International Student: International Freshman

You will be considered for admission to CSUN as an international freshman if you meet the following requirements:

1. You have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, or an average of "B" grades on an "A - F" letter grading scale. (CSUN will convert your international GPA when you apply for admission.)
2. You have met our English language requirement:
   

   ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTS AND MINIMUM SCORES

   Test Name and Website	Minimum Score Required for Undergraduate Students	Send Score Directly To CSUN
   Cambridge C1 Advanced English (formerly CAE)	172	Email “Confirmation of Entry” page to intladm@csun.edu.
   DET – Duolingo English Test	95	Online through your Duolingo Account. See Sending Your Results.
   EIKEN CSE – Common Scale for English	2304 (Pre-1)	Contact EIKEN online; they will send the score directly to us.
   GTEC CBT – Global Test of English Communication Computer-Based Test	1125	Have GTEC send a copy of your "Official Score Certificate" to CSUN.
   IELTS Academic - International English Language Test System	6.0	Have IELTS send a copy of your "Test Report Form" to CSUN.
   iTEP Academic - International Test of English Proficiency	3.8	Have iTEP send your score to CSUN.
   PTE Academic - Pearson Test of English	50	Online through your PTE Academic Account.
   TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language	— Internet Based score: 61 — Paper-based score: 500 We do not accept TOEFL ITP.	Use CSUN School Code 4707.

   
   Exception: If a freshman applicant has attended a high school in the U.S. for three or more years, or has attended a high school where English is the principal language of instruction for three or more years, the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required. Please note:
   • CSUN interprets "where English is the principal language of instruction" to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the daily medium of communication for the majority of residents, and that students receive academic instruction in English at all levels of education.
   • Countries currently meeting the above requirement are: Australia, Belize, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, plus a few nations in the Commonwealth Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago).
     
     If you have any questions, please contact an International Admissions Advisor.

CSUN Intensive English Program and Conditional Admission:

An Intensive English Program (IEP) is offered through CSUN’s Tseng College of Extended Learning. The International Admissions Office works closely with the IEP office to offer "conditional admission" to academically eligible students enrolled in the IEP. We guarantee admission to the university once these students have completed the English language requirement (TOEFL or other acceptable test). Read more at Intensive English and University Pathways.

Application and document deadlines for international applicants are shown in the table below. 

International applicants to CSUN must submit the following:

• Complete online application at Cal State Apply. Please read the instructions carefully and complete all appropriate sections.
• NEW! You can upload the following documents in Portable Document Format (PDF) to the program materials section of Cal State Apply before submitting your application:
• Affidavit of Financial Support (PDF) (both pages) and bank statement. If uploading is not possible, you may email the affidavit and bank statement to us at intladm@csun.edu.
• Results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or other acceptable test
• A copy of your passport photo page
• Unofficial transcripts
• A $70.00 (US currency) non-refundable application fee. Due at the time you submit your Cal State Apply application and can only be paid by credit or debit card.
• All OFFICIAL secondary-school records, including certificates, examination grades, degrees or diplomas in original language of issue. Your records must include official verification of high school completion. Applicants who have studied in the U.S. are also required to have the U.S. institution(s) send official transcript(s) directly to CSUN. Please find our mailing address below.
• Official English translations of all academic records, including certificates, degrees or diplomas.

Send all OFFICIAL transcripts and translations directly to:

California State University, Northridge
Attention: International Admissions
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8207
U.S.A.

Take the following steps to ensure the rest of your admission process goes smoothly:

1. Set up your CSUN Portal and CSUN email. Watch for the “Activate Your CSUN Account” email from the CSUN Office of Admissions, which you received after submitting your application. You should receive the email 1 or 2 days after you apply.
2. Check your application status. Log in to the CSUN Portal, locate My Checklist, and review any incomplete tasks.
3. Check often for CSUN correspondence sent to your CSUN email address, by regular mail, and in the CSUN Portal.

You will be notified by the Office of International Admissions of your admissibility to the university.
If you have been denied admission to the university, you may appeal this decision. For details and instructions to submit an appeal, please see Admission Appeals.

Admitted First-Time Freshman

You've been admitted to CSUN. Well done! Here are your next steps:

• If you have a J-1 visa, please visit New J-1 Visa Holding Exchange Students for your next steps and advisement.
• If you have an F-1 visa, review this page.

Step 1 - Obtain your Form I-20.

Please follow these instructions based on your location inside or outside the U.S. at the time of your admission:

• Inside the U.S.: As soon as you receive our email offering admission, ask your high school advisor to transfer your SEVIS record to CSUN. About two or three business days after your high 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: If you prefer one of the following options other than receiving your I-20 by email, please contact us at intladm@csun.edu as soon as possible:

• Pick up your CSUN Form I-20 from our International Admissions Office at CSUN.
• 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.

Step 2 - Complete visa and immigration advisement.

Upon admission, 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 CSUN classes.

IESC will email you instructions, but you can start now at Immigration Requirements for Newly Admitted International Students.

IMPORTANT! 
If you are outside the U.S. at the time of your admission, please arrange an appointment at a local U.S. Embassy to secure your F-1 student visa. This can be a long process, so please make the appointment as soon as possible.

If you are unable to enter the U.S. for the spring or fall semester of your admission, please contact your IESC advisor at ISAdvisement@csun.edu.

Step 3 - File Intent to Register.

 Please let us know if you are planning to register for classes at CSUN. Please submit your Intent to Register online for the semester of your admission before the date listed below:

• Fall admission: May 1
• Spring admission: as soon as possible after your admission to CSUN, but no later than Dec. 1

How to file your Intent:

1. Set up your CSUN account following the account activation instructions.
2. Log in to the CSUN Portal with your CSUN user ID and password.
3. Under My Checklist and the My Status heading, find the Intent to Register link.

No deposit is charged to file Intent to Register at CSUN.

Step 4 - Take the Math Selection Assessment if needed.

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 Step 5 below).

Step 5 - Pre-enroll in classes.

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 inbox for an invitation from an academic advisor to complete the "New F-1 Undergraduate International Student Academic Advisement Process” Pre-Enrollment Steps 1-3, 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 at:

The Hub-International Academic Advisement Office
Extended University Commons (EU) Room 150

Email: hub.intladvisor@csun.edu
Phone: (818) 677-6968

Workshops for students admitted to the fall semester are scheduled throughout the summer; workshops for students admitted to the spring semester are scheduled November through January.

3. Start Pre-Enrollment Steps 1-3 today! Classes fill quickly, and you must be enrolled in at least 12 units to maintain student visa status.

   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
• COVID-19 Vaccination Self-Certification Requirement (required for fall 2022)

Helpful: First-Time International Student Advising Checklist (now available for fall 2022; please check this link again for spring 2023)

Step 6 - Prepare for registration.

Step 7 - Attend International Student Orientation.

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!

• Online, virtual orientation events are currently scheduled in large and small groups, and in-person campus tours are available.
• For the most current orientation information, including dates and registration, visit New Student Orientation – International Students.

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). If you did not already submit this form and your bank statement through Cal State Apply, email both pages of the affidavit and the bank statement to us at intladm@csun.edu.

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:

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

Important payment information:

• The tuition payment deadline for international students is the first Friday of classes, every semester.
• If you would like to request an extension or have questions about payment, please email us at intlpayments@csun.edu.
• Note: A late payment (after the first week of classes) is not allowed for international students in their final semester at CSUN.

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