Freshmen Admissions

To be eligible for admission to SF State as a freshman, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Complete the required A-G college preparatory courses with a grade of C- or better

Due to the impact of COVID-19, SF State will accept grades of "Credit" or "Pass" for A-G college preparatory courses taken in Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall 2020 terms and during Winter, Spring or Summer 2021 terms.

A-G College Preparatory Subjects:

For more information about meeting the A-G college preparatory requirements, visit the CSU High School Course Requirements or the University of California’s Course List to search the approved courses.

2. Meet the GPA requirements based on residency or high school

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is calculated using all A-G college preparatory courses completed after 9th grade.

The CSU no longer uses ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility. First-time freshmen must meet the following GPA requirements:

Applicants below these GPA minimums and applicants to competitive ("impacted") majors may be evaluated for admission based on supplemental factors.

3. Graduate from high school (diploma or GED)

​Your final high school transcript should show all of your grades and your date of graduation.

SF State will perform a multi-factor admission review for applicants who meet the following eligibility requirements:

• High school graduation (diploma or GED) 
• Completion of the A-G college preparatory courses
• Earned the specified GPA in A-G courses:
  • 2.00 to 2.49 for California residents or graduates of a California high school
  • 2.47 to 2.99 for non-California residents or graduates of a high school outside of California

These applicants will be evaluated for admission using the following scoring model:

Some majors at SF State are impacted, where the number of fully eligible applicants exceed the number of spaces available in that major. These majors may have additional supplemental admission criteria and may hold applicants to a higher GPA standard. Applicants to an impacted program must specify an alternative major in the event they are not admitted to the major. Check the impaction page and the impacted major’s department websites for details.

Nursing

If you are a high school student interested in the Nursing program, please select “Undeclared with an Interest in Nursing” as your intended major on Cal State Apply. 

To be considered for admission to “Undeclared with an Interest in Nursing”, freshman applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• High school graduation (diploma or GED) 
• Completion of the A-G college preparatory courses
• Earned at least a 2.50 GPA in A-G courses

All applicants who meet the above criteria will be ranked for admission according to the following scoring model and offered admission based on spaces available:

The CSU no longer uses ACT or SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility. If you choose to take the ACT or SAT tests, you may still report your scores for consideration in course placement.

Advanced Placement (AP) and other exams

If you completed any of the following exams: Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma - Higher Level, you may be eligible to receive additional college credit. Official exam scores will be required to award transfer credit. Visit the Standardized External Examinations page for more information.

1. Explore and Choose a Major

With more than 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, you can discover your unique path in life at SF State. Freshmen applicants may either select a specific major or apply as undeclared. Whatever you choose to study, you will learn from faculty experts who are dedicated to helping you develop your potential.

2. Apply Online

Apply online at www.calstate.edu/apply/freshman during the filing period (see Dates & Deadlines).

A $70 (non-refundable) application fee is due at the time of submission and can be paid by credit card or PayPal. Some students may qualify for an automatic application fee waiver based on the information provided in the application.

Use this Freshman Application Checklist to gather the information you will need to complete your online application.

SF State uses your self-reported information from the application to make an admission decision, so it is extremely important that you answer all questions on the application completely and accurately.

3. Submit any requested documents

Once we review your application we will notify you by email with instructions and deadlines should we need any additional documents.

4. Check your application status

San Francisco State communicates with students via e-mail. Make sure to read all e-mail messages and pay careful attention to deadlines.

Check your application status to ensure all supporting materials have been received.

You can check your application status online. After you submit your online application, you will receive an email from the University with your San Francisco State University Identification Number.

Check your application status on the SF State Gateway. Use your SF State Login and password to access the Gateway and navigate to the Student Center to see the most up-to-date information.

The To Do List will show the required documents needed for your admission application. Click “more” and then the individual To Do Items to see additional details about each item.

You can also check the status of your application by clicking on the link to “Check Admission Status” in the “New Students” box of your Student Center.

After you submit your admission application, your Student Center will have a To Do List of required documents. Requested documents must be received by the specified deadline.

Official transcripts must be sent in a sealed transcript envelope to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

See our guide on submitting transcripts for more information.

Prospective students can check their financial aid application status, view and accept their financial aid award offer through the SF State Gateway.

1. Login to your Student Center on the SF State Gateway: gateway.sfsu.edu
2. In the center of the next page in the "Finances" section, choose on "View Financial Aid"
3. Check your "To Do" List for any required documents.

Housing applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying for housing on campus is a separate process from the University admission process. Because obtaining housing on campus is not guaranteed, it’s important to apply early.

Find information about how California residency is determined, how to file an appeal if you're classified as a nonresident, exceptions and exemptions, and more. Visit the California Residency page.

Academic readiness and placement will be determined by a variety of factors, which may include test scores (CAASPP, SAT, ACT, AP, IB), grade point average and senior-year coursework. All entering freshmen are encouraged to complete Directed Self Placement (DSP) before registering for their required First-Year Composition (FYC) course. Please see gatorsmartstart.sfsu.edu for the latest information on English and math readiness.

Basis for Appeals

Applicants may appeal denial decisions if they believe the evaluation of application information was incorrect and that they are eligible for admission.

Appeal Procedure

Contact the Admissions Office to discuss your appeal.

Freshmen Applicants: (415) 338-6486

Transfer Applicants: (415) 338-6486

All International Applicants: (415) 338-2382

After contacting the Admissions Office to discuss your appeal, you may be advised to submit an appeal in writing. If advised to submit an appeal in writing, send the written appeal to the Admissions Committee either via the Admissions Appeal Form or via letter to Undergraduate Admissions Committee, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA 94132.

Appeals must be made within 15 days of the denial decision. There is a limit of one appeal per academic term. Estimated time to issue appeal responses is 2-3 weeks after all appeal documents are received.