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· Announced
Cal State Apply opens two months early for fall 2027; submissions still start October 1The CSU application opened in August this year instead of October. What you can do now, what waits until October 1, and the fee waiver.
For the class of 2027.
Getting in
For Fall 2025, 55,289 first-year students applied to Cal State Fullerton, 48,716 were admitted and 6,787 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 88.1%.
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| California residents | 52,429 | 46,493 | 88.7% |
| Out-of-state | 2,316 | 1,938 | 83.7% |
| International | 427 | 169 | 39.6% |
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table (117 applicants of unknown residency not shown). Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. CSUF's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university. CSUF is impacted by campus and by major, but it publishes no admission rate by major.
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early plans. CSUF has no early decision or early action plan; the Common Data Set answers no to both. There is one Cal State Apply filing period.
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
CSUF is impacted by campus and by major: there are more qualified applicants than seats, and admission uses a Multi-Factor Admission Score. Applicants from the local area (all of Orange County's high schools plus Chino, Corona/Norco, Walnut, Whittier and the Alvord district) are admitted at a lower score. These majors ask for more:
- Computer Engineering integrated BS/MS. A minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.0.
- Dance, Music, Theatre. Admission to the major is based on a successful live audition.
- Nursing. Pathway requirements and application steps set by the School of Nursing.
Source: CSUF Admissions, First Time First Year Admission Requirements (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
55 majors across 1 school. Every bachelor's degree major in Cal State Fullerton's official 2026-2027 University Catalog, with the degree it leads to. Concentrations are folded into their major; graduate programs and online degree-completion programs are left out.
Bachelor's degrees55
- American Studies (B.A.)
- Anthropology (B.A.)
- Art History (B.A.)
- Art (B.F.A.)
- Art (B.A.)
- Biochemistry (B.S.)
- Biological Science (B.S.)
- Business Administration (B.A.)
- Chemistry (B.A.)
- Chemistry (B.S.)
- Child and Adolescent Studies (B.S.)
- Cinema and Television Arts (B.A.)
- Civil Engineering (B.S.)
- Communication Studies (B.A.)
- Communications (B.A.)
- Communicative Disorders (B.S.)
- Comparative Literature (B.A.)
- Computer Engineering (B.S.)
- Computer Science (B.S.)
- Criminal Justice (B.A.)
- Dance (B.A.)
- Earth Science (B.A.)
- Economics (B.A.)
- Electrical Engineering (B.S.)
- Engineering (B.S.)
- English (B.A.)
- Ethnic Studies (B.A.)
- French (B.A.)
- Geography (B.A.)
- Geology (B.S.)
- History (B.A.)
- Human Services (B.S.)
- International Business (B.A.)
- Japanese (B.A.)
- Kinesiology (B.S.)
- Liberal Studies (B.A.)
- Linguistics (B.A.)
- Mathematics (B.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)
- Music (B.M.)
- Music (B.A.)
- Nursing (B.S.)
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Physics (B.S.)
- Political Science (B.A.)
- Psychology (B.A.)
- Public Administration (B.A.)
- Public Health (B.S.)
- Religious Studies (B.A.)
- Sociology (B.A.)
- Spanish (B.A.)
- Theatre (B.F.A.)
- Theatre (B.A.)
- Urban Learning (B.A.)
- Women and Gender Studies (B.A.)
Source: CSUF 2026-2027 University Catalog, Degree Programs (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cal State Apply | November 30 | not published | No |
You apply through Cal State Apply. The application opens August 1, 2026, and you can submit from October 1 to November 30, 2026. Once you submit, your major cannot be changed until the first day of the semester. If admitted, the intent to enroll deadline is May 1, 2027. CSUF does not publish decision dates.
Source: CSUF Admissions, Admission Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
SAT and ACT scores are not used: the California State University has discontinued the use of ACT and SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility.
Source: CSUF Admissions, First Time First Year Admission Requirements (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set agrees: it answers no to using SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions.
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8A. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked Cal State Fullerton's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: CSUF Admissions, Admission Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at Cal State Fullerton, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $6,838 | $18,142 |
| Required fees | $1,678 | $1,678 |
| Food and housing (on campus) | $20,384 | $20,384 |
| Books and supplies | $1,078 | $1,078 |
| Transportation | $1,678 | $1,678 |
| Other expenses | $3,274 | $3,274 |
| Total | $34,930 | $46,234 |
For a full-time undergraduate living on campus, fall and spring. The out-of-state tuition is the full tuition a nonresident pays.
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections G1 and G5. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $3,315 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,123 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $6,090 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,930 |
| Over $110,000 | $15,631 |
| All incomes | $6,555 |
What first-year, full-time, in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from CSUF's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to California State University, Fullerton on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
University of California, RiversideRiverside, CA · Public86.1% admitted$14,304 average net price
University of OregonEugene, OR · Public87.4% admitted$22,182 average net price
University of California, MercedMerced, CA · Public97% admitted$11,983 average net price
Portland State UniversityPortland, OR · Public90.9% admitted$9,552 average net price
California State Polytechnic University, PomonaPomona, CA · Public74% admitted$11,531 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.