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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, 95,444 first-year students applied to San Diego State, 35,709 were admitted and 6,911 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 37.4%.
Source: SDSU 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 84,805 | 26,565 | 31.3% |
| Out-of-state | 9,043 | 8,202 | 90.7% |
| International | 1,596 | 942 | 59% |
Source: SDSU Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. SDSU's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by college or major, although every SDSU major is impacted and you are admitted to a major.
Source: SDSU Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early plans. SDSU has no early decision or early action plan. Everyone applies in the same October 1 to November 30 filing period.
Source: SDSU 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
You must choose a major when you apply, and every SDSU major is impacted: each has more applicants than spots. You may name an alternate major, considered if space is available. Some majors ask for more:
- Computer Science and Engineering. Preference goes to applicants who took science and mathematics courses and earned strong grades in them.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Dance; Music; Musical Theatre; Television, Film and New Media (Production); Theatre Arts (Performance). You must pass an audition or portfolio review and meet the general admission requirements.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Nursing (Direct Entry). A B or better in high school intermediate algebra, biology and chemistry with lab (AP or IB versions included). Preference goes to strong grades in science and mathematics, and admission is highly competitive.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Pre-majors. If admitted, you are placed in the pre-major and must meet department criteria, such as a minimum GPA and prerequisite courses, to move into the major.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, Impacted Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Local admission area. Graduates of high schools in San Diego County south of state route 56 and east to the Imperial County line, or in Imperial County, get priority consideration in the admission ranking.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, Local Admission Area and Priority (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
First-year students who graduate in spring 2027 from a high school outside SDSU's local admission area must live on campus for two years.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
89 majors across 4 schools. Every bachelor's degree major in SDSU's official 2026-2027 General Catalog, grouped by the degree it leads to, with each major's emphases named in its note. Minors, certificates and graduate programs are left out.
Bachelor of Arts55
- Africana Studies (B.A.)
- American Indian Studies (B.A.)
- Anthropology (B.A.)
- Art (B.A.)Options: Applied Design; Interior Architecture; Painting and Printmaking; Sculpture; Studio Arts.
- Art History (B.A.)
- Asian American Studies (B.A.)
- Asian Studies (B.A.)
- Astronomy (B.A.)
- Biology (B.A.)
- Brazilian Studies (B.A.)
- Chemistry (B.A.)Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Chicana and Chicano Studies (B.A.)
- Classics (B.A.)Options: Classical Humanities; Classical Language; Classical Languages with Honors.
- Communication (B.A.)
- Comparative International Studies (B.A.)
- Dance (B.A.)
- Economics (B.A.)Options: International Economics; Public Policy; Quantitative Analysis.
- English and Comparative Literature (B.A.)Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Geography (B.A.)Options: Environment, Sustainability, and Policy; General Geography; Geographic Information Science and Technology; Human Geography and Global Studies.
- Geological Sciences (B.A.)
- Gerontology (B.A.)
- History (B.A.)
- Humanities (B.A.)
- Integrated Design (B.A.)
- Interdisciplinary Studies in Three Departments (B.A.)
- International Business (B.A.)Options: Arabic - Middle East and North Africa; Asian Languages - Singapore; Chinese - Asia; English - North America; European Languages - North Atlantic; French - North America; French - Western Europe; German - Western Europe; Italian - Western Europe; Japanese - Asia; Korean - Asia; Portuguese - Latin America; Portuguese - Western Europe; Russian - Central Europe; Spanish - Latin America; Spanish - Western Europe.
- International Security and Conflict Resolution (B.A.)Options: Conflict in the Global System; Environment in the Global System; Justice in the Global System.
- Islamic and Arabic Studies (B.A.)
- Japanese (B.A.)
- Journalism (B.A.)Options: Advertising; Media Studies; Public Relations.
- Language, Culture, and Society (B.A.)
- Latin American Studies (B.A.)
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Plus (LGBTQ+) Studies (B.A.)
- Liberal Studies (B.A.)Options: Education-Generalist; Elementary Education.
- Linguistics (B.A.)
- Mathematics (B.A.)Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Modern Jewish Studies (B.A.)
- Music (B.A.)
- Musical Theatre (B.A.)
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Physics (B.A.)
- Political Science (B.A.)
- Psychology (B.A.)Options: Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Neuroscience.
- Public Administration (B.A.)Option: City Planning.
- Religious Studies (B.A.)
- Rhetoric and Writing Studies (B.A.)
- Social Science (B.A.)Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Social Work (B.A.)Option: Community Corrections Case Management.
- Sociology (B.A.)
- Spanish (B.A.)Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (B.A.)
- Sustainability (B.A.)
- Theatre Arts (B.A.)Options: Design and Technology; Performance; Youth Theatre; General Theatre Arts.
- Urban Studies (B.A.)Options: Urban Cultures and Societies; Urban Planning, Design, and Management; Urban Political Economy and Public Policy; Urban Sustainability.
- Women's and Gender Studies (B.A.)
Source: SDSU 2026-2027 General Catalog, Curricula by Department (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Bachelor of Science32
- Aerospace Engineering (B.S.)
- Artificial Intelligence and Human Responsibility (B.S.)
- Astronomy (B.S.)Option: Data Science.
- Biology (B.S.)Options: Cellular and Molecular Biology; Ecology; Evolutionary Biology; Marine Biology; Zoology. Also offered in preparation for a single subject teaching credential.
- Business Administration (B.S.)Options: Accounting; General Business; Finance; Financial Services; Real Estate; Management; Entrepreneurship; Human Resource Management; Information Systems; Marketing.
- Chemistry (B.S.)Option: Biochemistry.
- Child Development (B.S.)Option: Early Childhood Special Education Integrated Teacher Education (ITEP).
- Civil Engineering (B.S.)
- Computer Engineering (B.S.)
- Computer Science (B.S.)
- Construction Engineering (B.S.)
- Construction Management (B.S.)
- Criminal Justice (B.S.)
- Electrical Engineering (B.S.)
- Environmental Engineering (B.S.)
- Environmental Sciences (B.S.)
- Foods and Nutrition (B.S.)
- Geography (B.S.)Options: Geographic Information Science and Technology; Water, Climate, and Ecosystems.
- Geological Sciences (B.S.)Options: Environmental Geosciences; General Geology; Geophysics.
- Health Communication (B.S.)
- Hospitality and Tourism Management (B.S.)Options: Hotel Operations and Management; Meetings and Events Operations and Management; Restaurant Operations and Management; Tribal Gaming Operations and Management.
- Kinesiology (B.S.)Options: Exercise Science Generalist; Fitness Specialist; Prephysical Therapy.
- Leadership Studies (B.S.)
- Mathematics (B.S.)Options: Applied Mathematics; Computational Science; Mathematics Education; Science.
- Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)Option: Bioengineering.
- Microbiology (B.S.)Option: Clinical Laboratory Science.
- Nursing (B.S.)The catalog also lists a Registered Nurse option, for students who are already registered nurses.
- Physics (B.S.)Options: General Physics; Modern Optics.
- Public Health (B.S.)Option: Environmental Health.
- Recreation Administration (B.S.)Options: Outdoor Resource Management; Recreation Systems Management; Sustainable Tourism Management.
- Statistics (B.S.)Options: Actuarial Science; Data Science.
- Television, Film and New Media (B.S.)Options: Critical Studies; Production.
Source: SDSU 2026-2027 General Catalog, Curricula by Department (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Bachelor of Fine Arts1
- Dance (B.F.A.)Option: Dance Education.
Source: SDSU 2026-2027 General Catalog, Curricula by Department (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Bachelor of Music1
- Music (B.M.)Options: General; Global Composition; Jazz Studies; Music Education; Music Entrepreneurship and Business; Music Recording Technology and Audio Design; Performance.
Source: SDSU 2026-2027 General Catalog, Curricula by Department (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 | In the spring | No |
Cal State Apply opens August 1 so you can prepare your application; you submit it between October 1 and November 30. No late applications are accepted. The filing fee is $70. Decisions are made in the spring; SDSU does not publish a date. If you are admitted, you must finish your planned courses with a C- or better and keep the GPA you reported, or the offer may be withdrawn.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
In line with the CSU, SDSU no longer uses SAT or ACT scores from first-year applicants to determine admission eligibility, so scores are not considered for admission. If you are accepted, SAT or ACT scores can be used to place you in math and writing courses.
Source: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also says SDSU does not use the SAT or ACT in admission decisions, marking them not considered even if submitted; its form asks about fall 2025.
Source: SDSU Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked San Diego State'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: SDSU Office of Admissions, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at San Diego State, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (CSU basic tuition) | $6,838 | $6,838 |
| Nonresident tuition | $0 | $14,130 |
| Required fees (campus fees) | $2,942 | $2,942 |
| Out of State and International Student Fee | $0 | $3,000 |
| Housing (on campus) | $14,008 | $14,008 |
| Food (meal plan) | $7,848 | $7,848 |
| Books and supplies | $1,014 | $1,014 |
| Transportation | $1,216 | $1,216 |
| Personal expenses | $2,566 | $2,566 |
| Total | $36,432 | $53,562 |
SDSU's standard cost for a full-time undergraduate living in university housing, for the 9-month academic year. The housing and meal plan figures are averages of what students actually chose.
Source: SDSU Financial Aid, Cost of Attendance Tables (opens in a new tab), 2026-27 tables for California residents and nonresidents. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $9,910 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,017 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $12,697 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,891 |
| Over $110,000 | $23,821 |
| All incomes | $15,364 |
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 SDSU'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 San Diego State University on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · Public38.2% admitted$16,109 average net price
University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · Public41.7% admitted$14,091 average net price
University of California, DavisDavis, CA · Public44.3% admitted$14,741 average net price
California State University, Long BeachLong Beach, CA · Public45.4% admitted$10,440 average net price
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public30% admitted$16,665 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.