Transfer Impaction

Impaction Supplementary Criteria

All first-time transfer applicants need to meet the minimum standard CSU admission requirements described at Upper Division Transfer Applicant. Transfer applicants affected by CSUN impaction must also meet CSUN's supplementary admission criteria described on this page.

Topics on this page:

• Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Impaction
• Impacted Majors by Academic Year
• Does transfer impaction affect you?
• Impacted Major Admission
• Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Admission Criteria (last year)

Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Impaction

Fall 2024 admissions information is now available at Upper-Division Transfer Applicant. Please note these important changes for fall 2024 and spring 2025 impaction:

• Campus (local area) impaction is no longer in effect for transfer students.
• All California first-time transfer students must meet the same standard CSU admission criteria for non-impacted majors. See Table 1 below.
• All California first-time transfer students must meet the same higher, supplementary criteria for impacted majors.
• There are only four impacted majors, fewer than last year.

The Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 supplementary criteria will be published when the number and academic characteristics of the first-time transfer applicant pool are known.

Impacted Majors by Academic Year

Does transfer impaction affect you?

1. CSUN removed local-area (regional) impaction for transfer students beginning with fall 2023 admission cycle. All applicants to non-impacted majors must meet the minimum CSU minimum 2.00 transfer GPA for the standard eligibility requirements listed at Upper Division Transfer Applicant.
2. You are affected by impaction if you will be applying to an impacted major. 

• Choose your major carefully. Ask your college counselor for tools to explore careers or contact a CSUN preadmissions counselor to talk through options.
• Explore your options with CSUN's Majors & Programs search tool.
• Find out which of the California community college Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T and AS-T) majors will transfer to CSUN.

3. You are NOT affected by impaction if you are a nonresident of California or a U.S. service member (active duty or veteran). Find application instructions at:

• Domestic Out-of-State Applicants (nonresident students must already meet a higher admission standard)
• International Admissions
• Veterans Admissions

Impacted Major Admission

The list of CSUN’s impacted, competitive majors may change annually. The academic department for each impacted major may set supplementary admission criteria for that major.

• 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.
• The number and academic characteristics apparent in the first-time transfer applications from California residents will determine the need for supplementary admission criteria. In all impacted majors except Music, this could mean achieving a higher GPA than is required for a non-impacted major. Space permitting, applicants who meet any supplementary criteria will be admitted first, until the impacted major is full.
• The list of impacted majors may change in future academic years.

Applying to Impacted Majors

The following impacted business majors and their options admit applicants to the pre-major program. Then, after successfully completing the pre-major program, students file for a change of major:

• Accountancy - Information Systems and Professional Accountancy options
• Business Administration - Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, and Risk Management/Insurance options

Applicants to the following impacted major are required to pass an audition:

• Music - Refer to Audition & Placement.

Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA), the remaining impacted major, will set supplementary criteria (a higher GPA) and admit applicants directly to the major program based on their GPA.

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Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Admission Criteria for First-Time Transfer Students (last year)

The following section describes admission criteria for fall 2023 and spring 2024 impaction only. These criteria may vary for future admission cycles.

The academic characteristics of the non-local applicant pool, as well as the academic characteristics of California transfer applicants to impacted majors, will determine the supplementary criteria for impaction.

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 applicant.

California Transfer Students Applying to Non-impacted Majors

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.

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