Transfer Impaction

All first-time transfer applicants need to meet the minimum standard CSU admission requirements. Additionally, California transfer students choosing one of CSUN's impacted majors must achieve that major's supplementary criteria to be considered for admission.

Currently, only two majors are impacted at CSUN, as shown below.

Impacted Majors by Academic Year
Impacted Majors, 2025-2026 Impacted Majors, 2026-2027
  • B.S. in Accountancy options in:
    • Information Systems
    • Professional Accountancy
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts options in:
    • Film Production
    • Television Production
  • B.A. in Music
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts:
    • Film Production option
    • Television Production option
  • B.A. in Music

Learn More About Transfer Impaction

CSUN is Easing Impaction!

CSUN is easing impaction for the current and coming academic years — fall 2025-spring 2026, as well as fall 2026 and spring 2027 — as follows:

  • Local/nonlocal-area (regional) impaction is no longer in effect. All first-time transfer students must meet the same standard CSU admission criteria. Visit Transfer Admissions for details.

  • All California first-time transfer applicants must also meet the higher, supplementary criteria for an impacted major if they choose one of those majors. Supplementary criteria for impacted majors are published on this page as they become available.

Only two majors are impacted for 2026-2027. See the "CSUN's Impacted Majors in Detail" row below.

Impacted Majors Overview

The academic department for each impacted major may set supplementary admission criteria for its applicants.

  • If you are choosing one of the impacted majors listed below and you are a student from California, you will need to meet that major’s supplementary admission criteria if any.

  • In all impacted majors except Music, this could mean achieving a higher GPA than is required for a non-impacted major.

The list of impacted majors may change annually in future academic years.

Fall 2026 Admissions

NEW! CSUN is accepting applications from all transfer students, even those who've earned fewer than 60 transferrable semester units (90 quarter units). Visit Transfer Admissions.

Be sure to apply for admission during one of CSUN's application filing periods.

To find out whether or not impaction affects you, consider the following:

  1. All applicants to non-impacted majors must meet the minimum CSU minimum 2.00 transfer GPA for the standard eligibility requirements listed at Transfer Admissions.

  2. You ARE affected by impaction if you are applying to an impacted major.*

  3. You are NOT affected by impaction if you are not a resident of California or a U.S. servicemember (active duty or veteran). Learn how to apply at:

Be sure to apply for admission to CSUN during our application filing period.

*Explore Majors & Careers

Here are a few tips for exploring your options and pathways:

Majors Impacted for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027

For admission to the 2026-2027 academic year, two majors are impacted.

  • Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA): Two of six CTVA options are impacted:

    • Film Production
    • Television Production

    CTVA will set supplementary criteria (a higher GPA) and admit applicants directly to the major program based on their GPA.

  • Music: An audition is required. Learn more at Audition & Placement.

Majors Impacted for Fall 2027 and Spring 2028

TBA. Please check back at a later time.

The following section describes admission criteria for fall 2026 and spring 2027 impaction only. These criteria may vary for future admission cycles.

Table 1 shows the admission criteria for CSUN’s non-impacted majors and Table 2 the criteria for impacted majors. Please note:

  • Applicants who meet the minimum GPA for their group will be admitted.
  • The minimum standard CSU admission requirements are published at Transfer Student Requirements.

California Transfer Students Applying to Non-impacted Majors

Table 1: Minimum GPA for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 California transfer admission.
California Community College Location Minimum Admission GPA
Anywhere in California 2.00 GPA

California Transfer Students Applying to Impacted Majors

If you are choosing one of the impacted majors listed in Table 2 below and you are a student from California, you will need to meet that major’s supplementary admission criteria if any.

Table 2: Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 admission criteria for California transfer students applying to impacted majors.
Impacted Major Impacted Major GPA Requirement

B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts options in:

  • Film Production
  • Television Production
 2.10 GPA
B.A. in Music Pass an audition. Visit Audition & Placement.

The admission criteria for fall 2027 and spring 2028 impacted majors will be published here at a later date.

Please note, all transfer student applications are currently considered for admission to CSUN as long as they meet the minimum standard CSU eligibility criteria. Please review Transfer Student Requirements.