Transfer Students

Fall 2027

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

Application Resources

Continue Your Journey at SDSU

San Diego State University receives applications from thousands of highly qualified transfer applicants each year. When applying to SDSU, you must select a major, as admission decisions are based on your preparation for your intended program of study.

To strengthen your application, carefully review the admission requirements for your major before applying.

Spring 2027

San Diego State University is not open for spring 2027 admission and is not accepting applications. Applicants with extenuating circumstances who meet SDSU's Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements may submit an admission appeal. Review the Undergraduate Admission Appeal Process web page to learn more. Admission appeals for spring 2027 will only be accepted from July 1 to August 31, 2026.

Fall 2027

Transfer applicants can begin working on their fall 2027 Cal State Apply application on August 1, 2026. The application submission period is October 1–November 30, 2026.

Fall Steps to Apply

Who is a Transfer Student?

You can apply as a transfer student if you will have completed 60 or more transferable semester units (or 90 or more quarter units) by the end of spring 2027 for fall 2027 admission. Summer 2027 courses may not be used to meet this requirement.

We do not accept transfer applications from lower-division students with fewer than 60 transferable semester units.

SDSU is only accepting applications for a second bachelor's degree in nursing. Applicants to the second bachelor's degree in nursing must have earned their first bachelor's degree from an institution that carries United States regional accreditation.

SDSU accepts applications from students with international coursework.
You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements to be considered for admission. The following GE courses, known as the "Golden Four," must be completed at an institution that carries United States regional accreditation: Oral Communication, English Composition, Critical Thinking, and Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning. Grades of a C- or higher are required.
If you have international coursework, please review the information below before applying to SDSU.

International Transcript Evaluation

Transfer applicants with coursework completed outside the United States must submit official transcripts from all foreign colleges and universities to an approved international credential evaluation service.

A detailed course-by-course evaluation is required for all foreign postsecondary coursework. Please select an evaluation service from the list of approved providers.

Because obtaining official transcripts and completing the evaluation can take several weeks, we strongly encourage you to contact an approved evaluation service as early as possible.

Refer to your my.SDSU account for required documents, deadlines, and application updates.

World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087
Phone: (212) 966-6311
Fax: (212) 739-6100
wes.org

International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231-3665
Phone: (310) 258-9451
Fax: (310) 342-7086
ierf.org

Once your detailed, course-by-course evaluation is complete, your international evaluation service provider will send your evaluation and foreign transcripts directly to San Diego State University.

Before You Apply

Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements

Admission to SDSU is competitive, and all undergraduate majors and programs have limited enrollment. Transfer applicants who exceed the minimum admission requirements may receive priority consideration for available spaces.

Review the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements.

Choose Your Major

Before applying, be sure to:

Select your intended major. Choose the academic program you plan to pursue at SDSU. If you completed 100% of your transferable coursework at Palomar College or MiraCosta College, review the Majors Not Offered by CSU San Marcos.
Review the GPA requirements. Check the minimum cumulative GPA required for your intended major.
Identify your transfer pathway. Determine which transfer admission pathway applies to you.
Review any special requirements. Some majors have additional admission requirements, instructions, auditions, portfolios, or prerequisite coursework.

You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements and successfully pass an audition for acceptance to the major and the university. Please review the Dance Admissions web page for additional information.

Applicants to international business must choose a different language from the principal language of instruction used at the high school or secondary school from which they graduated. Please review the Prospective International Business website for additional information.

You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements and successfully pass an audition for acceptance to the major and the university. Please review the Music Undergraduate web page for additional information.

You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements and successfully pass an audition for acceptance to the major and the university. Please review the B.A. Musical Theatre web page for additional information.

Prospective nursing transfer applicants must complete all nursing prerequisite courses by the end of the fall 2026 term to be considered for fall 2027 admission. Nursing prerequisite courses may not be in progress during spring 2027. No exceptions will be granted.

This requirement applies to both upper-division transfer applicants and second bachelor's degree applicants.

Additional Application Requirements

In addition to submitting a Cal State Apply application by November 30, nursing applicants must:

Complete and submit the Academic History Update in Cal State Apply in January 2027
Update all colleges attended and coursework completed, in progress or planned
Answer the nursing-specific questions in Cal State Apply

For additional information, please visit the School of Nursing website.

If you have questions about nursing admission requirements or your application, contact the School of Nursing at (619) 594-2540 [email protected].

You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements and successfully complete the supplemental materials requirement for acceptance to this major and university. Please review the B.S. Television, Film and New Media, Emphasis in Production web page for additional information.

You must meet the Transfer Admission Minimum Requirements and successfully pass an audition for acceptance to the major and the university. Please review the B.A. Theatre Arts, Emphasis in Performance, web page for additional information.

Online Resources

Use the following resources to determine how your transfer coursework may apply toward SDSU degree requirements:

General Education Requirements: Review the Undergraduate Transfer Student Requirements section of the General Catalog to learn how to fulfill SDSU General Education requirements.
Major Preparation Requirements: Visit the Curricula by Department section of the General Catalog and select your intended major to review required preparation coursework.
Transfer Credit Evaluation: Use Transferology to see how transfer courses may apply toward SDSU degree requirements. For additional information, visit the Undergraduate Transfer Credit web page on the Office of the Registrar's website.