Freshman Application Guide
2025-2026
PAGE 2 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION AND PREPARING TO APPLY .................................................................................... 6
About this guide........................................................................................................................ 7
What is Cal State Apply? ........................................................................................................... 7
About the Applicant Help Center ............................................................................................. 7
How to apply ............................................................................................................................ 7
When to fill out the application ................................................................................................... 8
Required information and materials ............................................................................................. 8
FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION ............................................................................................... 9
Setting up your Cal State Apply account ......................................................................................10
Completing your Extended Profile ...............................................................................................10
Educational Goal ..................................................................................................................10
US Military Status ................................................................................................................10
International Applicant..........................................................................................................11
Adding Programs ......................................................................................................................11
Finding a program ................................................................................................................11
Selecting a program .............................................................................................................11
Reviewing your selection(s) ...................................................................................................12
How the information you enter is used ........................................................................................13
The four parts (quadrants) of your application ..............................................................................13
HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED ...........................................................................................................14
My High Schools ......................................................................................................................15
Steps to add your high school(s) to the application....................................................................15
Uploading your transcripts using CaliforniaColleges.edu ............................................................16
Graduation Status ....................................................................................................................16
ACADEMIC INFORMATION ...........................................................................................................17
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Academic Information ...............................................................................................................18
COLLEGES ATTENDED ..................................................................................................................19
What to include for Colleges Attended ........................................................................................20
For college credit outside the United States/Canada .................................................................20
Add a College or University .......................................................................................................21
Can’t find your college/university? ..........................................................................................21
Degree information...............................................................................................................21
Term Type and Tuition Status.................................................................................................22
HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK .......................................................................................................23
Important notes about reporting high school coursework ...............................................................24
Dual enrollment – reporting college courses taken during high school .........................................24
Students reporting foreign high school coursework (outside U.S.) ...............................................24
Students reporting foreign and U.S. high school coursework ......................................................24
Reporting repeated courses ...................................................................................................24
About credit recovery with variable units .................................................................................25
Steps for entering your high school coursework............................................................................25
Add a high school grade level ................................................................................................25
Middle School Courses .........................................................................................................25
Add a high school course.......................................................................................................26
Adding a summer grade level .................................................................................................27
Adding courses from non-California High Schools .....................................................................27
COLLEGE COURSEWORK ...............................................................................................................28
Entering your college courses ....................................................................................................29
Colleges listed .....................................................................................................................29
Adding a college term ...........................................................................................................29
Adding Term, Year and Academic Status .................................................................................30
Enter a college course ...........................................................................................................30
A-G MATCHING ...........................................................................................................................32
Important notes about A-G courses .............................................................................................33
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A-G Matching Resources .......................................................................................................33
Checking your A-G Totals ..........................................................................................................33
Updating your A-G courses ........................................................................................................34
A-G courses taken during a trimester term ...............................................................................34
Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests .............................................34
Dual Enrollment courses taken while in high school ..................................................................34
A-G GPA .............................................................................................................................35
COURSE VALIDATION ...................................................................................................................36
What is course validation? ........................................................................................................37
Course validation for California high schools (with A-G list) ...........................................................37
How to manually validate courses ..............................................................................................37
How to manually validate Mathematics credit ..........................................................................38
How to manually validate Chemistry credit ..............................................................................39
How to manually validate Language other than English credit ....................................................40
Checking your course entry to confirm years of credit received and update A-G ............................41
STANDARDIZED TESTS ................................................................................................................42
Reporting standardized tests .....................................................................................................43
ACT and SAT test scores for freshman ....................................................................................43
How to complete the standardized test section ........................................................................43
Using test scores to fulfill A-G requirements ................................................................................44
How to receive Advanced Placement (AP) subject test credit ......................................................44
How to receive SAT II subject test credit (taken prior to 2021) ....................................................44
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & WORK EXPERIENCE ...........................................................................45
Completing the Educational Programs & Work Experience .............................................................46
Educational Programs Participation .........................................................................................46
Work Information .................................................................................................................46
Extracurricular Programs Hours of Participation and Leadership ..................................................46
PROGRAM MATERIALS ................................................................................................................47
Financial Aid Housing Question ..............................................................................................48
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SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION..................................................................................................49
Review the Summary Page carefully before submitting..............................................................50
Application Fee Waivers .......................................................................................................51
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................52
Frequently Asked Questions.......................................................................................................53
How To ...................................................................................................................................53
How do I enter attendance dates on my application?.................................................................53
I am having a technical issue with completing the application. How can I get help? ......................53
I received a repeated course warning. What changes do I need to make? ....................................53
I took dual enrollment courses at a community college and received warning messages before
submitting my application. .....................................................................................................54
A-G Courses ............................................................................................................................54
How do I know if my a-g course is considered honors? ..............................................................54
Changes to your application.......................................................................................................54
I have new or updated information to submit. How can I do this? ................................................54
I made a mistake on my application. How can I fix it? ................................................................54
Admissions decisions and redirection .........................................................................................55
Where/how will I receive the admissions decision? ..................................................................55
What if I’m not admitted to the CSU campus(es) I apply to? .......................................................55
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INTRODUCTION AND PREPARING TO APPLY
PAGE 7 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
INTRODUCTION AND PREPARING TO APPLY
About this guide
This guide takes first-time freshman through completing most parts of the Cal State Apply application,
including: preparing to apply, first steps in your application, completing the Academic History, Supporting
Information, and Program Materials quadrants (quadrants 2, 3 and 4), and lastly, submitting your
application. This guide also assists lower-division transfer applicants with completing the high school
coursework and A-G matching sections.
What is Cal State Apply?
Cal State Apply is the Centralized Application System for all 23 universities in the California State
University (CSU) system. You only need to submit ONE Cal State Apply application even if you are applying
to multiple CSU universities (note: each university you apply to has a $70 fee).
How to apply
Start by visiting calstate.edu/apply. Then, click the term you are applying for in the drop-down menu.
About the Applicant Help Center
Use this guide as a supplement to the instructions
provided in the Applicant Help Center. To access the
Applicant Help Center, click on your name in the upper-
right hand corner of the Cal State Apply application.
Then, click Help Center.
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INTRODUCTION AND PREPARING TO APPLY
When to fill out the application
Use this chart and the information below to help guide you on application deadlines:
• Be sure to apply for the correct term. Do not apply before the “application opens” date listed in the
chart above. A submitted application is only considered for the term which you applied.
• Deadlines vary from campus to campus, and not all campuses accept applications each term, nor
for every program. For details, contact the university admissions office.
• You may be asked to provide supplemental materials. Check the campus website(s) for more
details and be sure to check your email regularly.
Required information and materials
Be sure to have the following before you begin your application:
✓ Unofficial transcripts (both high school and college transcripts, if applicable): You’ll use these to
enter the courses you’ve completed to fulfill A- G requirements; including courses currently in
progress, and those you plan to take
✓ Your Social Security number if you have one
✓ Your Citizenship Status
✓ Credit Card or PayPal account: Application fees are due at time of submission and are paid by credit
card or PayPal
✓ Annual income: Your parent’s annual income if you are a dependent, or your income if you are
independent
✓ Educational Program, Work and Extracurricular Participation Information: You will need to provide the
years you participated in college preparation programs and your average number of hours per week
you work or participate in extracurricular activities
✓ Information needed to apply to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) (if applying)
Term
Application Priority
Deadline
Fall 2025
December 2, 2024
Spring 2026
August 31, 2025
Review the Application Dates & Deadlines
information on calstate.edu/apply before
starting your application to find out which
programs are available and the deadlines for
each term.
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FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION
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FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION
Setting up your Cal State Apply account
Once you’ve selected the appropriate term and click “apply” from the Cal State Apply website, you will be
taken to the application portal for that term.
STEP ONE: CREATE AN ACCOUNT
Completing your Extended Profile
After creating an account, you will complete the questions on the Extended Profile.
Answer the Extended Profile questions carefully. The answers you provide on the
Extended Profile determine what question blocks (tiles) appear on the application
and what programs (majors) are available for you to choose.
Come back to your questions on the Extended Profile any time to make corrections
by clicking your name on the top right-hand corner.
Educational Goal
All freshman applicants should select
First Bachelor’s Degree.
Then, select Graduating High School
Senior or equivalent for your
educational status.
Specify if you have taken and earned any
college credits through a community college or
university (e.g. through “dual enrollment”)
US Military Status
If you have US military experience, select your anticipated status at the time of enrollment from the drop-
down. Select No, I have not served in the US military if this does not apply.
TIP: Use a personal email address that you check regularly instead of a school
email address.
Your Name
Your CAS ID
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FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION
International Applicant
If you have or will require an F1 Visa (student) or J1 Visa (exchange) to study at the CSU as an
international student, select Yes. U.S citizens, permanent residents, visa holders and undocumented
individuals should select No. Applicants who answer No will be prompted to select the U.S. state of their
permanent home.
Adding Programs
After you complete your Extended Profile, you will be taken to the Add Program page. This is where you
can select the specific program(s) you will apply to.
Finding a program
You can begin by typing in a campus name or a
program (major) in the search box. You can also use
the filters to narrow down your search quickly.
Selecting a program
Once you find a program you wish to apply to, click the plus sign to the far left of the program name. This
will add it to your application. Check the campus name, program name, location and deadline.
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FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION
NOTE: Programs offered through a campus’ Extended Learning Office are self-support programs with their
own tuition, fee, registration, and financial aid structures. For this reason, programs offered through the
Extended Learning Office
may
not qualify for some state or federal financial aid. Students who choose to
enroll in a self-support program may not switch between self-support and state-funded degree programs
offered on this campus.
You can apply to as many campuses as you wish, but you can only apply to one program per campus per
application term. Once you are done making your selection(s), click Continue.
Reviewing your selection(s)
Before moving on, review your program selections. This page shows you all programs you are applying to,
your application status, and total fees due. You will review this information again on the Submit
Application tab to ensure you are ready to submit.
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FIRST STEPS IN YOUR APPLICATION
How the information you enter is used
The CSU uses self-reported coursework to calculate overall GPA and to determine admission eligibility.
Failure to report all coursework completed may adversely affect admission eligibility and could result in a
denial decision.
The four parts (quadrants) of your application
Click the My Application tab to complete the rest of your application. You must complete all sections for a
quadrant to show as complete. All quadrants must be complete to submit your application.
*Don’t skip the Program Materials section. Even if it appears
complete, be sure to click and read the Program Materials
quadrant as there is usually important information about the
program(s) you are applying to in this section.
This shows your progress towards completing all the required
information for this quadrant.
The Supporting Information section is where you access the CSU’s Educational Opportunity Program application.
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HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED
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HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED
My High Schools
Add up to five (5) high schools attended, from grades 9-12. Add each high
school you attended individually. Do not add middle school, nor colleges
attended in this section.
If you attended more than five (5) high schools:
• List the schools where you have completed
most
of your courses.
• After submitting your application, you must contact each campus to which you’ve applied to
provide additional information regarding the additional high schools attended.
If you have attended a high school/secondary school outside of the United States:
• Enter the name, location and dates of attendance. In the next section (Academic Information) you
will be asked to complete additional information.
Steps to add your high school(s) to the application
STEP 1 – Click Add a High School.
STEP 2 – To narrow your search, enter Country. Enter either State, city, zip code, or CEEB code.
STEP 3 – In the search box, begin to enter your school’s name. Click on the appropriate school as it
appears.
STEP 4 – If you attend a home school, click on the Home School tab.
Manually enter the name of your home school, associated school or
organization.
STEP 5 – Enter the dates you attended the school. Incorrect attendance dates will prevent you from
entering coursework on the High School Coursework part of the application.
Not seeing your high school on the list? Try entering any abbreviations of your school’s name,
attempt a second word in your school’s name or contact your high school for the CEEB code and
follow instructions listed above. If the name of the school still does not appear, you may manually
enter the name.
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HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED
STEP 6 – Select your high school’s term type. Use the guide to
the right to determine your high school’s term type:
What if your high school has multiple term types? If your high
school offers courses that have various term types, or has
converted term types during your attendance then you must
report the high school for each term type. e.g. enter the high
school twice with the different term types each time. Unsure
about what term type(s) fit your school? Speak with your high school counselor.
Uploading your transcripts using CaliforniaColleges.edu
SAVE TIME APPLYING. California residents that have a CaliforniaColleges.edu
account can use this account to add high school transcript information to their
application. View this how-to video about importing your courses.
Graduation Status
If you have received or expect to receive a high school diploma or high school equivalency (e.g. GED,
HiSET, or TASC), select that option. Then, select the school granting you the diploma. Enter the date you
received or expect to receive the diploma or equivalency.
If you have not and do not expect to earn a high school diploma or high school equivalency, please select
that option.
TERM TYPE GUIDE
How many grades does your high school
give you per course each academic year?
1 grade given = Full year term type
2 grades given = Semester term type
3 grades given = Trimester term type
4 grades given = Quarter term type
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ACADEMIC INFORMATION
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ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Academic Information
If you have not completed high school or secondary school outside of the United States:
• Select No
• You are complete with this section and may move onto the next section of the application
If you have completed high school or secondary school outside the United States:
• Select yes
• List your Academic Performance*
• List the name of Degree/Diploma (e.g. Diploma, A-Level, Abitur, Certificado)
*Academic performance on a transcript outside of the United States typically includes grades or marks,
GPA equivalents, and sometimes narrative evaluations, such as "90/100 (A)" or "First Class," reflecting a
student's achievements and progress in their courses.
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COLLEGES ATTENDED
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COLLEGES ATTENDED
What to include for Colleges Attended
This section is only for freshmen applicants that are currently taking or have completed college
coursework and indicated this by answering Yes to the question in the Extended Profile. If you have never
taken a college course, and correctly indicated this in your Extended Profile, you will not see this section
on the application.
• Report all colleges attended, including but not limited to:
• Courses taken during high school for college credit
• Summer college courses
• College courses taken on a high school campus
• Report all colleges attended regardless of their relevance to the programs you are applying to.
• List all colleges on your application even if the coursework completed there was transferred (sent)
to another college/institution.
Report each college only once, even if you had gaps in the dates of attendance. For example, if you
attended a community college for two different summers, add the community college once in this section
and include all courses ever taken there.
For college credit outside the United States/Canada
For a college/institution outside the United States/Canada, you will be given the option to upload an
unofficial copy of your transcript. This is not required but
may
help expedite the review of your
application.
PAGE 21 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COLLEGES ATTENDED
Add a College or University
Follow these steps for each college/university you’ve attended or are currently attending.
STEP ONE – Select Add a College or University.
STEP TWO – Type in the name of the college/university.
Begin typing the full institution name. The system will display results that match the information. Select
the correct matching institution. Additional matches may be further down the list. Scroll down to see
potential matches.
Can’t find your college/university?
The lookup table includes all domestic and international institutions with a College Board CEEB code. If
you are unable to find your institution, verify the name is entered without abbreviations and matches the
official name on your transcript. If the institution is still not found, select “Can’t find your school” and
complete the additional information requested.
Degree information
Select whether you are planning to obtain a
degree.
Identify whether you completed (Degree
Awarded) or will complete (Degree In Progress)
an associate degree or other degree(s). If yes,
you will be asked to provide details on the type
of degree, date earned/will earn, your major,
minor, and whether you had a double major.
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COLLEGES ATTENDED
Term Type and Tuition Status
Select the type of term the college/university used while you attended. Refer to your college transcript
term headers or transcript legend for assistance with identifying the term type.
Designate the tuition status during the last term attended and then provide dates of attendance, selecting
the term, month, and year that you first attended and you last attended. If you are still attending, check
the box “Check if you are still attending this college of university” under the Last Term drop downs.
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HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK
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HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK
Important notes about reporting high school coursework
You will report all A-G courses used to satisfy subject requirements. Do not include non A-G courses.
Dual enrollment – reporting college courses taken during high
school
Dual enrollment courses are college courses taken during high school at a community
college or your high school for college credit. You do not report dual enrollment
courses within this High School Coursework section. After you’ve completed
Colleges Attended, report any college courses you’ve taken in the College
Coursework section. Then, visit the A-G Matching section after completing
College Coursework to report how these may satisfy your A-G requirements.
Students reporting foreign high school coursework (outside U.S.)
You are not required to complete the High School Coursework or A-G Matching sections if you only
attended foreign high schools.
Students reporting foreign and U.S. high school coursework
For applicants that completed a combination of credits outside the USA and credit at a US high school,
enter only US high school coursework that meets the A-G subject requirements, unless the international
coursework has been articulated and placed on your US high school transcript.
Students in this scenario may not fulfill all of the A-G subjects on this application. The campus admissions
office will review the file and evaluate the international coursework using transcripts provided by the
applicant.
Reporting repeated courses
Any course may be repeated so long as the course curriculum is the same or similar to the original course.
Course titles can have the same or similarly named course titles (e.g., English 9 or English 1).
• If you repeated a course, only enter the course once with the highest grade earned.
• If the repeated course is planned or in progress, enter the course with the original grade earned
and enter the course a second time as planned or in progress.
• If you remediated a different course (i.e. Honors English vs English) you will include both courses
and grades.
Note: Courses like journalism, band/orchestra, film production etc. that are repeatable for credit and meet
A-G requirements can be reported on the application multiple times. Ignore the repeat credit warning
when submitting the application.
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HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK
About credit recovery with variable units
Only full semester courses may be used to repeat a course. In the event that a course is completed for less
than standard 5 units (1 semester), you must complete full 5 units before the course may be reported with
a grade earned. In the event that only a portion of the 5 units is completed, it will not correct the originally
earned grade.
Steps for entering your high school coursework
Add a high school grade level
Begin with selecting the earliest grade level that you completed courses to fulfill an A-G subject.
Steps to add a grade level:
1. Select the school that you attended for that grade level
2. Select the appropriate academic year
Click the green check mark to continue
Middle School Courses
If you took mathematics or foreign language courses in 7
th
and 8
th
grade to fulfill A-G requirements, select the
appropriate grade level (e.g. 7
th
grade, 8
th
grade). Then, select the high school you attended in 9th grade and your 9th
grade academic year.
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HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK
Add a high school course
STEP ONE - Start by entering the course title.
• If you attend a California high school, once you begin typing, a
prepopulated list of courses will appear. To refine the list of
courses, continue typing until the correct course appears.
• It is recommended that you select the course from the list, and not
manually enter a course title. However, if you did not attend a
California high school, you will need to manually enter the course
title.
STEP TWO - Select the course type. Use this chart for guidance:
Course Type
Definition
None
Standard level course (not AP, IB, or approved honors course)
Advanced Placement
AP course, eligible for an additional point to your GPA calculation
International Baccalaureate
IB course, eligible for an additional point to your GPA calculation
Honors*
Approved Honors course, eligible for an additional point to your GPA
calculation (must be designated in high school’s A-G course list.)
STEP THREE - Enter the Grade earned for each term.
• If the course is completed, select the letter grades you received for the course during each term.
• Select In Progress if you are currently taking the course.
• Select Planned if you are planning to take the course in a future term.
• Only taking the course for one term? Select No Course for the term which you will not earn a grade
for.
NOTE: Please see the Course Validation section of this guide for information on how courses are validated
to fulfill A-G requirements.
STEP FOUR - Click the green checkmark to save each course. Continue adding courses until all A-G
coursework for the grade level is entered.
STEP FIVE - Click Add a Grade Level. Repeat the steps above to add additional grade levels and courses
until all A-G coursework from your high school transcripts is completely entered.
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HIGH SCHOOL COURSEWORK
Adding a summer grade level
Grade levels for summer courses should be
reported as the grade you were going into
after that summer. For example, if you took
a summer class between 9
th
and 10
th
grade, the summer grade level should be
set to 10
th
grade. Each summer you have attended should be entered individually by grade level. Once
you’ve added a summer grade level, follow the same steps outlined above to Add a course.
Adding courses from non-California High Schools
Prepopulated courses only appear for California high schools that have the UC A-G course list.
If you attended a non-California high school or if your courses are not on
the UC A-G list, you will not see your courses in the search and need to
manually type in the courses. When you get to the A-G Matching section,
you must manually match your courses to meet the A-G requirements.
EXAMPLE: No courses will populate
for non-California high schools or
schools without an A-G list.
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COLLEGE COURSEWORK
PAGE 29 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COLLEGE COURSEWORK
Entering your college courses
This section is only for first-time freshman who have taken dual enrollment courses. Dual enrollment
courses are college courses taken during high school at a community college or your high school for
college credit.
If you have taken one or more dual enrollment courses, you will report all courses from your transcripts.
Dual enrollment courses may be reported on
your high school and/or college transcripts
but will always be reported in the College
Coursework section.
Colleges listed
You should see the college(s) you entered
in the Colleges Attended section listed
separately. Click the Start button to enter college coursework.
Adding a college term
You will enter your courses by term.
Depending on the term type you selected in
Colleges Attended for that college, it will
prompt you to add a semester, trimester, or
quarter (the example to the right shows “add
a semester”)
TIP: If your dual enrollment coursework is listed on both your high school and college transcripts report
the courses in the College Coursework section only.
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COLLEGE COURSEWORK
Adding Term, Year and Academic Status
Add a term, year, academic status and completion status. Click SAVE once done.
• Term and Year: The options that appear are based on information you entered in the Colleges
Attended section.
Enter a college course
STEP ONE – Click Add a Course to add courses for that term.
STEP TWO – Enter the course code.
• Department prefixes and course numbers must match what appears on
your official transcript.
• Some courses may populate from a drop-down selection box that appears
as you type the course (see example). These are pre-loaded courses from
ASSIST.
• If your course does not appear on the drop-down list automatically,
manually enter the course subject and number exactly at it is listed on your
transcript.
STEP THREE – Enter the course title. You can abbreviate it if it does not fit. Some
course titles may populate from a drop-down selection box that appears as you
type the course. These are preloaded from ASSIST.
STEP FOUR – Enter the course credits exactly as they appear on your transcript. In most
cases, the course credit will be a full number of 3.00 or 4.00. Enter the first digit, and then
use the pulldown to select the decimal value. For more help, see the Course Credit section
of the Applicant Help Center.
STEP FIVE – Enter the grade exactly as it appears on your transcript, including any pluses or minuses.
• If your grades appear on your transcript as "BA," "CB," or "DC," (higher grade in
second semester), you must list them as "AB," "BC," and "CD" (higher grade in
first semester) for the system to recognize them.
• For Pass grades, enter “P,” and for Credit grades, enter “CR.”
TIP: Use your transcripts to
enter your dual enrollment
coursework. Coursework
must match your transcripts.
List your courses under the
correct term and year.
PAGE 31 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COLLEGE COURSEWORK
• The CAS Grade populates automatically. This allows us to standardize your coursework for all
programs and cannot be edited.
• If your grades are listed as numbers (e.g., 93), enter them exactly as they appear on your transcript.
They will automatically convert to the equivalent CAS letter grade.
Click Save All. Continue adding courses, as needed.
STEP SEVEN – Save your transcript. Once coursework
entry is completed for all reported colleges, select Yes
confirming you have completed entry and then click
“Save Your Transcript”. If you decide to go back and
edit coursework entry after saving, be sure to select
Save Your Transcript again.
You can preview what you submitted by clicking “Preview this Transcript.”
Important note about A-G credit
for college courses: Applicable
courses entered should be
matched to an A-G category so
proper years of credit is
provided. Be sure to do this in
the A-G Matching section by
clicking Update A-G.
PAGE 32 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
A-G MATCHING
PAGE 33 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
A-G MATCHING
Important notes about A-G courses
Courses from California high schools reported in the High School Coursework section will prepopulate the
A-G Matching section based on the University of California A-G Course List. Courses reported under the
following the scenarios require manually updating the A-G Matching section:
• Courses entered manually
• Courses taken for college credit through a dual enrollment program
• Courses taken at a non-California high school
A-G Matching Resources
For more information on A-G subject area requirements, the following resources are available:
• CSU Admission Handbook
• Freshman Admission Requirements webpage
• UC A-G Course List
Checking your A-G Totals
On the A-G Matching section, you will see the guide of A-G
subjects (pictured left) with the total minimum years required in
parenthesis. To check that you have met all A-G areas, look at
your totals on the right-hand column under “Years.” Your totals
should be equal to or greater than the number of minimum years
for that subject.
In the example below, Subject A – History/Social Science requires a
minimum of 2 years. The applicant has met at least the 2-year
requirement for this subject. They completed 3 years.
PAGE 34 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
A-G MATCHING
Updating your A-G courses
If you notice that you have not met the minimum number of years in any of the A-G subject areas, follow
these instructions:
1. Click Update A-G Courses
2. Click on the arrows next to each Academic Year to
display all courses for that year or grade level
3. Enter the corresponding A-G subject area in the
right column.
4. Once you complete your updates, click Save and
Continue to return to the Summary Screen.
A-G courses taken during a trimester term
Courses reported on a trimester system will update the A-G Matching section based on how many terms
in the year are reported in High School Coursework.
Number of trimesters
Years noted in A-G Matching Section
One trimester
.33 years
Two trimesters
.66 years
Three trimesters
1 year
Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests
Any passing AP or IB test scores reported
in the Standardized Tests section of the
application that fullfill an A-G subject
requirement will automatically be applied to the
respective A-G subject area.
Dual Enrollment courses taken while in high school
Dual enrollment courses taken for college credit while in high school must be reported in the College
Coursework section for each college you attended. Match the courses to their respective A-G subject area.
College courses entered on the College Coursework section for one semester will automatically count for
one full year of high school credit.
Reminder: All A-G requirements must be completed by your high school graduation date.
PAGE 35 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
A-G MATCHING
A-G GPA
GPA calculation is based on the grade level and A-G categories assigned to each course, from 10
th
– 11
th
grade levels for an intial admission decision. Ninth grade and middle school courses are not included in
the A-G GPA, even if you took A-G courses in those grade levels. If you report a high school course that
you do not assign to an A-G category, this course will not be counted towards the total A-G GPA.
Any courses that you report for which you have received a D or an F grade will not be included in your
Total Years calculation. These courses will still be included in your calculated A-G GPA.
Plus (+) and minus (-) grades are equated to a standard grade for A-G GPA calculation purposes. Courses
designated as “UC Honors” on the UC A-G list, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate
(IB) courses receive additional points for A-G GPA calculations.
If you have questions about how the A-G GPA is calculated, you can use the CSU A-G GPA Calculator.
PAGE 36 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
PAGE 37 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
What is course validation?
Course validation may allow you to meet the minimum A-G requirements by granting credit for courses you
may not have passed or have not taken, in the subject areas of Mathematics, Language other than English
(LOTE) and Chemistry.
There are two kinds of validation:
1. Validation of a course when a lower-level course was not actually completed (called “subject
omission”) but a higher-level course was completed with a grade of C- or better.
2. Validation of a D or F grade (called a “grade deficiency”) in a lower-level course after completing a
higher-level course with a grade of C- or better.
Course validation for California high schools (with A-G list)
Course validation happens automatically within the application for applicants who complete the High
School Coursework section using the UC A-G course list prepopulated courses. Be sure to enter the correct
high school (with a matching CEEB code) and carefully enter your courses to match your transcripts.
If course validation does not happen automatically, it may be due to a manual high school or high school
coursework entry. See the next section for details on how to manually validate your courses within Cal
State Apply.
How to manually validate courses
For courses reported from non-California high schools or courses not on the UC A-G list, manual validation
is required. It is very important to use the guide below to ensure your courses validate correctly.
California high schools on the UC A-G list can skip the following notes since their courses automatically
validate.
NOTE: Subject validation only applies to completion of subject year requirements in areas A-G. Grades
below a C- must still be reported, as they may be included in the GPA calculation.
PAGE 38 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
How to manually validate Mathematics credit
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester validates a D or F in the first semester of any Mathematics
course (validation by grade deficiency).
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter course with grades earned.
2. Then, enter the course a second time with the same course title. For the first semester grade, select
“Pass,” and for the second semester grade, select “No Course.”
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester of a sequential Math course validates the prior year
(validation by subject omission).
EXAMPLE: Math I & Math II, Algebra I & Algebra II
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter course with grades earned.
2. Then, enter a second time with the same course title. Select grade of “Pass” for both semesters to
validate the entire first year of a Mathematics course that was not taken.
PAGE 39 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester of an Advanced Mathematics course validates the entire
three-year subject requirement. (Advanced Math courses are designated on the UC Management Portal.)
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter course with grades earned.
2. Then, enter the course a second and third time with the same course title.
3. Select “Pass” grades until the 3-year requirement is completed.
How to manually validate Chemistry credit
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester validates a D or F earned in the first semester (validation
by grade deficiency).
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter course with grades earned.
2. Then, enter the course a second time with the same course title. For the first semester grade, select
“Pass,” and for the second semester grade, select “No Course.”
PAGE 40 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
How to manually validate Language other than English credit
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester validates a D or F in the first semester of any Language
other than English course (validation by grade deficiency).
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter course with grades earned.
2. Then, enter the course a second time with the same course title. For the first semester grade,
select “Pass,” and for the second semester grade, select “No Course.”
A grade of C- or higher in the second semester of a second year or higher of foreign language will validate
the entire two-year subject requirement (validation by subject omission).
To validate courses based on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. If only the second level course has been completed, enter the actual course completed, then enter the
same course on a
consecutive row with
“Pass/Pass” grades.
2. If a higher level
course has been
completed, enter the
actual course
completed, then
enter the same
course twice on
consecutive rows with “Pass/Pass” grades.
PAGE 41 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
COURSE VALIDATION
You took met the LOTE requirement through another means other than a course as outlined in the CSU
Admission Handbook. This includes:
• Applicants who have received the California Seal of Biliteracy
• Applicants who have received credit for proficiency in a language other than English, and the
proficiency is documented on the high school transcript
1. Indicate the specific language in the High School Coursework section of the application for admission.
Students should indicate completion of two years of one language with a grade of “Pass” on
consecutive rows.
You took a LOTE course at a community college listed in their catalog as equivalent to 2 years of high
school credit and only one year of credit is automatically applied in Cal State Apply.
To validate a courses base on the above scenario, please follow these steps:
1. Enter the course taken in the College Coursework section and report the grade
2. Manually enter the same course a second time in the College Coursework section
a. Remove the credits. Credits = 0
b. Enter the grade as Pass “P”
Checking your course entry to confirm years of credit received and update A-G
In the A-G Matching section, click Update A-G courses Here is
where you will need to manually input the A-G category for these
courses to receive credit.
PAGE 42 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
STANDARDIZED TESTS
PAGE 43 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
STANDARDIZED TESTS
Reporting standardized tests
In this section, you can self-report your standardized test scores or self-report tests you plan to take, such
as SAT, ACT, AP, IB and CLEP exams.
ACT and SAT test scores for freshman
ACT and SAT test scores will not be used for any admission purposes and applicants are not required to
submit these scores. If you have taken the ACT or SAT and have already sent your scores to a CSU
campus, you can add your information into Standardized Tests. If this is the case, we encourage you to
include your College Board or ACT ID number.
If you have not sent your scores to a CSU campus, no further action is needed at this time. If you are
accepted and you elect to submit your SAT and ACT scores, these results will only be used as one of the
measures to place you in the proper mathematics and English courses. For more information, please visit
the First-time Freshman Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
How to complete the standardized test section
To add a test score or planned test:
STEP ONE – Click Add Test Score under the related test name
• If applicable, select the test subject
STEP TWO – Respond to “Have you taken the test?
• If the test is planned, select NO.
o Enter the date you plan to take the test.
• If the test was taken, select YES.
o Add the Test ID
o Add the date you took the test
o Add the test score
STEP THREE – Click Save this Test
• Have another test report? Click Save and Add Another
No tests to report? If you have not taken any standardized tests and do not have any planned, click I Am
Not Adding Any Standardized Tests.
PAGE 44 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
Using test scores to fulfill A-G requirements
(for both California and non-California high schools)
How to receive Advanced Placement (AP) subject test credit
To provide you with proper credit toward your degree for Advanced Placement exams, the Cal State Apply
campus must receive an official test score report from the College Board. If you have scored 3 or higher on
an AP Exam, add your test scores in the Standardized Test section of the application.
A score of 3 or higher may automatically fulfill an A-G subject requirement such as mathematics, language
other than English (LOTE), history/social science, English, science and/or visual performing arts. See the A-
G matching section for more information.
How to receive SAT II subject test credit (taken prior to 2021)
Required A-G courses may be satisfied with appropriate test scores on SAT Subject Tests (taken prior to
2021). You need to enter the SAT Subject Test in the High School Coursework section of Cal State Apply.
Enter it under the year you took it in (10
th
, 11
th
, etc.), manually enter the course name as SAT II Subject
(name) Test, and then enter Pass for each semester. If you need a second year of credit from passing the
test, you can enter another line and re-enter the same information. Once this is done, you will have to
manually designate the tests on the A-G section of the application.
PAGE 45 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & WORK EXPERIENCE
PAGE 46 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & WORK EXPERIENCE
Completing the Educational Programs & Work Experience
This section is specific to freshman Fall 2025 admission. To assist programs in evaluating student’s
admissions eligbility, the Cal State Apply application is collecting this suporting information of all
freshman applicants. If you do not have additional information to provide in this section, this does not
automatically make you ineligible for admission to a CSU campus. For more information, please visit the
Cal State Apply High School Guidance page.
Educational Programs Participation
Select Yes for any of the programs you have participated in during your high school experience. If you
select Yes, please write in the number of years you participated in that specific educational program (e.g.
1 year). If you have not participated in the program, select No.
Work Information
Please select the average number of hours you worked per week over the most recent 36 months using the
drop down box to select the appropriate range.
Extracurricular Programs Hours of Participation and Leadership
Please select the average number of hours you have participated in extracurricular and/or leadership
participation over the most recent 36 months using the drop down box to selec the appropriate range.
Once you complete this section, select Save and Continue.
PAGE 47 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
PROGRAM MATERIALS
PAGE 48 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
PROGRAM MATERIALS
Program Materials
For each program you are applying to, you will see one blue
tile. Click into each tile to find information for the specific
campus program and if applicable, questions or documents
for you to complete.
Once you have selected the tile, you will see information about that program on the Home tab.
Some programs have included additional required and/or optional questions or documents. Note that you
cannot submit your application if you do not complete all required information in Program Materials,
similar to the other quadrants.
Financial Aid Housing Question
Effective fall 2024 forward, applicants will be required to report their housing interest within the Cal State
Apply application. This information is used for financial aid planning purposes. The question can be found
in the Questions section in the Program Materials quadrant.
PAGE 49 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
PAGE 50 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
Once submitted, your application cannot be changed with minor exceptions. Incomplete or inaccurate
information may affect admission eligibility.
You are ready to submit the application when the first three quadrants
highlight (green), at least one of the program materials sections is
completed, and a red 1 appears in the Submit Application tab.
If you are applying to more than one program, you can either click
Submit All or click Submit under each program that you wish to apply
to. You can submit to programs at different times if you wish if it is
prior to the application deadline.
Review your programs. This is the last chance to review, so please do it carefully. There are no refunds
issued if you make a mistake. You can remove a program by clicking the trashcan icon on the submit
application tab.
Review the Summary Page carefully before submitting
Review the summary page carefully. Note any warning symbols and red text that may require you to
update your application before submitting.
PAGE 51 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
When ready, click continue and note the Fee Total. Here, enter payment details and confirm your billing
address. Select Continue to proceed with payment processing.
Application Fee Waivers
A fee waiver is automatically generated based on the information you provided in the application. You
must fully complete the application before the fee waiver eligibility is determined. The total fee(s)
displayed will reflect the number of fee waivers you qualify for. You can also select Check My Fee Waiver
Status on this Submit Application tab to view your eligibility. Visit the fee waiver page for more
information on fee waivers, including how eligibility is determined.
Explains where
to make updates
to your
information, if
needed
You must fully complete the application
before the fee waiver eligibility is
determined.
Each campus application has a $70
fee. The total fee(s) will reflect the
number of fee waivers you qualify
for.
PAGE 52 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PAGE 53 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
This section will go over a few frequently asked questions about the Cal State Apply application. For more
FAQ, please visit the Freshmen Cal State Apply website.
How To
How do I enter attendance dates on my application?
Enter dates by first clicking on the calendar icon. Then, scroll up or down to change the year (displayed on
the left-hand side). Once you are in the correct year, select the appropriate month.
I am having a technical issue with completing the application. How can I get help?
First, please visit the Cal State Apply Help Center, which can assist you with completing your application.
If you need additional support from customer service, you will find their contact information and Live Chat
options on the Help Center website. Live Chat is the fastest way to receive assistance.
I received a repeated course warning. What changes do I need to make?
A warning message alerts applicants when repeated courses are entered to prompt them to review
potentially mis-reported repeats for grade recovery or other course entry mistakes. For courses like
journalism, band/orchestra etc. that are repeatable for credit and approved to meet A-G requirements, you
can leave the multiple entries on the application and submit your application.
PAGE 54 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I took dual enrollment courses at a community college and received warning
messages before submitting my application.
These warning messages serve as a check point for applicants before they submit their application and
may not necessarily apply. Warnings may include:
"In your Extended Profile, you indicated you are a First Time Freshman applicant. However, based on the
college attendance dates you entered, it appears you are a transfer student." If you are a current high
school student and are taking college courses, this message does not apply to you. Select I understand
and have reviewed.
A-G Courses
How do I know if my a-g course is considered honors?
Visit University of California A-G Course List (ucop.edu) to verify if your course is considered UC Honors.
Changes to your application
I have new or updated information to submit. How can I do this?
Once an application has been submitted, the information on the application cannot be edited by logging
back into Cal State Apply, except for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) program application.
Please contact the campus(es) to which you applied and work with them to provide the new information.
I made a mistake on my application. How can I fix it?
Once an application has been submitted, the information on the application cannot be edited by logging
back into Cal State Apply, except Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) program application. Please
contact the campus(es) to which you applied and work with them to provide the new information.
PAGE 55 I FRESHMAN GUIDE 2025-2026 I CAL STATE APPLY LAST REVISED 10/1/24
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Admissions decisions and redirection
Where/how will I receive the admissions decision?
The admissions decision will not be found within Cal State Apply. You will hear directly from the campus
(usually via email) regarding your admissions decisions.
What if I’m not admitted to the CSU campus(es) I apply to?
If you are a first-time freshman, upper-division transfer student or an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT)
student applying to the CSU and you are a California resident for tuition purposes, CSU-eligible and have
not been admitted to any CSU to which you applied, there is the chance that the campus(es) you applied to
don’t have the capacity to admit more students.
If this happens, you will be redirected to an alternate CSU campus. This is called
redirection.
You would
receive the redirection details via email from Cal State Apply. For more information, please visit
https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/redirection.