Admitted International First-Time Freshmen

Based on your location inside or outside the U.S. at the time of your admission, you'll need to complete the following steps:

• Inside the U.S.: As soon as you receive our email offering admission, ask your high school counselor to transfer your SEVIS record to CSUN.
  • If you are a first-time freshman, ask your high school advisor.
  • If you are a transfer student, ask your college or university advisor.
  • If you are a graduate student, ask your college or university advisor.
• About two or three business days after your current school releases you in the SEVIS database, our International Admissions Office will email your CSUN Form I-20 to you.
• Outside the U.S.: Our International Admissions Office will email your CSUN Form I-20 to the email address you provided in your Cal State Apply admission application.

All F-1 visa students: To receive your I-20 other than by email, please contact us about one of the following options at intladm@csun.edu as soon as possible:

• Pick up your CSUN Form I-20 from our International Admissions Office.
• Ask us to hold your I-20 for a friend or family member to pick up.
• Ask us to mail your I-20 to you or a friend or family member.

All new F-1 students must complete the online six-step Immigration Requirements for New International Students, including the mandatory Reporting Session with CSUN's International and Exchange Student Center (IESC). These steps allow you to maintain your visa status and register for classes. You can start now at Immigration Requirements for Newly Admitted International Students.

Important Information: If you are outside the U.S. at the time of your admission, you will need to arrange an appointment at a local U.S. Embassy to secure your F-1 student visa. Make an appointment as soon as possible, as it may take some time.

If you are unable to enter the U.S. for the fall or spring semester of your admission, please contact please contact the International and Exchange Student Center.

To accept our offer of admission, submit your Intent to Enroll before the deadlines below:

Submit your intent as soon as possible after your admission, but no later than the following deadlines:

How to submit your Intent to Enroll:

• Log in to the CSUN Portal with your CSUN user ID and password.
• In your portal Checklist, find the Intent to Enroll link under Incomplete Tasks.

No fee is charged to submit your intent at CSUN. If you plan to become a CSUN Matador, submit your intent today!

The Mathematics Selection Assessment (MSA) is a placement test that places you into a math class that fits your skill level. The MSA does not affect your admission.

If the placement test is required or recommended, your Hub-International academic advisor will email you MSA information and provide details in the "New F-1 International Student Academic Advisement Process" (see “Pre-enroll in Classes” below).

Important: Only register for a placement test if advised to do so by your international academic advisor.

An academic advisor for new international students will assist you with enrolling in your first-semester classes. Complete the Response Questionnaire to tell your advisor that you plan to attend and to share your class preferences.

How to pre-enroll:

1. Monitor your CSUN email for an invitation from an academic advisor to complete the "New F-1 Undergraduate International Student Academic Advisement Process” Pre-Enrollment Steps 1 to 3, including the Response Questionnaire.
2. If you do not receive the email within 14 days of your admission, request a new international student advisement workshop by contacting an advisor in the The Hub-International Academic Advisement Office.
   • Advisement Workshops Schedule:
     • Students admitted for fall will have a workshop during the summer.
     • Students admitted for spring will have a workshop between November and January.
3. Start Pre-Enrollment Steps 1 to 3. Classes fill quickly, and you must be enrolled in at least 12 units to maintain student visa status.
4. Before your advisor can enroll you in classes, you must complete the following online processes to clear your advisement and registration holds:
   • IESC’s Online Immigration Requirements
   • Access Title IX "Not Anymore" Training
   • Satisfy the F-1 International Student Health Insurance Requirement.

To learn more, review the First-Time International Student Advising Checklist.

Note: If you are a member of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, you will be advised by both the international academic advisor and CSUN’s NCOD: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.

Check your CSUN email for a new student registration email which will contain instructions for your first semester of enrollment.

For your second semester and thereafter, your enrollment appointment will display in your CSUN Portal Checklist. You may begin to register for classes on your appointed date and time and after. 

Registration holds will also display in your CSUN Portal Checklist.

For registration help, view the following tutorials:

• How-To Guides
• My CSUN Portal Checklist
• View Holds

You and your family should take time to understand what your costs will be so you can make informed choices when preparing for this next step in your education. Please note that our international students pay nonresident tuition  as well as California State University tuition. All students pay additional mandatory campus fees.

The resources below will help you to estimate the cost of attending CSUN:

1. CSUN Cost of Attendance
2. CSUN Net Price Calculator
3. The Affidavit of Financial Support (PDF). Note: Submit this form together with your bank statement if you did not already upload them to Cal State Apply. Please see instructions on the form.

Although the university does not offer financial aid to international students, other resources can assist you with the cost of attendance. Please visit Scholarship Opportunities for International Students.

For the most up-to-date information regarding tuition and other fees, refer to the Student Financial Services website.

How to pay for your classes

To view tuition and other fees:

1. Log in to the CSUN Portal.
2. In the list of links below the Top Tools icons, select Make a Payment.
3. On the Student Account Information page, review your Current Balance Outstanding.
4. Select the CSUN Payment button.

Important payment information:

• Visit Payment Due Dates or contact University Cash Services.
• If you have questions about payment, please email University Cash Services at ucs@csun.edu.

Please be aware of the student disclosure regarding the Schedule of Tuition and Other Fees.

Helpful Guides:

• How to Pay Your Fees (payment options)
• International Wire Transfer (PDF)
• View Your Student Financial Account

New international students are required to attend New Student Orientation (NSO), a program designed to set incoming Matadors up for success.

During this required orientation, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the CSUN campus and community, meet other students and discover resources for student involvement and belonging, academic success, information technology and more!

NSO registration begins in July for the fall semester and early December for the spring semester. New students will receive emails and postcards signaling they can begin the registration process much earlier.

To prepare for the orientation experience and find the most current  information, visit New Student Orientation – International Students.