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California State University, Los Angeles
California, United States of America | Estd in 1972 | Government University
CWUR Rank : 1651
About California State University
California State University, Los Angeles, informally known as Cal State LA was established in 1972 and is rated as number one in the United States for the upward mobility of the graduate students of the university.
It implies that it is a top-tier university in the nation that helps students earn their degrees and propel them up the economic ladder. California State University in Los Angeles was founded by an Act of the California legislature and opens for classes on the campus of LA City College. Cal State LA is a publicly owned university accredited by the “Western Association of Schools and Colleges” (WASC)
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. Therefore, one should be careful while submitting the details and academic records as per the requirements stated by the course selected.
Prospective students can want to apply to California State University, Los Angeles must comply with all the prerequisites stated to increase their overall chance of selection at 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.
Applications are submitted on the online application system of the university provided at the official website of the university. Non-native English speakers who want to apply as international students at the university must confirm their English proficiency by one of the acceptable English proficiency exams such as TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo.
The California State University application fee is $70 (INR 5,811.24 approx), which is non-refundable. The fee can be paid online at the time of registration.
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 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.
The Latest deadline at California State University
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 |
Also Read: Admission Intakes In The USA - Fall, Spring And Summer
California State University Highlights
- Domestic: 22509
- International: 227
California State University Courses
California State University, Los Angeles has 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 undergraduate, graduate, pre-professional and certificate programs. Some of the popular courses at California State University are
Computer Science, Blended B.S./M.S
Electrical Engineering, Blended B.S./M.S
Nursing, M.S.
Aviation Administration, B.S.
Accounting, Blended B.S./M.S.
Mechanical Engineering, B.S.
Psychology, M.A.
Accreditations
California State University Cost Of Living
Tuition and Mandatory Fees vary from one programme to another programme offered at the California State University in LA, USA. The average per-year fee for a programme either graduate or undergraduate is around USD16,318 which is around INR 13,54,369 for Indian prospective students.
Is it expensive to study at California State University?
No, California State University is quite affordable instead of expensive. The average tuition cost of the university for the years 2023-2024 was USD16,318 (INR 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 USD27,320 as per US News. 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
Also Read: Cheapest Universities in USA
Cost of living at California State University
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 amounts for the 2023-2024 academic year attendance; however, the actual costs may differ on an individual basis.
Estimated Costs at California State University
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 |
Also Read Cost of Living in USA
California State University Admission and Application
The acceptance rate of California State University, Los Angeles 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 admission is less competitive for international applicants but the form to apply must be submitted after careful analysis.
The application procedure comes to an end when the applicant pays a non-refundable application fee of $70 (INR 5,811.24). Interested students can explore the official website of California State University to apply for various programmes offered.
How to apply at California State University?
To apply to California State University, the applicant must apply through the official website of California State University and follow the following steps:
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
California State University Application Fees: California State University admission application fee is $70 which is around INR 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.
Also Read: Top 100 Universities in USA
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:
Official transcripts
Online application
ACT/SAT examination
F visa (or I-20)
Bachelor’s degree
Resume
2 Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
GRE, GMAT, etc. (Program-specific)
Also Read: How to Apply to Colleges Abroad
California State University Scholarship
Cal State LA provides 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 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 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 a course at California State University, Los Angeles must comply with the eligibility requirements of the university for the successful admission process. To be considered for admission to Cal State LA, minimum requirements are different for US-based students and Overseas students and the criteria for international students are as follows:
For Undergraduate programmes,
The secondary education of the candidate must be in an academic track, intended for college/university preparation.
A minimum score of 3.00 out of 4.00 or an equivalent score is required in academic courses 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
English Language Proficiency Requirement scores as per the degree are required
ACT/SAT examinations for admission eligibility consideration
For Graduate programmes,
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
A minimum of 2.5 GPA in an acceptable earned Bachelor's degree
English Language Proficiency Requirement scores as per the degree is required
Submission of Resume, 2 Letters of Recommendation, and Statement of Purpose is required.
Also Read Study in United States of America for Indian Students
English proficiency 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:
Acceptable Examinations for Undergraduate Programmes
Examination Name | Acceptable Scores |
TOEFL iBT | Overall: 61 or higher |
Overall Band score: 5.5 or higher | |
PTE | Overall: Above 44 |
Overall: 95 or higher |
Acceptable Examinations for Graduate Programmes
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:
Acceptable Examinations 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
Wifi
Library
Classrooms
Laboratories
Alumni Associations
Swimming Pool
Gym
Sports
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.
Also Read: Profile Building For US Admissions
California State University Gallery
Gallery
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
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