Cal State Apply opens two months early for fall 2027; submissions still start October 1

On August 3, 2026, the California State University announced that Cal State Apply, its application for all 22 CSU universities, has been redesigned "with a mobile-first approach" and "is now open, two months earlier than previous years."

Between August 1 and October 1, applicants can start filling in many sections. High school students "will not be able to complete all fields on their applications until Oct. 1," when the portal links to the sites where they enter their coursework. "The fall 2027 priority application period will close on Nov. 30."

The fee is $70 per campus. The CSU says "nearly half of all applicants" qualify for a California resident fee waiver that covers up to four campuses.

If you are a California senior applying for fall 2027, open your Cal State Apply account now and do the parts you can: your details, your activities, your campus and major choices. Then submit between October 1 and November 30.

Check whether you qualify for the fee waiver before you pick campuses. Four free applications is a real reason to choose your four carefully.

The University of California's application runs on almost the same calendar: it opened August 1, and its submission window for fall 2027 is October 1 to November 30.