Support Page Content
Annual Application Process
Our Program
Thank you for your interest in the MS in Counseling Program at Sac State. Our program is highly competitive with an average acceptance rate of less than 20%. Each year we have a large number of highly qualified applicants, yet can only accept approximately 20 applicants per concentration in each application cycle. Accepted students are admitted to the fall semester only. Students take courses each fall and spring semester. The final year culminates with an internship experience and a comprehensive examination.
We are a CACREP-accredited, 3-year, full time (12 units per semester), in-person program for a Masters of Science in Counseling, with emphasis in one of four concentrations:
- Career Counseling;
- Marriage, Couple, & Family Counseling (MCFC);
- Rehabilitation Counseling; and
- School Counseling.
In addition, we are designed as a cohort model which guides students through the program via a designated course sequence.
Tuition rates for our program are set by CSU and change slightly each year – for information on both student tuition and fees, please see the CSU future tuition costs page. In-state tuition and student fees to attend 3 years of our program cost approximately $33,000 (out-of-state tuition is an additional $420/unit).
For more information about minimum requirements for applying to the program, please see the application instructions below on this page and our FAQ document. For more information about the following topics, please visit our About the Program sections of our website:
- Details on the four concentrations
- Program format, accreditation, & course sequence
- Licensing and credentials – the options and process
- Internship partnerships
- Student organizations
Key Dates for the Application
Information Night
For more information about our program, join our Information Night held each year in early fall. We will post a link to register for the event as details are finalized — check back in early fall. If you are unable to attend the live event, we will post a recording of the video shortly after the session. In the meantime, please feel free to view our video from last year's Information Night, posted below.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2025 | Counseling Ambassadors begin their availability for meetings with potential students (meetings available until early spring/end of current admissions cycle) |
| September 26, 2025 | Information Night (4-6pm via Zoom) - see section above |
| October 1, 2025 | Applications open on CSU Apply -We suggest immediately starting the recommendation form process. Requesting and submitting recommendations can be done before applicants submit their final program application. -For more details see the application instructions below and/or the Cal State Apply Instructions. |
| January 5, 2026 | Priority Deadline - Application due through Cal State Apply by 9pm PST (including ALL supplemental materials and completed recommendations -- applications must be complete to be considered for the priority deadline) |
| January 15, 2026 - 9pm PST | General & Final Deadline - Application due through Cal State Apply by 9pm PST (including ALL supplemental materials and completed recommendations) No incomplete or late applications will be reviewed for admission. There are no early or rolling decisions available. |
| January 19-February 6, 2026 | Review of applicant materials (primary screening) |
| February 9, 2026 | Invitations sent to select applicants for Interview Day Event |
| February 27, 2026 | Interview Day Event (in-person secondary screening; no alternative dates or format; information below) |
| March 15, 2026 | MS in Counseling Program decision recommendations finalized: - Decision recommendations sent to Office of Graduate Studies for final approval - Applicants notified of Program's recommended decision |
| March - May 2026 | Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) decisions finalized: -students notified of official decision by OGS |
Information Night Video
Interview Day
Our program uses a holistic evaluation process which includes two screening processes. The first is a review of applicant materials. For the second, we invite a select number of applicants for Interview Day. While our primary screening is a review of submitted materials, our secondary screening is an in-person evaluation that consists of an interview with faculty, a group activity, tour, and writing prompt for which we will identify admits. Please note that Interview Day is a full-day interactive experience with faculty and students – as such there are no alternative dates or methods for students who cannot attend. If interested in our program, we recommend saving the date on your calendar.
How to Apply
We have provided a reference document below to use during your application process. Please read this in detail and refer to it frequently during your application process. If there are any discrepancies with the Cal State Apply system, please refer to this document for final confirmed details.
For additional support, please see our FAQ document or reach out to the appropriate support contact. See below for more information on who to contact.
Fall 2026 Start Date - MS in Counseling Application Instructions
These additional pages may be of help to you:
Questions & Support
| Type of Support Needed | Who to Contact |
|---|---|
| General questions about the program | - About the Program sections of our website - FAQ Document |
| Questions about student experiences in the program and concentrations | Counseling Ambassadors |
| Questions about (a) the application instructions posted above or (b) items not addressed on our website | coe-counselored@csus.edu |
| Questions about the online application and/or the Cal State Apply application | - grad_admissions@csus.edu - Future Graduate Students page |
| Questions about a submitted application | - coe-grad@csus.edu |