San Francisco State University

What is the accreditation of San Francisco State University?

San Francisco State University holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission, commonly called WSCUC. Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole; it does not mean that every individual program has a separate professional accreditation.

Some fields also have program-specific review. Examples include business programs accredited through AACSB International and nursing programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Engineering applicants should check the accreditation status of their specific degree program, because professional accreditation applies program by program rather than automatically to an entire college.

Institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid and is one factor other colleges consider when reviewing transfer credit. It does not guarantee that another institution will accept a particular course, or that a degree alone satisfies a state's licensing requirements. Applicants in regulated fields should check both the program's current accreditation and the licensing rules where they intend to practice.

What are the admission requirements at San Francisco State University?

First-year applicants generally apply to San Francisco State through Cal State Apply and must meet California State University freshman eligibility rules. The usual academic foundation is high school graduation or an accepted equivalent, completion of the required college-preparatory subject pattern, and submission of academic records.

CSU's preparatory pattern is commonly called the A-G requirements and covers subjects including English, mathematics, laboratory science, history, language other than English, and the arts. Applicants should review the GPA rules for their residency and applicant category; meeting a systemwide minimum does not override additional requirements for a particular program. CSU does not use SAT or ACT scores to determine undergraduate admission eligibility. Routine first-year admission generally does not require recommendation letters or an essay, although special programs may request additional materials.

Applicants whose prior instruction does not establish English proficiency may need to provide an accepted English-language test or other evidence under the university's international admissions rules. Deadlines vary by term and applicant category. In the reported admissions cycle, San Francisco State admitted 27,215 of 28,221 first-time applicants, an acceptance rate of about 96%. That figure describes a past cycle, not a guarantee that a future applicant - or an applicant to a particular major - will be admitted.

What are the application fees and waivers at San Francisco State University?

The standard Cal State Apply fee is $70 per campus application. It is an application charge, separate from tuition, orientation, housing payments, and any deposit that might apply later.

Cal State Apply checks undergraduate applicants for a fee waiver using information entered in the application. Eligible applicants can generally receive waivers for up to four CSU campus applications; eligibility depends on the applicable residency and financial criteria. Applicants should complete the waiver-related questions and check their payment screen before submitting, rather than assuming a fee can be refunded afterward. Graduate, international, or special-program applicants should check whether their application has additional requirements or charges.

What types of ROTC programs are available at San Francisco State University?

San Francisco State students may have Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC opportunities through cooperating institutions rather than a branch unit operated directly by San Francisco State. Participation therefore may require travel to another campus for military-science classes, training, or both.

ROTC enrollment, scholarship selection, and commissioning are separate decisions. Students should ask the relevant host unit which courses San Francisco State students can take, how credits fit their degree plan, and what physical, citizenship, or other eligibility rules apply. A scholarship or commissioning path can carry a military service obligation; simply exploring ROTC should not be confused with accepting one. Applicants should confirm current cross-enrollment arrangements with the host unit before planning a schedule around them.

What are the requirements for transfer students at San Francisco State University?

San Francisco State accepts transfer applicants, including students applying for fall or spring entry when their intended program is open. For a typical upper-division CSU transfer, the central requirements are at least 60 transferable semester units, a qualifying college GPA, and completion of required general-education coursework.

California residents generally need a minimum transferable GPA of 2.0 for CSU upper-division eligibility; requirements can be higher for other applicants or particular majors. The four foundational general-education courses - oral communication, written communication, critical thinking, and mathematics or quantitative reasoning - ordinarily must be completed with at least a C grade. Applicants must report their college work in Cal State Apply and provide official transcripts as instructed. Some programs have prerequisites or separate selection rules, so university eligibility alone may not establish major eligibility.

California community college students can use articulation resources such as ASSIST to see how courses are expected to apply. San Francisco State also recognizes some examination and other assessed credit, subject to its credit policies. Admission and credit acceptance are different decisions: an admitted student should review the university's official transfer-credit evaluation and degree audit to see which courses count toward general education, a major, or electives. Deadlines and open majors should be checked for the intended term.

What types of study abroad programs are available at San Francisco State University?

San Francisco State offers study-abroad pathways through its international education resources and California State University programs. Options can include semester- or year-long exchanges and shorter experiences, depending on the destination and current program offerings.

Students should distinguish a university-approved exchange from a program offered by an outside provider: tuition arrangements, housing, academic calendars, and the way credits return to San Francisco State may differ. Before applying, students should obtain academic approval for proposed courses - particularly courses needed for a tightly sequenced major - and discuss the likely effect on graduation timing. Financial aid may be usable for an eligible program, but the amount and application process depend on the student and the program. Study-abroad advising can help compare those details before a student commits to travel costs.