proficiency exam with a passing score will be required for admission.

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