International First-Year Steps to Apply

Submit your online Cal State Apply application and pay the nonrefundable $70 USD application fee before submitting any other required 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.
   • If you are applying to the international business major, then you must select a language emphasis that is not your native language.
4. Do not submit transcripts or test scores prior to submitting the online application.
5. After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation.

Need help with the Cal State Apply application? Review the Cal State Apply Application Guide.

Apply to SDSU

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After completing the Cal State Apply application, visit SDSU's International First-Year Requirements by Country web page. There, you will find the academic records required for applicants from your country of study. If your country is not listed or if you have questions about the required documents, please contact the International Admissions Office.

International First-Year Requirements by Country

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• Activate Your SDSUid

  Within two weeks of submitting your Cal State Apply application, you will receive an email from San Diego State University containing your SDSUid and instructions for activating your account.

  Your SDSUid provides secure access to my.SDSU, the university's online portal for admissions, financial aid, student records, tuition and fee payments, and other student services. Be sure to follow the instructions in the email to activate your account.

• Log In to my.SDSU

  Access my.SDSU by selecting the my.SDSU Login button. Sign in using your SDSUid and password. You will be required to use DUO Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) to access your account.

• Keep Your Contact Information Up to Date

  SDSU communicates important admissions and enrollment information by email. Check your email regularly and keep your email address up to date in my.SDSU. Use the Profile tile to review and update your contact information as needed.

• Track Your Application Status

  Use the Admissions tile in my.SDSU to check the status of your application. Use the Tasks tile to review and complete any outstanding checklist items (To Dos).

• Additional Requirements for Select Programs

  Applicants to dance; music; musical theatre; nursing; television, film and new media-production; and theatre arts-performance programs will receive additional instructions from their academic department regarding auditions or portfolio requirements.

Admission Decisions

Admission decisions will be sent by email. Fall first-year and transfer applicants are typically notified in the spring.

Need Help With Your SDSUid?

Visit the SDSUid Help web page if you did not receive your SDSUid email or need help activating your account. You can also watch the How Do I Activate My SDSUid? video tutorial for step-by-step instructions.

If you need additional assistance, review the Student Help Resources. For help using my.SDSU, review the my.SDSU Student Guides.

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High School Transcripts From All High Schools Attended

San Diego State University accepts unofficial transcripts for application review. To be considered for admission, upload unofficial transcripts from all high schools you have attended in PDF format through my.SDSU.

If you are admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts as part of the Intent to Enroll process and provide final official documents before New Student Orientation.

• Log in to my.SDSU and select the option to upload your documents.
• After submission, please allow several weeks for your documents to be reviewed and processed by International Admissions. During this time, your application status and checklist items in my.SDSU may not be updated immediately.
• Once you have uploaded your documents, please do not submit duplicate copies, as this may delay the review and processing of your application.

High School Diploma/Graduation Certificate

If you have already completed high school when you apply, upload a copy of your high school diploma or graduation certificate along with your unofficial transcripts through my.SDSU.

If you are in your final year of high school, you will be required to submit your diploma or graduation certificate before enrolling at SDSU.

English Translation

If your high school transcripts and diploma or graduation certificate are not issued in English, you must upload a certified English translation of each document. Translations must be provided by your high school or by a professional certified translator.

The translation must include all information contained in the original document and follow the same format as closely as possible.

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All international first-year applicants must demonstrate English proficiency if they attended a school where English was not the primary language of instruction or if they studied in a country whose official or primary language is not English. For initial review, SDSU will accept unofficial score reports from one of the following examinations:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
  • TOEFL iBT exam taken before January 21, 2026: minimum score of 80
  • TOEFL iBT exam taken on or after January 21, 2026: minimum score of 4
  • Scores must be from within the past two years
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System):
  • Overall score of 6.5 or higher
  • Scores must be from within the past two years
• Duolingo English Test:
  • Minimum score of 105
  • Scores must be from within the past two years
• Pearson Test of English (PTE):
  • Minimum score of 58
  • Scores must be from within the past two years
• SDSU's American Language Institute (ALI):
  • Successful completion of Level 106 or Level 8 course
  • Must earn an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher
• ACT English Section:
  • Minimum score of 22
• SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing:
  • Minimum score of 550
• Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) English Exam:
  • Score of 4–7
• Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition:
  • Minimum score of 3

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

To be considered for admission, 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.

To ensure your scores can be matched to your application, the name on your test score report must exactly match the name in my.SDSU. If there is a discrepancy, contact International Admissions.

Applicants Exempt from the English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants from the following countries are 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
• Wales

After reviewing your transcripts, SDSU may require proof of English proficiency if it is determined that English was not the language of instruction at your school. In that case, you must submit a qualifying English proficiency test score to be considered for admission.

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