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California State University, Los Angeles

California, United States of America | Estd in 1972 | Government University

CWUR Rank : 1651

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About California State University

California State University, Los Angeles, informally known as Cal State LA was established in 1972. it is one of the top-tier universities in the nation. California State University's acceptance rate is 87%. This means that the admission management office is granting admissions after a proper review and verification of the application form. California State University's GPA requirement is at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and 2.5 in high school and graduation respectively to get enrolled in different types of Cal State LA courses.

California State University's Latest Updates

California State University's deadlines must be followed by all applicants to be considered for admission at the institute. It is highly recommended to submit the complete application form as well because incomplete applications are not considered. California State University's nearest deadlines for UG and PG courses are:

  • The nearest deadline for the Fall semester is March 31 and February 15 for undergraduate and graduate courses respectively.

California State University’s tuition fee for Indian students is approximately Rs 13,54,369 per year. It is one of the pocket-friendly universities in the USA. Some of California State University's popular courses include Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Nursing, Aviation Administration, Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, and many more.

As per the California State University, Los Angeles campus fall enrollment reports 2022, the college has over 26,460 students which includes around 262 international students from different parts of the world. The undergraduate enrollment is around 22,737, Undergraduate transfer-in enrollment    is 2,663 and Graduate enrollment is 3,723.

California State University’s entrance exams such as SAT or ACT  for undergraduate international students and GRE or GMAT for graduate students are optional as per California State University entry requirements. 

The California State University application fee is USD 70 which is around Rs 5,811.24. The application fee is non-refundable and it can be paid online at the time of registration to apply for California State University’s undergraduate and graduate courses.

California State University has 23 campuses in total all of them in different cities of the United States. All the campuses differ from each other in location, degrees/majors, size, and sports CSU has more than 250,000 alumni from these universities.

California State University Notable Alumni

Cal State LA has more than 245,000 alumni, many of whom are prominent leaders in their respective fields. Some of Cal State LA’s most notable alumni include:

California State University Notable Alumni

Alumni

Profession

Lucille Royball-Allard 

US Representative

Joseph Wambaugh

Novelist and bestselling author

Nat Trives 

Former Mayor of Santa Monica

Kent Twitchell 

Muralist

Art Leahy

CEO of Metrolink

California State University Highlights

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Year of Establishment1972
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Institute TypeUniversity
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OwnershipPublic/Government
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Number Of Students22737
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Faculty Count715
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Acceptance Rate87%
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Fee Range₹13.52 L - ₹13.52 L/yr
Bachelors vs Masters
Gender Ratio
Male: 42%Female: 58%
Male: 42%Female: 58%
Student Demographic
  • Domestic:   22509
  • International:   227

California State University Courses

California State University, Los Angeles courses are diversified into various academic colleges that offer more than 60 nationally recognized graduate and undergraduate programs in the sciences, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and humanities. This includes more than 100 Cal State LA undergraduate, graduate, pre-professional and certificate programmes. 

Cal State LA online courses are also provided to international students to help them complete their higher studies along with their work. Some of the popular courses at California State University are Computer Science (Blended BS/MS), Electrical Engineering ( Blended BS/MS), Nursing (MS), Aviation Administration (BS), Accounting (Blended BS/MS), Mechanical Engineering (BS), Psychology (MA), and many more.

Cal State LA tuition fees are determined every year. Also, California State University’s fees tend to fluctuate from one academic year to another as well as from one Cal State LA programme to another programme. The average per-year fee for a programme either graduate or undergraduate is around USD 16,318 which is around Rs 13,54,369 for Indian prospective students.

Accreditations
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Education Level
Select
Stream
Select
Mode
Select
LevelUG
MajorAnthropology
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr
LevelUG
MajorCommunication
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr
LevelUG
MajorEnglish
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr
LevelUG
MajorJapanese
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr
LevelUG
MajorLiberal
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr
LevelUG
MajorPhysics
Duration48 Months
Fees13.52 L/yr

California State University Fees

CoursesDurationInternational StudentLocal Student
BS(33 courses)4 years₹13.52 L/yr₹5.65 L/yr
B.A.(27 courses)4 years₹13.52 L/yr₹5.65 L/yr
M.B.B.S.(1 courses)4 years₹13.52 L/yr₹5.65 L/yr

California State University Cost Of Living

Is it expensive to study at California State University?

No, California State University is quite affordable instead of expensive. The average California State University tuition cost for the year 2023-2024 was USD 16,318 (Rs 13,54,369) which is much less when the cost is compared with the national average tuition fee of the United States for international students. The national average is nearly USD 27,320. The accommodation including the meal expenses is much less on campus than the off-campus expenses.

Hence, the cost of pursuing a degree at California State University is based on the services enrolled by the student 

California State University’s Cost of Living

The average student's expenses will vary from student to student depending on his/her living arrangements and individual needs. The tables below provide the estimated California State University’s living costs amounting to the 2023-2024 academic year; however, the actual costs may differ on an individual basis.

California State University living Expenses:

Expense List

Estimated On-Campus Cost 

Estimated Off-Campus Cost

Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment

USD 1,011

USD 1,011

Housing and Food

USD 18,658

USD 19,539

Miscellaneous/Personal

USD 4,154

USD 3,923

Transportation

USD 2,704

USD 2,747

California State University Admission and Application

Application deadline December,2024

All the candidates applying for a course at California State University, Los Angeles must comply with the California State University eligibility requirements for the successful admission process. One is required to apply through a Centralized Application System. A step-by-step procedure is mentioned below.

How to Apply to the California State University

  • Visit calstatela.edu

  • Click on “Admissions & Aid”

  • Click on “International Application and Admission” under the International Tab “Freshman” or “Graduate, Credential, Certificate, and 2nd Bachelor's Program Applicants” for application to undergraduate or graduate courses respectively

  • On the next page, the user will be redirected to the Cal State Application portal

  • Submit official transcripts or other documents only if requested by the university.

  • Contact the university for updates about the application

For California State University's undergraduate courses, international students must follow the following:

  • The secondary education of the candidate must be in an academic track, intended for college/university preparation.

  • California State University's GPA requirement for UG courses is a minimum of 3.00 out of 4.00 or an equivalent score of the last 3 years of high school/secondary education.

  • The student must complete high school/ secondary education by the end of the Spring term before Fall enrollment

  • California State University's English language requirements must be met by all students as per the degree.

  • ACT/SAT examinations for admission eligibility consideration

For California State University's graduate courses, international students must follow the following:

  • The candidates are required to complete a four-year Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university before the commencement of the term.

  • They must have good academic standing at the last college or university attended.

  • California State University's GPA requirement for PG courses is a minimum of 2.5 in an acceptable earned Bachelor's degree

  • English Language Proficiency Requirement scores as per the California State University's degree.

  • Students may be required to attempt GRE or GMAT examinations.

  • Submission of Resume, 2 Letters of Recommendation, and Statement of Purpose is required by all students.

Documents Required For Admission to California State University

There are various personal and educational documents required by the university authorities to select the candidate out of all the applicants according to the eligibility of the programme prerequisites. The documents are as follows:

California State University’s Application Deadlines

The nearest California State University’s application deadlines for LA campus are tabulated below:

Term

 Undergraduate Course

Graduate Course

Fall

March 31

January 15 to February 15

Spring

August 31

September to October

Summer

Closed for 2024

February 28


California State University’s Application Fee

California State University application fee is USD 70 which is around Rs 5,811.24. This non-refundable/non-transferable fee must be submitted at the time of online application submission. If not, candidates are requested to pay through either a personal check, money order, or cashier’s check in favour of Cal State LA before the application fee deadline. 

California State University’s Acceptance Rate

California State University’s acceptance rate is approximately 87%, which means the authority is a little selective in granting admission to the candidates. More than half of the candidates are reverted with a positive response. The California State University’s admission is less competitive for international applicants but the form to apply must be submitted after careful analysis.

California State University Scholarship

Cal State LA scholarships are available in a wide range of 400 scholarships and opportunities to support the student's educational goals. Only a current California State University student is eligible for the grants and scholarships. The Cal State LA application form must be submitted to the university by the deadline and the student is automatically considered for all scholarship opportunities for which they meet the minimum criteria. Some of the Cal State LA scholarships are as follows:

Aaron Waters Scholarship: The Aaron Waters Scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding graduating senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Geology.

Chuck Church Engineering Scholarship: This award is for students in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology.

Athalie Clarke Scholarship: This grant is available to full-time undergraduate and graduate students in Nursing with a good standing scholastically.

Charles Clark Scholarship: The award is provided to full-time students with the following eligibility:

  • Preference to maths majors and then computer science students

  • Candidates must maintain a minimum 12-unit load for the period the scholarship

  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 for the preceding 24 units as an undergraduate coursework completed at Cal State LA is required

  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 for the preceding 24 units as an undergraduate coursework completed at Cal State LA is required

Gutierrez-Tunstad Chemistry Scholarship: This scholarship is to provide support to a PhD junior or senior organic chemistry undergraduate research student with at least a 3.0 GPA, and exhibits the qualities of good mentoring toward his/her peers.

B. L. Hoyt Memorial Scholarship: The grant is provided to undergraduate students annually based on the following criteria:

  • Candidate must have had outstanding scholarships in their secondary school work.

  • Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA is a must and failure to that can lead to withdrawal of the scholarship.

  • Candidates must be interested in school activities and demonstrate leadership.

California State University Eligibility

All the candidates applying for California State University courses, in Los Angeles must comply with all Cal State LA eligibility requirements for the successful admission process. 

English language requirements 

Regardless of the citizenship and residency of the prospective students, all applicants whose native language is not English and who do not qualify for a waiver are required to submit proof of English Language Proficiency before an admissions decision can be made.

The acceptable English proficiency Examinations at California State University, Los Angeles are as follows:

Cal State LA English language requirements for UG courses

Examination Name

Acceptable Scores

TOEFL iBT

Overall: 61 or higher

IELTS

Overall Band score: 5.5 or higher

PTE

Overall: Above 44

DET

Overall: 95 or higher


Cal State LA English language requirements for PG courses

Examination Name

Acceptable Scores

TOEFL iBT

Overall: 80 or higher

IELTS

Overall Band score: 6.0 or higher

PTE

Overall: Above 53

DET

Overall: 105 or higher

Scores accepted for TESOL (MA in teaching English to speakers of other languages) are different as per master's degree. The acceptable scores are

Cal State LA English language requirements for the TESOL Programme

Examination Name

Acceptable Scores 

TOEFL iBT

Overall: 100 or higher

IELTS

Overall Band score: 7.5 or higher

PTE

Overall: Above 53

DET

Overall: 125 or higher

California State University Campus Facilities

Study Amenities

Wifi

Library

Classrooms

Laboratories

Amenities and Clubs

Alumni Associations

Sports

Swimming Pool

Gym

Sports

Infrastructure

Auditorium

Cafeteria

Convenience Store

I.T Infrastructure

California State University International Office Details

The student body of California State University, Los Angeles campus is 26,460 total students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degrees. Out of these, around 264 students come from different countries of the World. Hence, the university is a globally recognized institution.  

One can contact the following details to have their queries resolved or to know further information regarding admission criteria:

Phone: 323- 343-3170

Email: international@calstatela.edu

Is it hard to get into California State University?

No, it is not that hard to get into CSU, LA. The admission procedure is simple and one can get admitted if the candidate fills in the required information and adheres to the prerequisites stated by California State University. The rate at which the university accepts students is approximately 87% which is quite fair and impressive.

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FAQ's

Yes, there are different kinds of scholarships available to international students of the university and they are required to fill out a scholarship application form for the same.

As per information from the official website of the university, A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and 2.5 is required in high school and graduation respectively to get enrolled in different types of programmes in Cal State, LA.

The non-refundable application fee of California State University is USD 70 which is approximately INR 5,811.24 and is required to be paid by all the applicant irrespective of their nationalities.

California State University, LA is a public university founded by an Act of the California legislature and open for classes on the campus of LA City College since its establishment in 1972. 

California State University is one of the top universities in the United States that is consistently renowned for its academic excellence and contributions to the public good. The university is ranked 24th in “Best Value Schools” by US News in 2024