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Graduate Student Orientation

Q&A Responses

Listed below are the departments that provided responses to the questions that were submitted in Fall 2022.

Associated Students

1. What services do you offer for graduate students and what are your hours of operation?

  • As incoming Graduate Senators, we aim to foster inclusivity, inspire graduate students to express their opinions about campus climate, and collaborate with CSUN leaders to develop empowering solutions. In addition, the business hours of the AS Student Leadership are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every Monday through Friday. For this Fall 2022 semester, Senator Minely’s office hours are every Monday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Senator Lee’s office hours will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

 2. How do graduate students get involved in Associated Students? Can graduate students join clubs and music ensembles? Do you host a club fair?

  • For graduate students to get involved in CSUN Associated Students (AS), we highly recommend them to attend any of the eight AS departments’ social and educational events that they host throughout the academic year. However, if graduate students cannot attend the events due to any reason like personal business(es) or work related, we suggest they contact the AS departments via email or phone to see if there are any ways to connect and be involved in AS. Moreover, there will be an Annual AS Welcome Fair in the first week of every Fall semester. As one of the first events of the academic year, the AS Fair provides an opportunity to welcome students to the campus. All AS departments will be providing information about their services and answering questions. If graduate students are interested to join other CSUN clubs or organizations, they can attend the CSUN Meet The Clubs event which is held every semester and put together by the Matador Involvement Center (MIC) in front of the University Library, also known as the University Lawn. During the event, any CSUN students are welcome to visit and interact with approximately 300 clubs and organizations that we have here at CSUN. All kinds of students are also encouraged to explore a webpage called Matasync to get more detailed information about CSUN clubs and organizations. For this year, they will be having the event on Wednesday, September 13 and Thursday, September 14 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

3. What kind of research funds does Associated Students offer?

  • CSUN Associated Students (AS) officer Student Travel and Academic Research (STAR) funding. Within a fiscal year, funds are allocated to the STAR fund for academic research and presentation, typically up to $600 per person. Some examples of covered expenses include conference registration fees, airfare, hotel, and ground transportation. Students must submit proof that they will be presenting or speaking at the conference when submitting their application. STAR funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students may submit their request on the following AS webpage: https://www.csun.edu/as/finance/star. In addition, it is very important that students know the state and/or auxiliary funds cannot be used to travel to prohibited students due to Assembly Bill 1887. CSUN AS receives many of the applications that cannot be funded due to the conferences taking place in prohibited states. There are currently 22 different states on the list and more information can be found on the following webpage: https://www.csun.edu/travel/ab1887.

4. What are some positions (preferably paid) that graduate students can apply for?

  • There is a total of seven different departments that exist under CSUN Associated Students (AS) – such as AS Student Leadership, AS Children Center, AS Outdoor Adventure, AS Productions, AS Sustainability, AS Sports Clubs, and AS Sports Club – and all the graduate students are welcome to get involved and apply any of the AS department positions based on their interests, career, and major(s) through graduate assistants or other part-time employee positions. To get involved with CSUN AS, especially for the Student Leadership, it is important to check the AS Elections which are held each year during the spring semester. During this time, officers are elected to serve as the student government for CSUN. These positions include the AS President, Vice President, and Senators to represent all academic colleges, graduate students, and undergraduate students (lower division and upper division). The qualifications to apply for those positions, graduate students (1) must earn a 3.0 graduate GPA in the semester prior to the appoint, (2) have a minimum cumulative CSUN GPA of 3.0 at the time of applying, and must be a student in good standing (not on academic or disciplinary probation) and (3) be a regular member of the Associated Students (must be enrolled in the regular university and pay AS fees. Meaning no Tseng college students. For other AS departments, graduate students can easily check out through the AS website if there are any open positions at the moment.

5. Any on campus events exclusive for graduate students?

  • At this moment there are not any events exclusive ONLY for graduate students, but Senator Moradian and I are planning a few different social events for this upcoming academic year, such as a Town Hall event, Holiday Karaoke Night and Mocktail event, Career Fair and Alumni Connection event, and New Year Fitness Day/Week. We have a potential date and time that we want to showcase these events. However, we cannot guarantee and promise when exactly the events will be happening since it is still in the process to get approvals from AS senators and finance committees for the budgeting situation. We are also creating different resources and services for graduate students as well, but it is taking a bit of time. Everything will come out eventually, so stay tuned!

Career Center

1. What services do you offer for graduate students and what are your hours of operation?

All services and resources are available to graduate students:

2. Can graduate students contact the Career Center via zoom?

  • Yes! Our Zoom Front Desk hours are: Monday-Friday: 10 am - 12 pm and 1 pm - 3 pm
  • Join Zoom Room - Meeting ID: 850 2605 8361 Passcode: 705873

3. What is the fastest way to meet with someone from your department?

For quick career-related inquiries, 15-minute Drop-Ins are the best option:

  • In-Person Drop-Ins, Tuesday: 11 am - 1 pm
  • Virtual Drop-Ins, Wednesday: 1 pm - 3 pm,
  • Join Zoom Room - Meeting ID: 832 0588 9319 Passcode: 829212

4. Does the Career Center share job opportunities with external partners?

CSUN has one of the largest employer networks in southern California.

5. How much access do we have to the Career Center as graduate student?

  • Graduate students have full access to all resources and services from unlimited career counseling sessions to Matty’s Closet to on-campus interviews with employers and more!

6. What are some of the on-campus job opportunities that are offered to students during their study period? What are some of the job opportunities that are available after I graduate from my program?

  • On and off-campus jobs and internships are posted in Handshake and CareerLink for graduate students. Handshake is the job listing and event resource embedded in CareerLink. On any given day there are over 3,000 jobs posted for graduate students and alumni depending on your field.
  • Fun fact! The Career Center alone employs between 3 and 6 graduate students in our office every year.

7. What kind of On-Campus jobs are available for International Graduates and how to apply for them?

8. Do we get job placement after we graduate?

  • The Career Center offers services and resources to help you search for job postings of interest. While we do not do placement, we support you through career advising, networking contacts, events, and online resources. Take full advantage of the resources!

9. Which companies come to CSUN for hiring? Do you offer internships to master's students during the study? Will there be mock practice sessions arranged by career team to prepare us for the interviews and career fair day?

  • Yes, to all questions! Hundreds of companies post positions for graduate students. The day of these responses, 2,100 positions were posted for graduate students. Check out our website for information on interview practice and job search resources.

10. How often are there any in-person Career Fairs?

  • We host over 8 large job fairs a year. They are all in-person starting in fall 2022.

11. Do you provide mock interviews for students?

  • Yes. When you meet with a career counselor for a 1-on-1 counseling appointment, you can ask for a mock interview and/or interview preparation assistance.

Financial Aid

1.What are your hours of operation and how can students get in contact with your office?

  • Our office is available by phone, in person, or via email. Please visit our website for contact information and hours of operation.

2. How do students apply for financial aid?

  • Eligible students must submit a FAFSA or CADAA application every year. Applications open October 1st of every year.

3. If students require funds for summer classes via our program, when and how do students begin to apply for aid?

  • You must have a financial aid application on file with the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department. If you already completed FAFSA or CA Dream application for the academic year, you do not need to submit another one to be considered for summer aid. You must Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress also known as SAP. You will need to enroll in your summer courses and pay your summer registration fees on your own at the time of enrollment. Financial aid awards will not be available at the time you enroll. Later, your file will be reviewed and you will be awarded the grants you are eligible to receive. If you are only eligible for loans, you will need to submit a Summer Direct Loan request form when it becomes available. Eligible students will be identified and awarded on a rolling basis. No further action is required by the student. Most summer aid programs require you to be enrolled at least half-time.

4. When and how are financial aid awards disbursed?

  • We begin disbursing funds 10 days prior to the start of each term and continue weekly as long as you meet all other eligibility criteria. Your financial aid will be applied to your charges and if there is a credit balance, an e-refund or Financial Aid Balance check will be processed.

5. What can graduate students do to receive financial aid?

  • Eligible students must submit a FAFSA or CADAA every year. Students should also begin searching for Scholarship opportunities for the following academic year. On-campus scholarship opportunities will be posted online starting late Fall.

 6. When is the deadline for Tuition? What if we have a Tuition fee waiver?

  • Once a tuition waiver has been applied to your account, it will be coordinated with your financial aid package. If you have questions about your tuition deadline please contact the University Cash Services Office or the Tseng College Finance Office for more information. If you have questions on the process of your tuition fee waiver to your fees, please contact Student Accounting.

7. What are the payment plan options for Tseng College students?

  • Please contact the Tseng College Finance office at 818-677-4174.

8. How does the payment plan work?

  • If your program is through the Tseng College you will need to contact their finance office. If your program is through CSUN, please contact University Cash Services for more information on the payment plans available.

9. Why is there a fee associated with every unit of graduate studies but not for undergrads?

  • You will need to contact the Tseng College Finance office for more information on their fees. 

10. What are the other options for financial aid other than loans?

  • Student will also be considered for the State University Grant, program specific grants (Graduate Professional Grant is available for M.B.A or M.P.Acc. students only), Federal Work student, and scholarships.

11. Do students have to reapply every year for financial aid loans?

  • Yes, eligible students must submit the FAFSA application every year to be considered for Federal Direct Loans. 

12. If a student only has one more year of financial aid, how can the student get more assistance other than loans or scholarships?

  • We recommend that all students file a FAFSA or CADAA annually in order to be considered for the most financial aid as possible. Aside from loans and scholarships, students enrolled in a Master’s degree program may also be considered for the State University Grant and Federal work study.

13. I would like to know when they announce the winners of CSUN scholarships.

  • Reviews and the selection process will continue on a rolling basis well into the end of August, and sometimes into the mid-Fall semester. If a student did not get selected, they will see that the application status will change to “not selected”, please note that they will not be notified nor will they receive a “not selected” email.  If you have additional questions about a CSUN scholarship application you submitted, you may contact the scholarship office by phone at 1-818-677-4907 or via email at scholarships@csun.edu.

14. Does my award package include things such as the need for computer laptops, travel, and childcare through COA?

  • Your cost of attendance includes, tuition fees, books/supplies, room and board, transportation, miscellaneous, and loan fees. If you have significantly higher educationally-related expenses such as for example computer/laptop purchase, elementary or secondary school tuition expenses for your legal dependents, unusually high out-of-pocket/unreimbursed medical/dental expenses, high travel expense due to long commute to CSUN, you may file an appeal for an increase to your cost of attendance for high out-of-pocket expenses.

15. What are the financial aid opportunities for international students? What do International students need to do to apply for aid?

  • For financial aid opportunities, international students can look into On-Campus and off campus scholarship opportunities. The on-campus scholarship period starts in early November of every year and the end date may vary depending on the scholarship opportunity. Please log into CSUN's online scholarship database myMatadorScholarships in early November of every year to learn about the application deadline for the scholarships. The scholarship portal can be found HERE.

16. Will there be more grants available for Graduate Students?

  • Currently grants are limited to students pursuing their first Master’s degree. We recommend that all students file a FAFSA or CADAA annually before March 2nd in order to be considered for the most financial aid as possible.

International and Exchange Student Center

1. What resources and opportunities does the International and Exchange Student Center office have for International students?

  • The IESC offers various events and webinars for international students every semester. The webinars hosted will assist you with any questions you may have regarding CPT, OPT, or immigration guidance. Please check out our upcoming events and webinars on our Events/Webinar webpage.

2. What are your hours of operation?

  • The IESC is open Monday-Fridays from 8am to 5pm. To schedule an advisement appointment with an International Student Advisor, please go to CONTACT US.

3. Does your office offer any international travel opportunities for graduate students?

  • International students may be eligible to study abroad with approval from their academic department. For more information about the programs offered through the IESC, please sign up for an information session.

 4. What does the mandatory health insurance cover?  Do international students still need to purchase it even if they have an existing health insurance?

  • International students are required to have adequate health insurance throughout the duration of their F1 student status as mandated by the California State University Chancellor's office. Please review the JCB Insurance Solutions  Plan Summary. For questions regarding Eligibility and Enrollment, call JCB at 818-686-5131 or email studentservices@jcbins.com.

5. What are the best and safest ways for International students to reach CSUN? (airport, safety, transportation, immigration, baggage, housing)

6. Where does international students find accommodation for food?

  • The CSUN Food Pantry exists to provide emergency nourishment and basic necessities at no cost to CSUN’s students. The CSUN Food Pantry supplies food and offers food program assistance to those who are without reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. For more information please visit https://www.csun.edu/mic/foodpantry.

7. Who can International Students contact in case of immigration emergencies?

  • Please contact the IESC for an immigration emergency. Please click the "Contact Us" button to reach the relevant advisement staff, or choose one of the available advisement options.

8. DURING VACCATION DOES IECS ALLOWS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TO VISIT THEIR HOME?

  • Yes. Please make sure you have the proper travel documents and remember to obtain a travel signature on your I-20 from the IESC. To request travel signature, please complete the Request for a New I-20/DS-2019 form to  . The new I-20 will be electronically generated and signed for travel. This type of request can take 7-10 business days to process

9. How can international students get involved and meet other students? Does your office organize social events for international students?

  • Our office conducts Coffee Hours every Friday while school is in session. Please look out for an email invitation for our upcoming Coffee Hours. In addition, the IESC hostess International Student Week each November. International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This is a joint initiative by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education as a part of their efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States.

10. Does the IESC office know of any family student housing for international students?

Klotz Student Health Center

1. What services can students use at the Klotz Center and what are your hours of operation?

  • The Klotz Student Health Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm, on Thursday we open at 9:00am and are open until 5:00pm during Fall and Spring semesters, and all Summer (there is a Summer health fee to pay if you are not enrolled in Summer classes) for both telehealth and in person appointments. We are closed evenings, weekends, and University holidays. The most current information can always be found on our website: www.csun.edu/shc

2. What services do you offer specifically for graduate students?

  • Our free and low cost services are available for all currently enrolled students! Students pay a mandatory health fee as part of their tuition ($78 for Fall 2022). The most current information can always be found on our website: www.csun.edu/shc 

3. Does the Health Center offer overall health, dentist, and optometrist services?

  • Yes. It does not cost anything to see a physician or nurse practitioner for basic healthcare needs (check-up, illness or injury). Services are provided both through telehealth and in-person, by appointment only.
  • Optometry services are available by appointment: 818 677-7250. A basic eye exam is available for $49. We are competitive on glasses and contact lenses. We take all current prescriptions.  More detailed information can be found at: https://www.csun.edu/shc/vision.
  • Our dentist just retired after 15 years at the health center. Although we have not yet replaced that position, we are hopeful to have services back by Spring 2023. 

4. Do you have services such as acupuncture, chiropractor services?

  •  Yes. Acupuncture is $29/session, Chiropractic is $10 for the initial visit and $5 for follow-up visits. We also offer Physical Therapy for $5 a visit. All services are available by appointment: 818 677-3666, option 1. 

5. How do students submit their immunization records? Once a student uploads their immunization documents, how long does it take to get verified?

  •  All the information regarding immunization requirements can be found at: https://www.csun.edu/shc/immunizations. Once submitted, it takes 2-3 business days for the documentation to be reviewed and cleared.   

 Please note:

  • You will not be able to submit your records until Fall semester begins, as you are not yet in our system.
  • If your documents are not in English, they must either be professionally translated or readable in English.
  • If you are a CSUN graduate you will be “grandfathered in” and will not need to resubmit your immunization documentation, or meet the additional requirements added by the CSU.
  • Only a medical exemption will be accepted in lieu of immunization documentation or positive titers. 

6. Does the Student Health Center provide health insurance or resources to health insurance for students that had to quit their full-time employment and lost all health insurance?

  • There is no insurance offered by the University or by Klotz Student Health Center. The programs and services of the health center are a benefit to all currently enrolled students. Services beyond our scope or hours are the financial responsibility of the student.
  • Covered California provides information and resources on low cost (subsidized) insurance plans and Medi-Cal at: https://www.coveredca.com for qualified Californians.
  •  Exception: International students are required to purchase the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) International Student Health Insurance group policy. More information can be found at: https://www.csun.edu/international/health-insurance-requirement 

7. Does the health center provide free vaccination like booster, MMR with no charges since we have purchased health insurance?

  •  Although vaccines are not provided by the Klotz Student Health Center free of charge, we do accept most insurance and Medi-Cal policies for immunizations. We also are affiliated with a couple assistance programs based on income and a person’s access to insurance. Please call us to learn more and to see if you may qualify.

8. Please give insight on how to access health center during mild, common cold, etc.

  •  Just call us at 818 677-3666, option 1 for a telehealth or in-person appointment!

Learning Resource Center

1. What services can students use at the Learning Resource Center and what are your hours of operation?

  • The LRC offers a wide variety of services designed to help CSUN students succeed. Graduate students are encouraged to utilize 1-on-1 sessions with Faculty Writing Consultants in the University Writing Center for anything related to writing and reading, including but not limited to class papers and assignments, unpacking assigned reading, presentations, thesis and dissertations, and professional documents such as cover letters and resumes. The Writing Center also offers writing and reading workshops that cover a diverse set of topics that students are welcome to attend throughout the semester. Through our Asynchronous Feedback for Graduate Students service, graduate students can submit 15-25 double spaced pages of their capstone, thesis, or dissertation for feedback from a Faculty Writing Consultant. The LRC’s SMART (science, math, and related topics) Lab offers course-based tutoring for many classes across the disciplines.
  • The LRC’s main office is open Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. In-person tutoring will take place Monday-Thursday. Online tutoring will be available 6 days a week, most days as late as midnight. Specific hours for each individual center will be made available through our website.

 2. Is there tutoring available for graduate students?

  • Graduates can utilize the Writing Center for all reading and writing needs. We don’t always offer course-based tutoring in our SMART Lab because it can be difficult to find tutors for graduate courses, but a list of the specific classes we have tutors available for will be on our website after the start of the semester.

 3. Are there any study areas in the Learning Resource Center for graduate students?

  • Unfortunately, we don’t have study space for any students who aren’t working with a tutor. Our office is relatively small, which limits the number of students we can have in the space at a time. However, we are located in the library, and there are several study spaces that are available for student use right outside of our office.

 4. Will we have mentors or graduate tutors in specialized courses outside of writing?

  • As of right now, we don’t have mentors or graduate tutors for specialized courses outside of writing, but we are hoping to be able to offer this soon. The LRC is constantly looking for ways to better serve CSUN students.

5. What types of services do you offer for online graduate students?

  • The LRC will maintain hybrid services for the foreseeable future, so practically anything that is available in-person will also be available for students learning and working remotely. This includes 1-on-1 tutoring, workshops, and any services beyond that are in development.

Office of Graduate Studies

1. What services do you offer for graduate students and what are your hours of operation?

  • We offer a variety of resources/services for graduate students. Please visit our Graduate Studies website. We are open Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm.

2. How do students communicate with the office of Graduate Studies?

  • Students can communicate with the Office of Graduate Studies in-person or by phone Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Current students should contact Graduate Evaluations at (818) 677-4800 for questions or concerns related to their student file or diploma (e.g. applying for graduation, Degree Progress Report (DPR), Electronic Thesis Dissertation (ETD), etc.). Students should contact the main office at (818) 677-2138 for general information or questions related to events or student funding.

3. Am I allowed to just walk in the office and get resources for my program?

  • Students can walk in the office. However, we recommend you call the main office at (818) 677-2138 for questions related to resources and student funding.

4. What resources do you have available for parent scholars?

  • Please visit our events and funding opportunities website. We offer a variety of workshops and funding opportunities for students. In addition, we facilitate a workshop specifically for parent scholars in the Fall.

5. How do we apply for research funding?

  • Our office provides research funding for students that are working on their Thesis/Project/Dissertation. Students can receive up to $1,200 to support their research endeavors. Please visit the Thesis/Project/Dissertation website, to learn more about this funding opportunity. Associated Students also provides funding for research projects. Please visit the Student Travel & Academic Research (STAR) website for more information and the application link.

6. Does your office offer scholarship opportunities for Graduate Students?

  • Graduate Studies provides several scholarship and funding opportunities for Graduate Students. Please visit the Student Funding website for more information.

7. Funding opportunities for international students are quite limited. Does your office offer scholarship opportunities for international students?

8. Will there be an info packet or email of topics discussed at the in-person grad student orientation for students who will be unable to make it?

  • Our office will send out an email notification with information to all the incoming graduate students that were unable to attend the orientation.

9. What is the graduation rate?

  • Graduation rate differs by each graduate program. We encourage students to contact their Graduate Coordinator.

10. What is the projected date of graduation for 2022-2023 Fall Grad Students that attend only part-time?

  • This depends on the student’s graduate program and how many units are required for their program. Please contact your Graduate Coordinator.

11. Can you explain the classified/non-classified status for graduate students?

  • A student is conditionally classified when their bachelor’s degree is not awarded at the time of acceptance. Whereas an applicant that has their bachelor’s degree (from CSUN or another University) will be classified into the program.

12. What are the culminating experience options?

  • This depends on the student’s graduate program. You can run your Degree Progress Report (DPR) or speak to your Graduate Coordinator.

13. What are your plans for graduate student in their success to complete a program?

  • We encourage students to contact their Graduate Coordinator.

14. Why does the Social Work program not provide paid internships for their students?

15. Any funding for CBEST?

16. When do students register for classes?

  • Students can register for the Fall semester in mid-June and for the Spring semester in mid-November.

17. What are the dates and times of the classes for this upcoming Fall?

  • This depends on the student’s graduate program. Most graduate courses begin at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. For Fall 2022, weekday classes begin Monday, August 29, 2022.

18. Would you recommend using a bicycle? Are the classes walking distance?

  • Most classes are walking distance.

19. Should students expect to get their CSUN ID Card by mail?

20. Can students qualify to rent out any laptops or iPads for the semester?

21. What are the housing options for students? What are the extra costs associated with living on campus including parking? Is housing separated for males and females?

Scholarship Office

1. What are your hours of operation and how can students contact the Scholarship Office?

  • Students can contact the scholarship office via telephone from 10am-3pm M-F. A representative will assist them. At times, we experience a high volume of calls. If they receive our voicemail, they should leave a message with their best contact number and student ID and we will respond as soon as we are able to.
    We also respond to student inquiries via email at scholarships@csun.edu. Students should not forward any documents, but they are welcome to ask any questions they may have. They should include their student ID number and detailed message.

2. How can students be notified about scholarship opportunities? Can students subscribe to a listserve?

  • Students should create accounts in the myMatador Scholarship portal for updates on scholarship opportunities. Every time new scholarships open, the system sends automatic emails to students that have completed general applications (profiles) on file. Students can access the myMatador Scholarship portal at csun.edu/scholarships.
    We also respond to student inquiries via email at scholarships@csun.edu. Students should not forward any documents, but they are welcome to ask any questions they may have. They should include their student ID number and detailed message. 3. When and how do students apply for scholarships? Is there an ideal time to apply? When does, your office notify recipients of scholarships?
    Students can apply to scholarships in multiple ways. For scholarships offered through the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department, students need to apply through the myMatador Scholarship portal. Timelines and deadlines are listed in the portal. Applications are reviewed through the summer and students are notified of their selection by early Fall. All scholarships are awarded for the upcoming academic year. 

    myMatador Scholarships Important Dates:

    The myMatador Scholarships portal opens as of November of each academic year.

    The Matador Scholarship Program (MSP) runs: February-May.

    CSU System Wide Scholarships run: February to April.

    For departmental scholarships, students need to check in with their departments administrative office for scholarship application timelines and deadlines.

3. How do international students apply for a scholarship? What types of scholarships are available? What are the basic eligibility criteria?

  • International students can apply to scholarships in multiple ways. For scholarships offered through the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department, students need to apply through the myMatador Scholarship portal. Timelines and deadlines are listed in the portal. Applications are reviewed through the summer and students are notified of their selection by early Fall. All scholarships are awarded for the upcoming academic year. Only continuing students are eligible to apply. Note criteria varies, though generally students should a min. 3.0 GPA and full time enrollment.

    myMatador Scholarships Important Dates:

    The myMatador Scholarships portal opens as of November of each academic year.

    The Northridge Scholars Program (NSP) runs November-February

    The Matador Scholarship Program (MSP) runs: February-May

    CSU System Wide Scholarships run: February to April Z

    For departmental scholarships, students need to check in with their departments administrative office for scholarship application timelines, deadlines and criteria.

4. What scholarships are available to graduate students? Is it possible to apply for scholarships in your second semester as a graduate student?

  • Graduate students can apply to scholarships in multiple ways. For scholarships offered through the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department, students need to apply through the myMatador Scholarship portal . Timelines and deadlines are listed in the portal. Applications are reviewed through the summer and students are notified of their selection by early Fall. All scholarships are awarded for the upcoming academic year, and yes, students can apply in their second semester.

    myMatador Scholarships Important Dates:

    The myMatador Scholarships portal opens as of November of each academic year.

    The Matador Scholarship Program (MSP) runs: February-May

    CSU System Wide Scholarships run: February to April

    For departmental scholarships, students need to check in with their departments administrative office for scholarship application timelines, deadlines and criteria.

 5. What are some of the scholarships for students who have dependents?

  • There are a couple of scholarships offered to students with dependents. For scholarships offered through the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department, students need to apply through the myMatador Scholarship portal. Once the student fills out the general application and indicates they have dependents, the system will populate the scholarship opportunities specific to them. Timelines and deadlines are listed in the portal. Applications are reviewed through the summer and students are notified of their selection by early Fall. All scholarships are awarded for the upcoming academic year.

    myMatador Scholarships Important Dates:

    The myMatador Scholarships portal opens as of November of each academic year.

    The Matador Scholarship Program (MSP) runs: February-May

    CSU System Wide Scholarships run: February to April

    For departmental scholarships, students need to check in with their departments administrative office for scholarship application timelines, deadlines and criteria.

6. Any scholarships exclusive to DACA graduate students?

7. What is the GPA requirement to receive a scholarship in your first semester of graduate school? What are the other requirements and what are the scholarship award amounts?

  • Most scholarships require a minimum 3.0 GPA and full-time enrollment. Awards vary from $1000-$2000 for our MSP opportunities (Scholarship Office). Note that departments offer varying award amounts and scholarships can range from $250 - $10,000. It is important that students check-in with their departments for available funding. 

University Counseling Services

1. What services does University Counseling Services offer to graduate students and what are the hours of operation?

  • University Counseling Services (UCS) is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm; additionally, 24/7 crisis/urgent care services are available for CSUN students by calling (818) 677-2366. All UCS services are free. UCS offers a wide range of therapeutic and other services to all currently enrolled CSUN students. Services include: initial evaluations, brief individual therapy, brief couples therapy, unlimited groups and workshops, wellness workshops, urgent care/crisis services, psychiatric consultations, case management/support with referrals, Let’s Talk drop in consultation, and outreaches and presentations. UCS also offers YOU@CSUN which is a comprehensive online well-being platform intended to enhance student mental health, physical wellness, happiness, and academic success.
  • Specifically for graduate students, UCS offers a Graduate Student Therapy Group and a Writer’s Block Group for Graduate Students.  For more information on UCS services check out the UCS website. 

2. Does UCS offer appointments in-person and via zoom?

  • Services are offered both via HIPAA-Compliant Zoom and in-person. Initial evaluations are completed via phone.  The service delivery model utilized (Zoom, in-person, some combination of both) for short-term individual and couples therapy will be determined through collaborative discussion between the counselor and student.  During regular business hours (Monday – Friday 8 am to 5 pm) students can walk in to access our urgent care services. 24/7, 365 per week, students can also call the UCS mainline (818-677-2366) to speak with an urgent care counselor. For Fall 2022, all groups will be virtual.  

3. Does UCS have parent scholar support groups?

  • UCS has a thriving Parent Scholar Support group. For more information on UCS groups and workshops check out the UCS groups page.

4. How many hours of counseling can a student receive?

  • There is flexibility within our short-term model to try to best meet the specific needs of individual students. This includes decisions about the number of individual or couples sessions, frequency of scheduling sessions (e.g., weekly, biweekly, other), transitioning a student to group treatment, referring a student for a psychiatric consultation, or to off-campus resources.

5. Does UCS assist students in finding other resources?

  • UCS offers case management to assist students in identifying and connecting with a wide range of resources both on and off campus.

University Library

1. What are University Library hours of operation?

  • Library hours vary by day and semester. The day's hours are posted on the library's website. In addition, you can see hours for the whole semester, including service desks, by clicking here.

2. What specific services/resources do you have for graduate students?

  • Graduate students can use any of the services in the library, including checking out books, DVDs, laptops and other computing technology, 3-D printing, the recording studio, research help, Inter Library Loan, and more. All of these are listed under the "Services" menu on the library's home page. In addition, we do have graduate study rooms, located on the Garden Level. Graduate Students must register first with the Guest Services Desk in the lobby to use it. Graduate students should also get to know their subject librarians, as they can help them with their research needs during their time at CSUN. You can find your subject librarian by clicking here. Graduate students may also benefit from knowing about and using out Special Collections, which houses unique and archival materials. 

3. Does the library offer extended hours at any times throughout the year?

  • The library offers extended hours right before and during finals week. This fall extended hours occur 12/9 - 12/18.

4. Can students borrow books during the semester as well as during the summer?

  •  Graduate students starting their first semester at CSUN will be able to check out books starting the first day of the semester. Then, as long as they are registered for classes in the Fall for their subsequent years of study, they can check out books during the summer, between Spring and Fall semesters.

 5. Does the University Library have extensive collections both in-house and online?

  • Yes, it does! The University Library has a collection containing 2.1 million volumes, of which over 1.5 million are books, and over 250,000 bound periodical volumes. The Library subscribes to 53,000 online journals, over 2,300 print journals, over 200 online databases and more than 570,000 ebooks. The microform collection contains 3.17 million pieces. There are over 13,000 sound recordings, 45,000 film and video recordings and nearly 60,000 pictures and other graphic materials. The archives and manuscript collection exceeds 11,000 linear feet of materials, with nearly 45,000 items housed in Special Collections. Students can get access to many of our items through OneSearch, our discovery tool. We have a guide where you can learn how to use OneSearch, if you're not already familiar with it. You can also do research by specific subject area by going to our Databases page from the red button on our home page, and then choosing your subject from the drop down box.

 6. How can students access library materials virtually?

  • Online materials are accessed easily by students. We have links to all our resources from many of our library's webpages. Most ebooks are accessed through OneSearch - OneSearch is the University Library's searching tool to locate book, ebooks, articles, videos and more provided by the Library.  Once you click a link for a database, or an ebook, or something else, you'll be asked to log in with your CSUN user ID and password. After logging in you need to complete multifactor authentication through DUO as with other campus systems. You can find more information here. 

7. How many books can a student borrow from library? How do students apply to work in library?

  •  Students can borrow an unlimited number of books from the library. Students can apply to work at the library through Handshake.

 8. How can students check out books? How long can students check a book out for and do students need a CSUN ID card to check out books?

  • Read all about borrowing books here. Students can check out books themselves by going to the library, getting the book, and checking it out at the Guest Services Desk in the lobby. They can also find books they want in OneSearch, and request that the book be delivered to a locker, located outside the library, which they can pick up without entering the library.  Technically yes, students do need a CSUN student ID to check out books at the Guest Services Desk. We will make exceptions, however, if you still don't have a student ID, but you have some form of state ID and we can verify that you are a student.

University Student Union

1. What are your hours of operation?

2. What services does the University Student Union offer to graduate students?

  • The USU aims to provide several programs and resources for our Graduate Students, including but not limited to: Computer Lab, Facilities (study rooms, lounges, and meeting rooms), Community Based resource centers programs and events.

3. Does the USU facilitate any evening activities for graduate students?

  • The USU will continue to provide programs and events that accommodate the needs and schedules of our students. This includes both day and later evening programs. A list of our upcoming programs can be found here: https://www.csun.edu/usu/calendar.

4. What is the procedure to join the USU? Any requirements to become a member? How does students get involved?

  • All CSUN students benefit from the resources and services provided by the USU. We encourage our Matadors to get connected through various ways:

    Check out our website and subscribe to our weekly email “What’s New at the USU”: https://www.csun.edu/usu

    Instagram/ Tik-Tok/ Twitter: @csun_usu

    Matadors can also join the USU Board of Directors: https://www.csun.edu/usu/boardofdirectors

5. How is USU set apart from CSUN associations like Associated Students (AS) and Residential Hall Association (RHA)?

  • The University Student Union exists to support the success and well-being of our CSUN students in partnership with other campus entities including A.S. and RHA. The USU specifically includes the USU main facility, resource centers (DREAM, Pride, VRC), The Student Recreation Center (SRC), Oasis Wellness Center, Computer Lab, Games Room, and other facility amenities. For more information, please check out our page: https://www.csun.edu/usu/services

Events

Contact

  • Wendy Brown-Danks
    Administrative Analyst

  • Valera Hall 275
    (818) 677-2138
    Monday - Friday
    8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

 

 

 

Graduate Studies
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18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330
Phone: (818) 677-1200 / Contact Us