Frequently Asked Questions

Go to www.csumentor.com to submit an online application. Beginning fall 2005, the paper application process will discontinue and online applications will become the only way to apply to the Office of Graduate Studies.  Admission to CSUS involves a two part process. First, you must meet the minimum requirements for admission to CSUS as a post-baccalaureate or graduate student.  

1. An acceptable baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of coursework.

In addition, you must gain admission into a specific program. Please note that each program may have additional requirements, including a higher minimum grade point average. Please contact the department office of the program to which you are interested in applying for specific admission requirements.

You may call 1 (800) GO-TO-XAP for technical assistance.

Once applications are complete, processing time averages 6-8 weeks but varies depending on how long the department takes to make a decision. Please contact your individual department for more information on their requirements for admission. This process will be expedited if official transcripts are submitted with the university admission application.

The Office of Graduate Studies gathers the necessary documents to create each student’s permanent record and verifies that the student has a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above in their last 60 semester units (or last 90 quarter units) of coursework attempted as well as a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. An application from a candidate who meets those university requirements are then forwarded to the department for their consideration. Once a decision is made and the Office of Graduate Studies is notified, admission or denial letters are mailed to the students.

Yes, the application process at Sac State consists of two tiers. In addition to applying to a specific department, you must also submit a university application to the Office of Graduate Studies in order to be considered for admission.

Yes, transcripts are required from all institutions of higher education that you have attended, including institutions outside of the U.S. However, CSUS transcripts are not required. Applications that lack transcripts will be considered incomplete which may delay an admission decision and/or registration.

Two sets of official transcripts should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies unless your department instructs you to do otherwise. Some departments prefer that you send one set directly to the department so they can begin an admissions file immediately. Please check with the department first.

Students who completed (or are in the process of completing) their bachelor’s degree at CSU Sacramento and have not taken any other coursework elsewhere since they graduated are not required to submit transcripts with their university application.

Individual transcripts from each university, college, junior college or community college attended are required by the university to complete your graduate application. Transfer credits from one institution that appear on the transcript of another institution may not be substituted for an individual official transcript.

Submit Transcripts to the following address:

California State University, Sacramento
Office of Graduate Studies
6000 J St
Sacramento, CA  95819-6112

Please be sure to include the entire 9 digit zip code when sending documents to different university departments. Not including the last 4 digits of the zip code (6112) is the most common reason transcripts do not arrive in a timely manner. You may submit official transcripts sealed in the issuing institution’s envelope in person. Transcripts that have been opened will not be accepted.

Fees are subject to change. Current fees directly related to registration can be found in the class schedule.

Application fee waivers, to be submitted with your University admission application, are available upon request. Loan applications are available through the campus Financial Aid office. Graduate Assistant and Teaching Associate positions may be available through individual departments or the Career Center. You may also want to visit fastWEB for custom scholarship opportunities.

Conditionally classified graduate students who enroll in less than 4 units of 200-level coursework per semester are only eligible for financial aid at the UNDERGRADUATE level ($10,500 annual maximum). In order to be eligible for financial aid at the GRADUATE level ($18,500 annual maximum), conditionally classified graduate students must enroll in 4 or more units of 200-level coursework per semester. These conditions apply until the requirements to become a fully classified graduate student have been satisfied.

Yes, use this link to connect to the current class schedules: http://my.csus.edu

A schedule can be purchased at the Hornet Bookstore in person, however one cannot be mailed. Please access the bookstore’s website for current prices: http://www.hornetbookstore.com/

Newly admitted students and current students use My Sac State to register for classes. New students need to register for a SacLink account in order to access My Sac State.

Please call the Help line: (916) 278-7337

After you have been admitted, new students may obtain a One Card beginning the 1st week of August during fall semester and the 1st week of January during spring semester. You must pay your tuition fees first before obtaining a One Card.

This card is required for checking out books from the library. Additional information about the One Card can be found here: http://www.csus.edu/onecard/FAQ.htm.

Yes, use this link to take a virtual tour: http://www.library.csus.edu/services/inst/indiv/vtour/1welcome.htm For self-guided or guided tours, please call the circulation desk at: (916) 278-6708

Individual accounts may be requested by admitted or currently enrolled students, faculty (current and emeritus), and staff (current and retired) by accessing the SacLink registration Web page. Student applicants are eligible for limited accounts--see our web site for more information. http://webapps1.csus.edu/admr/content/admission/online_services.asp

This link enables you to view a campus map: http://www.csus.edu/scripts/asp/map/map.asp

This link describes the campus tour process and allows you to sign up for a tour: http://webapps1.csus.edu/prospective/content/campus_tour.asp

Weekly and semester parking permits are available for purchase by showing a valid CSU Sacramento One Card at the Student Financial Services Center in Lassen Hall or the UTAPS office in Foley Hall. These locations accept cash, personal check, Visa, MasterCard, and CSU Sacramento One Card as valid forms of payment. Student semester parking permits are also available through CASPER class registration. Parking permits ordered through CASPER are mailed to students approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester. Daily parking permits are available from a daily parking permit machine or at the UTAPS office. Use this link for more information: http://www.csus.edu/utaps/parking.htm

All of the academic advising for graduate students is done at the department level. Once an area of interest has been established, that particular area will be responsible for all advising. Please contact your department for any questions about prerequisites or transfer credit. Procedural questions can usually be answered on a first come first serve basis in the Office of Graduate Studies in River Front Center room 206 or by calling (916) 278-6470 between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm any business day.

Yes, Sacramento State offers career counseling to students at the Career Center http://www.csus.edu/careercenter/index.stm

The Office of Graduate Studies does not require test scores. (*Students who earned their degree outside the U.S. at a university where English was not the language of instruction need to submit TOEFL scores).

However, some departments require test scores. Please consult your department for more information.

Applicants with international transcripts should review our submission criteria in order to ensure that the application packet is complete. See More info here.

GRE and GMAT score reports should be sent to the department that you intend to apply to. The CSUS Institution code is 4671; please refer to the GRE Bulletin for the department codes.

TOEFL score reports should be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Use may use the CSUS Institution code, 4671.

A Special Major for either a Master of Arts or Master of Science degree provides an alternative for those individuals whose special needs and interests cannot adequately be met by any single existing or planned master’s degree program. A student who wishes to undertake such a program should obtain an information sheet and application from the Office of Graduate Studies.

Please use the following link to access the Financial Aid office scholarship information http://www.csus.edu/faid/

Please inquire with your department to determine if you need to provide letters of reference for program admission consideration. The Office of Graduate Studies does not require letters of reference for your university application.

The College of Continuing Education offers courses through Open University to students not regularly matriculated or admitted to CSUS and who are not maintaining continuous enrollment status. Therefore, classified graduate students are not permitted to take courses through Open University.

Students using Open University to explore graduate school options and later make a decision to apply to CSUS for graduate studies should be aware that only six units earned prior to classification can be applied toward a subsequent master’s degree program. Units are also subject to departmental approval.

Students may request graduate credit for an excess undergraduate course(s) taken in the semester of graduation. The course(s) must be in excess of the bachelor’s degree. No more than six semester units are allowed to be used toward a master’s degree. A Petition for Exception form must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies for consideration.

A minimum of 21 approved semester units in 100-, 200- and 500-series offerings in a 30 unit program must be earned in residence at CSUS. The maximum number of transferable units in a 30 unit master’s program is nine units and is subject to departmental approval.

Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies for inquiries about beginning a program during the summer, (916) 278-6470

Second bachelor’s degrees are administered through the Admission and Records department. Please call (916) 278-3901 for application procedures.