• How to Apply: 
• • Freshmen:  You can apply online with the CSU Apply website or through the CSUSM platform.  Submit your application including the $70.00 application fee. To apply you would need to give your high school transcript which includes your GPA, and other information's about your classes, etc. 
  • Important Dates and Deadlines: The form applications of fall admission opens on October 1st and closes on November 30th.
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen: CSU has discounted the ACT/SAT so you would not need to complete that, however you do need to either be/ or will be a high school graduate or have a GED. To have a "C" or higher in the "A-G" college prep subjects by the end of spring.  
  • To apply for the Fall admissions all the requirements and graduations from your high school have to be completed by the end of the spring term. Any courses you have taken or completed in the summer after your graduation will not be in the admissions evaluation. 
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance: The cost of attendance for undergraduate students who are a resident here for the full school year depends on your living status. The total cost for living off campus with relatives is $23,226. The cost of living on campus is a total of $27,084 and the cost of living off campus is a total of $26,716.  
  • The cost of attendance for undergraduate students who aren't residents here attending for the full school year also depends on your living status. Those living with parents or relatives will pay a total of $33,346. Those who are living off campus without their relatives will be paying a total of $46,796. And finally those who chose to live on campus will pay a total of $37,164. 
• Impacted Majors:
• • Impaction at CSUSM are applied to specific majors that are depending on whether an applicant is a freshman or a transfer student. Impacted majors are majors that  are highly competitive and have more requirements. Some impacted majors provided for freshman students are Biology, Business Administration, Electrical Engineering, Nursing, and Software Engineering. 
  • For transfer students two impacted majors would be Business Administration, and Nursing. 
• Housing:
• • North Commons: The North commons is a new apartment style living for first year students that are attending Cal State San Marcos. They offer suite style room options just across the street from the Campus Way Cafe dining hall which you will be required to select one of the three meal plans provided. The North commons does not provide a kitchen unlike the QUAD or the UVA which is why the meal plans are required when living in the commons. The dorms are also located next to the Extended learning building.

How to Apply:

 Freshman applicants must complete the California State University (CSU) application online through the CSU website or the Cal State Apply platform.

Transfer students must use the CSU application portal to submit application and submit transcripts.

The application period of fall admission opens on October 1st and closes on November 30th.

Requirements:

Freshman applicants must have completed the A-G high school requirements (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language) Must have at least a 2.5 GPA; SAT AND ACT tests are optional.

Transfer students must be in good academic standing at their current school; Should have completed a minimum number of transferable units (usually 60); Have a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all transferable college coursework.

Finances:

 The cost of attendance at CSUSM for students living on campus is: $27,084 and the cost of attendance for students living off campus is: $36,716.

 The Financial Aid Application deadline is between October 1st and March 2nd for both the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CADA (CA Dream Act Application)

The types of Financial Aid include Grants (State and Federal) Scholarships, Loans, and Work Study.

For more info on Financial Aid and Scholarships contact: 760-750-4850 or finaid@csusm.edu. They also offer virtual                appointments.

Impacted Majors:

Impaction refers to the school’s capacity to accommodate applicants into specific majors. Some impacted majors at CSUSM are Nursing, Business Administration, Biology, and Engineering. When a major is impacted, applicants may be required to meet higher academic standards.

The local admission area school districts are Orange County, Riverside County and San Diego County.

Housing

CSUSM offers three housing options (Quad, North Commons and the University Village Apartments (UVA)) and the housing costs varies based on the housing option, room type and meal plan. For Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, A traditional (double) dorm in the UVA is $10,480. A Deluxe Double in the Quad is $12,408 and a Deluxe Double in North Commons is $11,400. Single rooms are limited, more expensive depending on location. The most economical are the triple rooms.  

There are 7 meal plans offered at different pricing. Meal plans are mandatory if you live in North Commons because a kitchen isn’t included; Optional meal plans are available to those housed in the Quad or UVA. With a meal plan you can eat at: Campus Way Café, USU Market, and the USU Dining Pavilion which includes a variety of restaurants (Panda Express, Hilltop Bistro Grille, QDOBA, Kalamata Mediterranean and Crash’s Café) There is also off campus dining directly across the QUAD and North Commons.

  North Commons – Ideal for first year students. This is an apartment style housing with no kitchen.  Amenities include: wi-fi, laundry room and gym.

 QUAD – Apartment style housing directly above the cafeteria. They are fully furnished with shared kitchen and bathrooms. Amenities include: wi-fi, laundry room, swimming pool, BBQ grill, game room and gym.

 UVA – is ideal for upperclassmen and provides suite-style housing with shared kitchen and restrooms. Amenities include: wi-fi, laundry room, swimming pool, BBQ grill, game room and gym.

Freshman Application Process

• How to Apply: Submit your application online via Cal State Apply.
• Test Scores: SAT and ACT scores are no longer considered for eligibility.
• Application Window: Open from October 1st to December 15th. Note that impacted majors like Nursing close on November 30th.

Transfer Student Requirements

• Eligibility: Open to both lower and upper division transfer students.
• GPA Requirement: Must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.

Cost of Attendance

• Tuition: Approximately $5,742 per year, though it may vary by major.
• Financial Aid: Available, with FAFSA applications opening on December 1st.
• Housing Costs: On-campus housing is around $14,000 per year.

Impacted Majors

• Nursing: Highly competitive, typically requiring a GPA of 3.9.

Housing Options

• University Village Apartments (UVA): Offers full apartment-style living with a kitchen, living room, and varying room and bathroom configurations.
• North Commons: Designed for first-year students, lacks a kitchen, and requires a meal plan at the Campus Diner.
• The QUAD: Modern apartment-style living with various room options.

-How to apply---- To apply to Cal State University San Marcos as a freshman, complete the online application on the CSU Apply website and submit required documents by the deadline.  To apply to Cal State University San Marcos as a transfer student, submit an online application through Cal State Apply during the designated filing period. For Cal State University San Marcos, the application deadline for freshmen and transfer students is typically November 30 for the fall semester. 

-Requirements----To apply to Cal State University San Marcos as a freshman, students need a high school diploma, meet the A-G course requirements, and have a qualifying GPA. For transfer students, 60 transferable semester units, a minimum GPA, and completion of general education requirements are needed. Both groups must submit an application through the CSU Apply portal.

Finances----Cost of Attendance includes tuition, fees, housing, books, and personal expenses, which vary for in-state and out-of-state students. 

Financial Aid Application Timeline: Students should complete the FAFSA or CADAA by March 2 for priority consideration.

Types of Financial Aid include grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs, available for both freshmen and transfer students.

-Impacted majors----Impaction occurs when there are more qualified applicants than available spots, leading CSUSM to use additional criteria for admission.

Local Admission Area School Districts for CSUSM include districts in North San Diego County, such as San Marcos, Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and Oceanside.

Students from these districts receive priority admission if the university is impacted.

-Housing----Transfer and freshman students at CSUSM have housing options like the University Village Apartments (UVA), The QUAD, and North Commons, each offering different room types and amenities at varying costs. Dining services are available on campus, providing meal plans that can be used at various locations, including campus dining halls and retail options. The QUAD and UVA offer suite-style living with modern amenities, while North Commons provides a more traditional dorm experience, catering to different preferences and budgets.

How to Apply:

-Important Dates and Deadlines: When applying as an incoming freshman or transfer student there are some key dates and deadlines that are extremely important to keep in mind like applying to Cal State San Marcos via "Cal State Apply" which students can apply from October 1st through June 15th and this allows you to apply to any Cal State University in California in a simplified way. Another extremely important deadline for all incoming students to keep in mind is applying for free Financial Aid via "FAFSA" which they can apply from October 1st through March 2nd, and it is important to note that all students should apply for FAFSA as soon as possible so that they can receive the most financial aid they can get. One final important deadline that all students should be aware of is the "Intent to Enroll" deadline which lets CSUSM know that you are accepting to enroll as an incoming student and that deadline is June 1st.

Requirements: 

-Freshman: In order to be considered as an incoming freshman all students are required to have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) diploma. One important requirement that all CSU campuses are no longer requiring students to complete is the SAT/ACT exams during the admission process. Finally, one last important requirement that all incoming freshman students must complete prior to admission is completing their college preparatory subjects by the end of their high school senior year with a "C" or higher. 

Finances: 

-Types of Financial Aid:  Cal State San Marcos is proud to have multiple financial aid programs to assist students who need money to pay for campus fees, tuition, housing, etc. These programs consist of grants, loans, scholarships, and work study. Grants are free money that students receive either from federal or state governments that students can use for educational purposes and some grants have certain requirements in order to receive the grant, loans are money from the government that students can use but they have to eventually repay those loans after graduation, scholarships are another free money option for students to help student education and it can be awarded to students by an achievement, and work study is a part-time job that students can have the option to work in order to earn money for financial needs and many jobs are on campus.

Impacted Majors:

-Local Admission Area School Districts: Cal State San Marcos is a university that looks to admit local students from local school districts before admitting students from non-local and out of state locations. Some local admission school districts include those in Orange County like Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley, Riverside County like Temecula Valley Unified and Murrieta Valley Unified, and San Diego County like Julian Union High School, District, Valley Center Pauma Unified, and Oceanside Unified. CSUSM also locally admits area community colleges like Mount San Jacinto College in Riverside County and Palomar, Mira Costa College, and Imperial Valley in San Diego County.

Housing:

-Dining Services: Cal State San Marcos offers multiple dining locations throughout campus and also near dorms as well. Some dining options include the Campus Way Cafe located near The Quad dorms, Hilltop Bistro Grille, QDOBA Mexican Eats, Panda Express located in the University Student Union (USU) building, and Starbucks located near the Kellogg Library. Our dining services also provide student meal plans which is similar to a dining package that allows students to purchase a certain number of meals and freshmen who are staying in the North Commons dorm are required to purchase a meal plan since there are no kitchens in the dorms.

1. How to apply as a freshman? To apply as a freshman you first need to create a CSU Online account. Then you need to locate Cal State San Marcos once logged in and complete the application by November 30th. After some time you will be sent an email telling you whether or not you have been  accepted. 

2. Requirements to apply as a freshman? For any freshman to apply to Cal State San Marcos, they must have a GPA of at least 3.0 or higher. Freshman applying must have a High school diploma or GED. Based on your major, you may have to meet specific requirements to be accepted, such as a math major must have a higher GPA in their high school math courses than an English major.

3. Finances (Financial Aid variants)? Two types of financial aid are grants and scholarships. Grants are given out by the state and colleges and whether you receive them or not is based on how well you've done academically and household income. Scholarships can be based off a good grades, being a specific community or if a foundation likes an essay you wrote! 

4. Impacted majors (What is Impaction?) Impaction is a way how many colleges help keep certain majors with students who are very interested and capable of learning. How the college gauges if students should have a specific major is based off of approved local criteria. If a freshman were to not be accepted into an impacted major (for some), they can still do courses to help make them eligible later in their college career.

5. Housing (options and cost?) Housing at the UVA has options rating to a Single, Double, Deluxe Double, and Triple. The Single is their most expensive option costing about $13,008 for 8 months and the least expensive is $9,688 for 8 months. Every UVA resident has access to a pool, mailbox, and any other recreational activities held inside the UVA.

. How to apply ( Freshman): The perspective students will use the CSU application. It is straight forward and doesn't require any essays. You just need your GPA, unofficial high school transcript, etc. 

. Requirements for freshman application: Freshmen must  complete A-G subject requirements with a C minus or higher.  They have to be a senior in high school early applications aren't allowed. 

. Cost of attendance  : Tuition fees,  living expenses, transportation,  books,  course materials, and personal expenses are all included in the cost of attendance.  The way you find out the cost is that you add all those up but for the personal expenses and living expenses it is different for when you are living in a dorm or with your family. The personal expenses for living with your family is 2,564 dollars  and living expenses is 8,752 dollars which would make the total cost for that student 23,266 dollars. The personal expenses for a student living in a dorm is 2,370 dollars and living expenses is 14, 152 dollars which makes the total for that student 27,084 dollars. These cost are for full time students 

.  What is impaction ? : Impaction is when a school manages a certain number of students to be enrolled in that certain major due to the majors approved criteria. 

. Housing ( Quad):  The Quad is one of the apartment style dorms that CSUSM offers. It is modern and has hotel vibes.  Prices for the rooms for the quad varies from its floor plan. A double for the Quad cost 11,208  dollars. It has a pool, gym, free washer and dryer, and study room. Each room has a kitchen and own bathroom.

How to Apply: 

• Freshman: To apply, go to the CSUSM website and click apply here, it will bring you to a website called Cal State Apply and that is where you will fill out the application and pay the application fee. The application fee is $70 dollars. 

Requirements:

• The requirements for an incoming freshman include a high school diploma or GED. You must also complete 15 units of prep college courses with a C- or higher. 

Finances

• Types of Financial Aid: There are multiple types of financial aid, including grants, loans, scholarships, and work studies. Grants are generally free money to support you through your college and are based on eligibility. Loans are money that you pay back; these also come with eligibility. Scholarships are free money, but they are usually specific to you and whether you apply for them. Work studies are when students work and the money that they earn goes toward their college expenses. 

Impacted Majors

• What is impaction? Impaction occurs when the CSU system lets the campus declare impaction, which means preserving these programs for specific students that the college chooses. 

Housing

• UVA: The University Village Apartments are the closest to campus and are currently under construction. They have fitness rooms and other common areas, like the study rooms and the game room. UVA has a pool and other outdoor areas, like courtyards, a pickleball court, and a mini-golf course.

• How to Apply: 
• • Transfers: Lower division and upper division transfer applicants are accepted, each with their own set of requirements. You will have to go to Cal State Apply to fill out an application, which includes inputting all of your classes that you have taken. There is a $70 application fee. 
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen: Students have to have completed a GED and have passed their classes with a "C" or higher. For California high school graduates, a GPA of 2.0-2.5 is required. For out of state students, a 3.0 GPA is required.
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance: Tuition and fees, books and course materials, and living expenses are some of the things that are included in the Cost of Attendance. If you are an undergraduate resident student, depending on where you are living, it would be between $23,266 and $36,716. An undergraduate non resident student is around $33,346 and $46,796.
• Impacted Majors:
• • What is impaction: Impacted majors are majors where there are more qualified students interested in declaring them. Some impacted majors for freshman students include biology, software engineering, and business administration. For transfer students, business administration and nursing are the two main impacted majors. 
• Housing:
• • The Quad: The Quad is located right across the street from the Extended Learning building. Some of the amenities include a fitness center, laundry rooms, and a pool. Depending on what room and style you are looking for, prices start at around $9,704 and can go up to $14,504.

How to Apply

-Transfer Students: There are two types of transfer students. Lower division transfer students are students who have completed fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) of college credits. Upper-division transfer students are students who have completed more than 60 semesters (90 quarter) of college credits. Both must apply through Cal State Apply with a $70 application fee. 

Requirements 

-Transfer Students: Both upper and lower-division transfers need a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. As well as any completed GE in the A2 and B4 areas needed to be completed with a C- or better. With lower division transfers they must meet the freshman admission requirements as well. 

Finances

-Types of Financial Aid: There are four types of financial aid programs, grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study. For grants, there is Cal Grant which is state aid and is meant for high school seniors. For loans the most common are Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans which are loans from the government. The next is scholarships, these can either be awarded by CSUSM or by outside scholarships. The last is work study, which is part-time employment, usually on campus, that's part of your financial aid award meant to allow you to earn money that will help pay for your cost of living. 

Impacted Majors

-What is impaction: Impactation is when a college or program receives more eligible applicants than they can accommodate. At CSUSM we have freshman-impacted majors as well as transfer-impacted majors.  For freshmen impacted, we have biology, business administration, electrical engineering, nursing (basic nursing program), and software engineering. For transfer impacted, we have business administration and nursing. 

Housing

-University Village Apartments (UVA): The UVA is an apartment-style living while still being on-campus for CSUSM students. There are many floor plans with different costs. The first is a single which means a room for yourself, the cost for the academic year is $12,272. The next is a single studio style which costs around $15,560 for the academic year. The double and deluxe double are around the same size wise, both have two people in one room. The main difference between the two is the simple double has lofted twin XL beds with a cost of $9,984 for the academic year. The deluxe double has a simple twin XL bed with a cost of $10,920 for the academic year. The last is the triple, which is three people in one room also with a twin XL bed with a cost of $9,360. 

How to Apply: 

- Freshmen: Freshmen who want to apply need to have complete A-G requirements during High School. You can apply from Oct 1st to Nov 30th. You apply through CalStateApply and you can choose multiple CSU to apply to. 

- Transfers: Transfers also apply through the CalSateApply website/app. They can apply for Fall and Spring. And need to have the same A-G requirements and they may have more classes taken at other schools that will count. All transfer applications for fall are due on November 30th.  Need to have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. 

- Finances: Cost of Attendance averages around $14,048 after aid. Financial Aid deadlines/ timeline for you to submit or renew your FAFSA or CADA is between October 1st and March 2nd. Types of financial aid would be: Grants and Loans, along with scholarships if you apply. 

-Impacted majors: Impacted majors are majors that have programs that have more qualified applicants than they can accommodate.  This means that even if qualified you may still not get into the school for the major you are qualified for. 

Local Admission Area School Districts would be Orange County, Riverside County, and San Diego County. 

Housing: There are 3 housing options. The Quad, UVA, and North Commons. The UVA costs $9,360 to $15, 560 depending on the floor plan. The Quad is $9,200 to $15,760 depending on the floor plan. And North Commons (freshmen only) and is $9,288 to $11,912 depending on the floor plan. Dining Services are Meal Plans and or using the kitchen in The Quad and UVA dorms. 

How to Apply: 

Freshmen: Freshman who wants to apply to CSUSM must have completed their A-G courses during high school. CSU campuses have discontinued the use of SAT/ACT scores. Your GPA must also meet the requirements of CSU schools. October 1st - February 16th is the time to apply to CSUSM on Cal State Apply. 

Transfers: If you want to Transfer to CSUSM some requirements need to be met. If you are a lower-division transfer who has completed fewer than 60 semester units then you must submit an official high school transcript and college transcripts. If you are an upper-division transfer who has completed more than 60 semester units then you must submit official college transcripts. Each of these has a different set of requirements. Lower-division transfers must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and must meet the freshman admission requirements. Upper-division transfers must have been completed with a grade of C- or better. 

Important Dates and Deadlines: Important dates that should be known is that applying time for CSU schools are October 1st - February 16th.  October 1st - March 2nd is the deadline for filing FAFSA. May 1st is the deadline to submit intent to enroll and a non-refundable deposit of 150 dollars. July 15th is the deadline for final transcripts with spring grades. 

Finances

- Finances are different for everyone's case. The cost of attendance when living with parents/relatives is $22, 390. The cost of attendance when living on campus is $26,696.  The cost of attendance when living off-campus is $35,374. This applies to undergraduate residents going to school full-time. For undergraduate students who are non-residents going to school full-time, the price is more expensive. Living with parents/relatives costs $31,894. For undergraduate students who are living on campus, it would cost them $36,200. For undergraduate students who are living off campus, it would cost $44,878. 

Financial Aid Application Timeline

- For incoming freshman, Financial Aid Applications should be worked on towards the end of their senior year. You may also apply for scholarships within that time frame. 

Types of Financial Aid: There are several different types of financial aid such as Scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. 

Impacted Majors: Impacted Majors at CSUSM are Biology, Business Administration, Kinesiology, and Nursing. This means that these majors have more qualified students interested in declaring these majors. 

What is impaction: When a university is impacted, they are allowed to use additional criteria to screen applications. 

Local Admission Area School Districts: The local admission area school districts are Orange County, Riverside County, and San Diego County.

Housing: 

- CSUSM offers 3 different housing units that all contain different aspects. Starting with the newest building, North Commons is a unit that is only for freshmen. It is an apartment-style suite complex that is located next to the Extended Learning Building. This complex doesn't have kitchens in the dorm so students who would like to live there must buy a meal plan. On average, staying at North Commons would cost around $10,000. The different meal plans that are required are Cougar Blue which offers 19 meals per week and $75 dining dollars. The Tukwat plan contains 15 meals a week and $400 dining dollars. Lastly, the paw plan contains 12 meals per week and $625 dining dollars. These three meals plan all cost the same coming in at 4,996 dollars. 

- The next option for housing would be the UVA. The UVA which stands for University Village Apartments is the closest located to the school. These are apartment style which means they do have a kitchen. However, rooms in the UVA hold a lot more people than the ones in North Commons. Living in the UVA could cost you around 12,000 to 9,200 dollars depending on the room. Living in a triple is cheaper than living in a single. Since these dorms have a kitchen, a meal plan is not necessary. 

- The last option for housing would be the QUAD. The QUAD is located next to the dining hall. These rooms are also apartment style which means that they have a kitchen. Living in the QUAD could cost you around 15,000 to 9,200 depending on the room you choose. Since these dorms have a kitchen, it is not required to buy a meal plan. In the QUAD there is a pool, fitness center, fire pits, and BBQ grills. 

• How to Apply: Applying depends on if the student is a freshman or a transfer, with dates and requirements changing depending on what you choose, but they both apply on the CSU website.
• Freshmen application dates can be found on the website as well, with both options providing adequate time to apply, more information will be listed on the CSU apply website. 
• Transfers: Transfers apply in the same place, with the date changing depending on semester, more information can be found on the website.
• Freshmen: Freshman no longer need to use the ACT/SAT for admission, need to graduate or have a GED, and have completed all the necessary courses with a  "C" or higher. If you applied for fall, everything must be met once spring term is over. Courses finished  in the summer after graduation will not be used during the application.
• Transfers: Both lower and upper division transfers are accepted, with lower-division students having less than 60 semester units and upper-division students having more than 60. You must also get a GPA of 2.0 or higher to meet the requirements, other requirements are listed on the Cal State San Marcos website
• Requirements:
• Freshmen: Freshmen must get a grade of C- or above and finish their A-G requirements throughout their time in Cal State San Marcos
• Transfers must have finished 1 written communication and one math course with a grade of "C-" or higher to meet the requirements for admission. The section for transfers on the Cal State San Marcos website also lists other requirements such as what transcripts to submit
• Finances:
• Every individual differs with the total cost of living, but generally speaking, attendance costs around 20k for students who either live on campus or with a parent/relative. Living off-campus alone will cost extra with the total being around 30k if you are a resident. Non-residents do have to pay extra which will be noted on the website but options such as financial aid will help students ease the cost.
• Financial Aid Applications open on the 1st of October, other options are available such as FAFSA so make sure you are eligible as well. 
• Impacted Majors:
• An impacted major is placed on a major where the demand exceeds the amount of seats open, so the classes become limited and difficult to get into, but in return, ensuring that the experience many have come to know and recognize stay the same.
• There are many Local Admission Area School Districts such as Carlsbad Unified and other locations listed on the website.
• Housing:
• To start, it should be noted that these costs do not include fees listed on the website. There are singles, doubles, triples, and quadruples to fit any students' needs and pictures so students can get a rough estimate of what their room would look like. The range being around 9-16 thousand dollars depending on size, location, and other factors, but be sure to reserve them quick as waitlists do tend to happen.
• There are 7 meal plans, but North Common residents are limited to 3 mandatory plans they can view. Other students are free to choose whatever they feel comfortable with. Prices can start from around 740 dollars to 5 thousand every year
• North Commons is located near the Extended Learning building meant for first years, the Quad is across the street from the Extended Learning building, and finally the UVA is on campus.

• How to Apply: 
• • Freshmen: Starting Oct 1st-Jan 31st. students are able to apply through CSUSM CalStateApply. 
  • Transfers: For Fall Transfers, apply at Cal StateApply by Feb 15th. For Spring, apply by Oct 15th.
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen:  Completion of A–G Courses: As a first-time freshman applicant you must complete, with grades of C- or higher, the 15-unit comprehensive pattern of college preparatory courses.
  • Transfers:  The CSU General Education Breadth requirements include a course in written communication (requirement A2) and a course in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (requirement B4). You need to have completed one written communication and one mathematics/quantitative reasoning courses with a grade of "C-" or higher for admission.
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance: $14,048 after aid 
  • Financial Aid Application Timeline:  October 1 and closes on March 1.
  • Types of Financial Aid: Fasfa, grants
• Impacted Majors:
• • What is impaction: Impaction is a cap in amount of student in certain majors to ensure they have more qualified students interested in declaring these majors than can be accommodated in current courses
  • Local Admission Area School Districts: San Marcos Unified School District
• Housing:
• • Options and Cost. 
  • • UVA:
    • • Single:  $15,560
      • Double:   $10,920
      • Triple:  $9,360
    • QUAD:
    • • Single: $15,760
      • Double: $10,392
      • Triple: $9,600
      • Quad:  $9,200
    • North Commons:
    • • Single: $11,912
      • Double: $10,920
      • Triple:  $9,288
  • Dining Services
  • • 7 meals plans to choose from ranging from $738-$4996

• How to Apply: 
• To apply to Cal State San Marcos as a first year (Freshmen), you can apply through the Calstateapply website and fill out the application and forms. The Calstateapply site typically opens on October first and is available until the 15th of December. The website provides different sections to fill out your race, financial status, write essays and to provide two recommendation letters from teachers, your application will not be submitted until your teachers submit the recommendation letter. However students transferring from other colleges may go to their schools site and apply through a transfer link. When transferring, students must use their college GPA and transfer all of their credits to the college they are applying to. 
  
• Requirements: 
• As an incoming Freshmen the requirements are mainly the same as getting your high school diploma. This meaning that to apply or be considered as an applicant, you must have met all your A-G requirements with a C or above, have a high school diploma and met all of the due dates. Before accepting your offer into CSUSM, freshmen are required to have their high school send an official transcript by late March when letters of acceptance go out, and also send in their shot records to the health department and CSUSM. If requirements are not met on time a hold will be placed on your offer and it may be rescinded. 

Finances:

• There are many types of financial aid that can help ease the burden of paying for school. These types of financial aid include; scholarships which could come through high school, colleges, college board, FAFSA which provides Pell grants and the opportunity to apply for subsided loans or unsubsided loans. As of 2024, FAFSA is periodically open to current and incoming college students from mid December till March 2. FAFSA is a Federal program that assists students in paying for their tuition for four years by gathering information about their background and financial status meaning that the amount of aid varies for each student.
• Impacted Majors:
•  An impacted major is when there is a larger portion of people applying to the same major than the amount of available spots. For example, in many CSU's and other colleges as well, business and nursing majors are usually always impacted. All this means is that not all students will be accepted and that the field will be more competitive meaning it will be good to have high grades and extracurriculars  to stand out more. Usually majors that are impacted will also have larger classes as there is many students. 
• Housing:
• If students are looking to live on or near campus, it is good to research the prices of each dorm and chose something that fits their budget. A single studio always cost more and there is also the opportunity to board with up to 8 people in one apartment style. A single studio in the UVA costs over $15,000 and the price can vary if students are coming from in or out of state. If students plan on living in a dorm, it would be wise to research and pick out a dorm style (studio, double, deluxe, premium, etc) as they are applying as the waitlist can get very long. 

How to Apply: 

• • Freshmen: Freshman can apply using the CSU application portal while it is available, for wither spring or fall semesters. Some majors have their application extended, while other that are more impacted (ex. biological sciences, nursing). The Cal State application does not require personal statements, and is mainly based on grades and activities. The Cal State Application is $70 per application, but some students can be eligible for a waiver. 

 Requirements:

• • Freshmen: For freshman applicants, you must be, or on track to be, a high school graduate, or obtain your GED. There are also courses in high school that are considered your "a-g" requirements, and these classes are commonly subjects like math, English, some elective credit, etc. In these classes you must obtain at least a C in each class. The CSU application actually has a different way of calculation GPA, so your GPA may be different on your Cal State application than it is on your high school transcript. 

Finances:

• • Types of Financial Aid: You can receive outside scholarships from many organizations, such as your high school, local scholarship foundations, or even your parents place of work (ex. wonderful citrus has scholarships for employees children to win scholarships), and these you do not have to pay back, this is your money. Additionally, you may receive a Pell Grant or a Cal Grant when you submit your FAFSA, if you are not eligible for a Pell Grant, you may be eligible for a middle class scholarship from the state. These you do not have to pay back either, but the state may offer you loans (Unsubsidized or Subsidized) which you do have to pay back. Additionally, if the state does not give you a big enough loan, you may pull out loans from private lenders. 

Impacted Majors:

• • What is impaction: Impaction is when a specific major has more applicants than spots available. When this happens, Cal State San Marcos is only able to accept a certain amount, and they try to accommodate local students before they accept students outside of the local area. Commonly Impacted majors at CSUSM are Nursing, Kinesiology, Biological sciences, and Business. This is not a set list, as it varies from term to term as applications come in. 

Housing:

• • UVA: The UVA is the oldest housing building on Cal State San Marcos's campus, but it is newly renovated and has many accommodations such as a full kitchen with an oven and a pool. The UVA offers a number of different housing styles (single studio, single room, double room, triple room), and all of these room styles vary in the number of residents in a single apartment. There are laundry room on every floor in every building, and keycard security doors at the entrance gate, at the entrance to the building, and at the entrance to your apartment, so it is very secure. 

• How to Apply: 
• • Freshmen: Freshman will submit their application electronically using the website Cal State Apply. The requirement for SAT and ACT scores have been discontinued for all Cal State applications.  
  • Transfers: Transfers have the option to apply through the application link through on their desired school website or on the Cal State apply. 
  • Important Dates and Deadlines: Cal States applicants require a fee of $70, and are open for submission starting October 1st from December 15th.
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen: Incoming Freshman must have completed all A-G requirements and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.
  • Transfers: CSUSM accepts both lower and upper division transfer students. For both divisions the transfer students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance: Tuition for full time undergraduate students who are residents is $5,742. Tuition for full time undergraduate students who are non-residents is $15,246. The typical cost of on campus housing for the year is $14,000 but there are many different options and layouts available that determine the final cost.
• Impacted Majors:
• • Local Admission Area School Districts: These are school districts within the local area within a certain range. You can find a list of these schools on the campus website. 
• Housing:
• • Options and Cost:  There is a $50 fee due at the time of applying to housing and a $250 license fee. The North Commons is for first years only and your final due depends on the floor plan you get.

• How to Apply: 
• Transfers
• There are two different types of applications, depending on the amount of credits taken in college. The first is lower-division transfer, which is applicants that have completed ≤60 credits (the nursing program does not accept lower-division transfers) while the second is upper division, which is applicants that have completed ≥60 units of college credit. If applicants are trying to apply AP/IB credits to the complete units of college credit, then official test scores will also need to be submitted. 
• Requirements:
• Transfers
• For both lower and upper-division transfers, both need to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. In addition to this, both levels of transfer need to be in good standing at the last institution of attendance and have completed (with a C- or better) a course in written communication class and a course in mathematics/quantitative reasoning which would satisfy the CSU GE Readth Area. 
• Finances:
• Cost of Attendance
• For In-state tuition, it is around 7,700 dollars a year, while out-of-state tuition is around 17,800 dollars a year. This includes both tuition and mandatory fees. The average cost of attendance is the following for in-state students: 22,000 (living with parent/relative), 27,000 (living on campus), and 35,000 (living off-campus). The average cost of attendance for out-of-state students is the following: 32,000 (living with parent/relative), 36,000 (living on campus), and 45,000  (living off-campus). 
• Impacted Majors:
• What is impaction
• Impaction where there are more applications than seats available in a program. For freshmen, the impacted majors are the following: biology (175 seats on average), business administration, electrical and software engineering, and nursing (TBSN). Those that live in the local admission area are given priority over those that are not. 
• Local Admission Area School Districts
• School Districts 
• Orange County: Capistrano Unified, Saddleback Valley Unified, and private/independent high schools 
• Riverside: Hemet Unified, Lake Elsinore Unified, Murrieta Valley Unified, Perris Union High School District, San Jacinto Unified, Temecula Valley Unified, Val Verde Unified, and private/independent high schools
• San Diego: Bonsall Union High School, Borrego Springs Unified, Carlsbad Unified, Escondido Union High School District, Fallbrook Union High School District, Julian Union High School District, Oceanside Unified, Poway Unified, Ramona Unified, San Dieguito Union High School District, San Marcos Unified, Valley Center Pauma Unified, Vista Unified, Warner Unified, and private/independent high schools 
• Community Colleges 
• Riverside: Mount San Jacinto College
• San Diego County: Palomar, Mira Costa College and Imperial Valley
• Housing:
• Dining Services
• The Quad has Campus Way Cafe on the first floor, and it is buffet-style. The selection is changing daily and it is open Monday-Fridays from 7 am-10 am (Breakfast), 11 am-2 pm (Lunch), and 5 pm-8 pm (Dinner). On the weekends, they have brunch from 10 am-2 pm and dinner from 5 pm-8 pm. 
• The USU has many different options.
• Get Fresh is a subway-style restaurant that offers pizza, salads, and sandwiches.
• Hilltop Bistro Grille is grill-style food with hamburgers, fries, and other American-style food. 
• QDOBA Mexican Eats is similar to Chipotle but offers free queso and guacamole on top of any entree
• Panda Express is Asian-inspired food and includes orange chicken, chow mein, and other Chinese food. 
• Crash’s Cafe is a small coffee shop similar to Starbucks
• USU Market is a small area that offers the most prepared food and drinks that would be found at a small corner store. They also have sushi and sandwiches. 
• On-Campus 
• Starbucks can be found on the 3rd floor the the library and is a go-to for coffee lovers. 
• Campus Coffee is a local coffee stop that is a favorite among campus students. 

How to apply-

• Freshmen: Go to CalStateApply.com
• Transfers: Go to the schools admissions directory to find the transfer process link. An example would be this link Transfer Students | SDSU . Link like this are where you would find the steps to help you transfer your academic career else where
• Important Dates and Deadlines: Usually the date applications open is October 1st, and the date the apps close would be December 15th. The only reason i say usually is because if there is big 

Requirements-

Requirements for attending CSUSM is mainly to have your A-G courses completed and met. Extra curriculars could be helpful depending on other school like UC's. So having some higher courses completed could be beneficial for what you want to get accepted for. Like nursing which requires a little bit more criteria to complete than any other majors.

Cost of attendance

The cost of attendance will include things like Tuition and Fees. Living Expenses (Food and Housing) , Transportation, Books and Supplies, Personal Expenses, Direct Loan origination fees (are only included for those that borrow). All these for freshman coming in living on campus will come out to around 26,696.

Impacted Majors

Impaction is when a program or campus receives more eligible applicants during the initial application filing period than can be accommodated. So, for example, our nursing program gets over a thousand applicants but will only really accept less than one hundred. However, when you are in our local administrative area, you will be accepted to some of these impacted majors more than students that are outside of our area.

Housing

For freshman, if you live outside of the local administration area you are required to live on campus. So when you do apply, the North commons is a freshman only dorms that will cost you anywhere from $9,288-11,720. This would vary depending on which housing plan you decide on in the building. There is only doubles and triples available, no singles. While living here you are also required to purchase a meal plan. This is a where you will have a certain number of meals you can get a day or in the week. once you run out of meal swipes, they will refresh every week. This will run you about $738-4,996 a year. 

​Freshmen 

•  Go to CalStaeApply.com to apply for any CSU.  The application usually opens in October and is usually due about a month or two after. Sometimes the deadline is extended, however.  

​Transfers

• Visit your schools  admissions office to see what they can do about transferring or call our admissions office.  

​Important Dates and Deadlines 

• The CSU applications open on October 1st and closes November 30th  
• Housing Application closes late august
• FASFA opens November 30th and closes March 2nd
• Requirements for Prospective Students

​Freshmen 

• Completed A-G requirements.
• Have extra curriculars  

​Transfers 

• Completed associates degree
• High School Diploma/ GED completed  

​Finances: 

• Cost of Attendance averages at $13,218 
• Financial Aid Application Timeline is October 1st to March 2nd  

​Types of Financial Aid 

• FASFA
• Dream Act 
•  Scholarship  

​Impacted Majors: 

• Business
• Nursing

​Housing: 

• Options and Cost:  
• North commons
• The Quad
• University Village Apartments 

​Dining Services 

• Meal Plan
• • Cougar Blue Plan
  • Tukwut Plan
  • Paw Plan
  • Flex Plan
  • Social Plan
  • Deluxe Plan
  • Select plan

Cost can vary for each plan

How to apply:

Freshman: First, you go to Cal State Apply, complete an application, and submit a $70  application fee during the allotted time period for submitting the application. As a freshman, you would need to make sure, to be able to apply, that you complete your A-G requirements which are all preparatory  college courses. You will also need to look at which major your going in for and if it is impacted which you can find by looking at impaction webpage.

Transfers: For transfers its actually quite simple, first you want to submit any courses you took at any other university. Then you will submit your high school official transcripts along with any AP test scores you may have. There are two types of transfers one is upper division and the other is lower division.

Important Dates and Deadlines: The submission deadline for transfers is October 15 for the Spring term, and then for the fall term, the date is February 15. And to be more precise, these are the dates that you can submit your transcripts and test scores by. You can submit them to transcripts@csusm.edu and your all set!

Requirements:

Freshman: You are required to do the A-G requirements which includes 2 years social science, 4 years english, 3 years of math, 2 years of lab science, 2 years of foreign language, 1 year of visual performance art, and lastly 1 year of electives. These classes leave you a well rounded individual enough for college at least where you'll expand your knowledge. Luckily, one of my favorite parts of San Marcos is that they don't look at SAT or ACT test scores.

Transfers: For transfers, the process of admission is very similar to the process for freshman. You still need to complete the A-G requirements and any courses you took at a university. For upper division transfers, they need to complete a couple of courses including a written communication class, and a mathematics course.

Finances:

Cost of attendance: When looking at how much you specifically are going to pay, there are many factors that go into the cost of college. Lucky for me though, I live off campus and I'm a resident which means I was born and raised here in California.  This means that my cost of attendance is $22,390 at the end of it all.

Financial Aid Application Timeline: The first date is October 1st and that is when applications open up for people to complete, and the sooner they are completed the better. Then there is December when FAFSA and CADA open up for students and again, complete these as soon as possible. Lastly, the deadline for CSUSM scholarships is February 1st.

Types of Financial Aid: There are many different types of financial aid including federal, state, institutional, and private aid. If you want financial aid, there is many different factors that play into whether or not you will actually get the financial aid or not. Some of those factors include your year in school, your enrollment status, and however much your school costs to attend.

Impacted Majors:

What is impaction: Impaction is when a major has a lot of people trying to get into it. Some of the impacted majors are biology, business, electrical engineering, nursing and software engineering. It is really sad actually, it is really unlikely that out of state nursing college students have a very small chance of getting in.

Local Admission Area School Districts: It was actually really interesting looking at this list of high schools that go to San Marcos because my district actually feeds into this school. I had no idea about that until now. Oddly enough the community college I went too isn't on the list of easy transfers. 

Housing:

Options and cost: When looking at any of the on campus living situations, they are all waitlisted so try to get in early is the key. But for a single where you would need a meal plan is $12,272. For a Quadruple bedroom, it is $9,200 where you would have 7 roommates in that case. So housing is very limited so try to get a head start if you need on campus housing.

Dining Services: There are many options when it comes to dining services here at CSUSM. The Cougar Blue Plan is 19 meals per week and $75 dining dollars as well, in total, it costs $4,996 per year. The cheapest plan is the Select Plan with 20 meals per week with $125 dining dollars, in total, it costs $738 for a year.

North Commons: For the North Commons, it is a Freshman only dorm building that requires you to get a meal plan since there is no kitchen in the building. There is also a nonrefundable $50 co pay along with a $250 license fee as well. There are only 3 eligible meal plans if you live in the north commons which is the cougar blue plan, the tukwut plan, and the paw plan. 

The Quad: The Quad has the biggest rooms available in the sense that they hold the most amount of people for the cheapest, which is $9,200. That bedroom holds 7 people in the whole apartment which is crazy but if its affordable for you then I suggest you do it!

UVA: This is another housing building and the largest room they have fits 6 people at most for $9,360. There is also a double deluxe bedroom and a double bedroom and they both range in costs from $10,920 to $9,984. Lastly the UVA building also has studios or singles for one bedroom apartments but they are the most expensive at $12,272 to $15,760.

• How to Apply:  Got to CSU Apply Website - https://www.calstate.edu/apply
  
• • Freshmen - Apply through Cal State Online by the given deadlines. No longer need SAT or ACT scores since the tests have been permanently discontinued.
    
  • Transfers - Visit your CC or other university for extra steps, make sure your GPA is around a 2.0 and in good standing when you plan to transfer
    
  • Important Dates and Deadlines - The CSU applications open on October 1st and closes November 30th  for Nursing Majors
    
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen - Good GPA and fulfillment of A-G requirements at their respective high school
    
  • Transfers - 2.0 & good standing, fulfill major requirements
    
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance - The average amongst all students ia around $13,000 per year
    
  • Financial Aid Application Timeline - FASFA Timeline is from October 1st to March 2nd.
    
  • Types of Financial Aid - FASFA, Dream ACT, etc. There is my course protection for adding and dropping classes.
    
• Impacted Majors:
• • What is impaction  - Means there are some CSU majors and locations may be more in demand than others, leading to more selective admissions in those areas.
    
  • Local Admission Area School Districts - Orange , Riverside and San Diego County.
    
• Housing:
• • Options and Cost - North Commons, The QUAD & UVA
    
  • Dining Services  - we have a variety of meal plans here on campus. North commons must get a meal plan.
    
  • North Commons - Freshman only dorms
    
  • The QUAD - Also apartment style right next to campus way cafe.
    
  • UVA - Apartment style rooms
    

• How to Apply: 
• • Freshmen-  Freshmen will apply during the CSU apply date(Typically October 1st through November 30th) on the Cal state apply website. 
  • Transfers-Upper and lower division transfers use the CSU website as well and can look at the CSUSM website to see how their credits will transfer. 
  • Important Dates and Deadlines- Important dates 10/1 CSU application opens 12/15 CSU Application closes, December 1st FAFSA opens. 
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen- If freshman are in the local service area and have a 2.5 GPA or higher, and have completed the A-G requirements  they have guaranteed admission into cal state san marcos. Otherwise CSUSM has a 83% acceptance rate for freshmen. 
  • Transfers- Transfer students are required to have a 2.0 GPA and good standing of attendance and grades within the last school that they attended, this applies to both upper and lower division transfers. 
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance- The average tuition for in state students is  7700 a year, but the cost can vary per major and student. 
  • Financial Aid Application Timeline- The financial aid application opens up December 1st as part of the FAFSA and students will receive financial aid based on a variety of factors. 
  • Types of Financial Aid- There are many different types of financial aid such as grants and scholarships that students can obtain which gives them free money for college that they don't have to pay back, as well as student loans which can be subsidized or unsubsidized. 
• Impacted Majors:
• • What is impaction- Impacted majors are usually majors with higher concentration that can be harder to get out of and back into depending on the major, a major like nursing can be impossible to get back into once you switch out of it.
  • Local Admission Area School Districts- San Diego, Orange, or Riverside County school districts are part of the local admission area. 

  Housing:- They're are many different housing options for students on campus that all range within different prices between 3 different dorm structures.

  • Options and Cost- The options include UVA, QUAD, and North commons(Freshman only dorm), the cost depends on how many roommates you have ranging from 8800-14000 a year.
  • Dining Services- The meal plan on campus gives you access to meal swipes which can be used at the dining hall which is on the first floor of the quad. The dining area otherwise known as campus way cafe serves a buffet that changes daily. 
  • North Commons- The North Commons is a dorm that only freshman can dorm in, however freshman are allowed in other dorms. The North Commons is built to be the standard dorm style you might see in media, they just have your room and your bathroom and you share amenities like a TV with people on the same floor as you. In the north commons you might have 2-3 roommates. 
  • The QUAD- In the QUAD you can have 1 -7 roommates depending on what rooms style you choose, the QUAD is right by all the shops and walking areas that are off but near campus, the QUAD also offers amenities like a rec center and a pool. The dorms found in the QUAD contain a TV and a kitchen , and also a living room that you share with your roommates. 
  • UVA- The UVA is similar to the QUAD in that it is apartment style living, however instead of a TV you get an oven. 1-6 people can be  living in one apartment in the UVA. The UVA similar to the QUAD offers amenities like a pool and rec center.  The UVA is also the closest dorm to campus. 

How to Apply (Freshman): Freshman will apply online using the Cal State Apply application. The CSU application has discontinued the use of SAT and ACT test scores when determining eligibility. The application is generally open between October 1st and December 15th, however impacted majors such as Nursing closes on November 30th.  

Requirements (Transfers): CSUSM accepts both lower and upper division transfer students. Both transfers are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.  

Finances (Cost of Attendance): Tuition for a full year is $5,742. Tuition may vary however for each major. Financial Aid is always available, FAFSA opens December 1st this year. The typical cost of on campus housing for the year is $14,000.  

Impacted majors (local admission area school district): An impacted major at CSUSM is Nursing, it's a very competitive major with a general GPA of 3.9. 

Housing (UVA): Here at CSUSM we offer different types of housing, The university village apartments (UVA), contains a full apartment-style, with a kitchen, living room and rooms and bathrooms may vary. The North Commons is for first year students only, since they don't have a kitchen you do have to purchase a meal plan at the Campus Dinner. Finally the QUAD, is an apartment-style with room options in a modern community. 

• How to Apply: 
• • Freshmen - Submit an application during the application filing period, it is a $70 fee per application on Cal State Apply, however some applicants are eligible for a fee waiver
  • Transfers - Submit an application along with the $70 application fee to Cal State San Marcos on Cal State Apply
  • Important Dates and Deadlines - Important dates vary each year and depends on the semester that being applied to. Spring Admissions: Application filing period is August 1-August 30, October 15 - Initial Transcripts and Test Scores are due (always check 'to do' list in MyCSUSM), Admission Notification Begins Mid November (remember to check portal and email daily), December 1 - Deadline to submit Intent to Enroll, Deadline to submit Official Transcripts - January 15. Fall Admissions: Application filing period is October 1-Feb 24, October 1 - FASFA and CSUSM Scholarship Application opens, Admission notification begins in Late December/Early January (be sure to check portal and email regularly), Deadline to submit initial transcript and test scores is February 15, May 1 - Deadline to submit intent to enroll, July 15 -  Deadline to submit official transcripts.
• Requirements:
• • Freshmen - CSU campuses have discontinued ACT and SAT exam to determine eligibility, you must be or will be a high school graduate or have completed a GED, completed A-G courses with grades of  "C" or higher.
  • Transfers - CSUSM accepts both lower-division and upper-division students, both need to have cumulative gpa of 2.0 or higher, good standing at the last institution of attendance
• Finances:
• • Cost of Attendance: Tuition is $5, 742 a year for all students, total cost of attendance might vary for every student depending on their housing situation, cost of books, transportation, personal costs, etc..
  • Financial Aid Application Timeline: October 1 - FASFA and CSUSM Scholarship opens, for FASFA the earlier you apply the more money you might receive, this is free money you don't have to pay back. December - students will be notified via email of their estimated financial aid award. February 1 - the deadline to submit CSUSM Scholarship. March 2-May 30 - Register for direct deposit, you can get your refund sent quickly. July - Course Drop Protection is added to ensure you are not dropped from any classes until financial aid is disbursed. The Good to Go email is sent with totals of tuition, fees, and financial aid, and lets you know how much to expect in a refund or what is the remaining balance. August - Students will receive aid a week before classes begin. September - Grant Census, grant aid might be reduced if you are no longer enrolled as a full-time student.
  • Types of Financial Aid: Federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid
• Impacted Majors:
• • What is impaction: Allows campuses to manage enrollment of new students based on approved local criteria. Impacted majors at CSUSM: Biology, Business Administration, Communications, Electric Engineering, Kinesiology, Nursing, Software Engineering
  • Local Admission Area School Districts: Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego County. Prospective students from local admission area will be accommodated first. 
• Housing:
• • Options and Cost: CSUSM offers 3 housing options, prices do vary depending the option. There is a $50 application fee and a $250 license fee.
  • Dining Services: Meal plans are available to purchase and optional, however if living in North Commons it is mandatory to purchase a meal plan. Meal plans can be chosen by how many meals per week one would like and come with dining dollars that can be used for school affiliated food services.
  • North Commons: This on campus housing option only for first-year students, this is a community apartment style does not have a kitchen which explains why meal plan is required, it is located next to the Extended Learning Building and across the street from the Campus Way Cafe dining Hall. ​
  • The QUAD: This housing option is for all year students, it apartment-style, meal plan is not mandatory, the complex has a kitchen which is shared among roommates. It is located across the street of the Extended Learning Building and above the Campus Way Cafe.
  • UVA: Just like The Quad, this is an option for all year students, it also apartment-style, meal plan is not mandatory, also has a kitchen that is shared. It is located across the street from The Quad and The Campus Way Cafe.

• How to apply: 

• Freshmen can apply using Cal State Apply. The applications for fall open in October and close at the end of November. The fee to apply to the CSU is $70 per campus but some students may qualify for an application fee waiver.

• Requirements: 

• Freshman must complete their A-G courses in high school. CSU campuses don't use the ACT/SAT exams anymore for determining admission eligibility. It is good to get more information about the major you are applying for, and you can find this information on the CSUSM website. 

• Finances: 

• Financial Aid Application Timeline

Each year FAFSA opens on October 1 and closes on March 1. The sooner you apply, the sooner you can get an estimated aid award. There is also a CSUSM general scholarship application which is from October 1st - February 1st.

. 

• Impacted Majors: 

• What is impaction?

An impacted major is a major that has more students compared to other majors. Some of the impacted majors at CSUSM are biology, business, kinesiology, and nursing. 

• Housing: 

• Options and Cost

There is a $50 fee due at the time of applying to housing and a $250 license fee. Costs are not split between roommates, so each cost is individual. There are different housing costs depending on what floor plan you get. The UVA and The Quad housing costs are a bit different from each other.

How to Apply:  

• Freshmen 

•  Go to CalStaeApply.com to apply for any CSU.  The application usually opens in October and is usually due about a month or two after. Sometimes the deadline is extended, however.  

• Transfers 

• I would visit your community college admissions office to see what they can do about transferring. Or call our admissions office.  

• Important Dates and Deadlines 

• The CSU applications open on October 1st and closes November 30th  

• Requirements: 

• Freshmen 

• Completed A-G requirements.  

• Transfers 

• Completed associates degree  

• Finances: 

• Cost of Attendance 

• Our average cost of attendance is $13,218 

• Financial Aid Application Timeline 

• October 1st to March 2nd  

• Types of Financial Aid 

• Fafsa, Dream Act, and Scholarship  

• Impacted Majors: 

• What is impaction 

• Impaction is a definition for any major that has a big number of students.  Like our kinesiology program.  

• Local Admission Area School Districts 

• San Marcos School District... 

• Housing: 

• Options and Cost:  

• There are different costs for all our various housing options. It varies from dorm to dorm and room to room. Usually going up and down depending on how many people you are willing to live with.   

• Dining Services 

• We just opened a new dining hall below the quad. It is open to all our students, and you don’t need to even live on campus to purchase a meal plan. It is all you care to eat so it’s a great way for students to hang out and eat on campus. It is only mandatory for North Commons resediments to have a meal plan.  

• North Commons 

• North Commons is the newest dorm on campus, this new facility is amazing, but it does however not have a kitchen like the UVA and the QUAD. This is why it is mandatory to get a meal plan if you choose to live there your first year. These apartments are more dorm style which is unlike our UVA and QUAD apartment style.  

• The QUAD 

• Our middle child dorm. These are apartment style dorms and come with a TV. Also has a workout room and pool.  

• UVA 

Our oldest dorm which comes with a full oven. It also has a pool and workout rooms.

How to Apply (Freshman): Freshman will apply online using the Cal State Apply application during the filing period. The CSU application has discontinued the use of SAT and ACT test scores when determining eligibility. The application is generally open between October 1st and December 15th, but some programs (ex. Nursing) may have other deadlines.  

Requirements (Transfers): CSUSM accepts both lower and upper division transfer students. Both transfers are required to have a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher. Students are also required to be in good standing with their last institution of attendance.  

Finances (Cost of Attendance): Tuition for full time undergraduate students who are residents is $5,742. Tuition for full time undergraduate students who are non-residents is $15,246. The typical cost of on campus housing for the year is $14,000 but there are many different options and layouts available.  

Impacted majors (local admission area school district): Schools in San Diego County, Riverside County, and Orange County are included in the local admission area school districts. The full list of these school districts is available on the CSUSM website. There are also local community colleges that CSUSM serves through local admission in both San Diego County and Riverside County.  

Housing (UVA): The University Village Apartments (UVA) is one of three on campus housing facilities at CSUSM. The UVA has apartment style dorms, meaning that the rooms have full kitchens and living rooms. A meal plan is available but not required for this dorm.