Pacific Admissions Group
How to transfer to San Diego State (SDSU): requirements and deadlines
Requirements, deadlines, competitive majors and prerequisites for California community college students transferring to San Diego State University.
35% (est.)
Transfer Accept Rate
3.2 (est.)
Median Admit GPA
90%+ (est.)
From CA Community Colleges
Oct 1 – Nov 30
Application Deadline
SDSU transfer quick facts
Location
San Diego, California
Admit terms
Fall Only (2027)
SDSU is not accepting spring 2027 applications
Minimum Units
60 semester units
Junior-level standing required
Minimum GPA
2.0–3.2 by major
Fall 2027 minimums are set per major; higher GPAs get priority
SDSU transfer requirements
Academic Requirements
SDSU transfer eligibility requirements:
- 60 transferable semester units completed
- Meet your major's minimum GPA (2.00–3.20 for fall 2027; e.g., Nursing 3.20, Business 2.90)
- CSU Golden Four with a C- or better: oral communication, written communication, critical thinking, math
- Complete 30+ GE units (Cal-GETC, CSU GE, IGETC or SDSU GE)
- Good standing at last institution attended
Major Preparation
Major-specific preparation significantly impacts admission:
- All SDSU majors are impacted; complete all major-prep courses in the catalog
- Check ASSIST.org for CC-to-SDSU course articulation
- Business, engineering, nursing, and criminal justice are highly competitive
- Complete as many lower-division major courses as possible before applying
Cal State Apply
CSU applications use Cal State Apply (separate from UC application):
- Application window: October 1 – November 30 for fall
- No personal essays required for most CSU applications
- Dance, Music, Musical Theatre and Theatre Arts: Performance need an audition; TV, Film and New Media: Production needs supplemental materials
- Self-reported transcripts during application, official upon admission
- Academic History Update in my.SDSU is due in January (January 2027)
ADT Advantage
Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) give you a significant edge:
- ADT holders receive guaranteed CSU admission (not to a specific campus)
- A matching ADT earns priority, and you can be within 0.1 of the major's minimum GPA
- Completing an AA-T or AS-T degree at your CC streamlines the process
- ADT students are considered juniors and can graduate in 60 additional units
- Local admission guarantee for majors not offered at CSU San Marcos if all your units come from local CCs (incl. Palomar and MiraCosta)
- SDCCD guarantee for City, Mesa and Miramar students: 24+ units at SDCCD; 3.0 GPA for Business, CS, Psychology and Kinesiology
Competitive transfer majors at SDSU
Fowler College of Business
Business Administration
One of the most competitive transfer majors at SDSU. Official fall 2027 minimum GPA: 2.90.
Low
Accept Rate
3.3+
Competitive GPA (est.)
College of Sciences
Computer Science
Highly competitive. Strong math and CS prerequisites. Official fall 2027 minimum GPA: 2.00.
Low
Accept Rate
3.2+
Competitive GPA (est.)
College of Health & Human Services
Nursing
Extremely competitive. Minimum GPA 3.20. Answer nursing questions in Cal State Apply; prerequisites must be done by the end of fall 2026.
Very Low
Accept Rate
3.5+
Competitive GPA (est.)
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Criminal Justice
Signature SDSU program. High demand among transfers. Minimum GPA 2.80.
Moderate
Accept Rate
3.0+
Competitive GPA (est.)
College of Sciences
Biology
Popular pre-health pathway. Minimum GPA 2.80.
Moderate
Accept Rate
2.8+
Competitive GPA (est.)
College of Sciences
Psychology
High demand but more accessible than STEM programs. Minimum GPA 2.50 (B.A.).
Moderate
Accept Rate
2.8+
Competitive GPA (est.)
SDSU transfer timeline
October 1
Cal State Apply Opens
Begin submitting your CSU application for the following fall term.
November 30
Application Deadline
Submit your completed application by this date.
January
Academic History Update Due
Required for upper-division transfers in my.SDSU. Audition and portfolio majors get separate instructions by email.
March–May
Admission Decisions
Decisions are released in spring. Check my.SDSU for your status.
How we help you get into SDSU
Impaction Strategy
SDSU is one of the most impacted CSUs. We help you understand which majors are realistic and how to position yourself competitively.
ADT Planning
We help you complete your Associate Degree for Transfer efficiently to gain priority admission consideration.
ASSIST Course Mapping
Detailed course planning using ASSIST.org to ensure all prerequisites and GE requirements are met.
Major Selection
Strategic guidance on choosing between impacted and less-impacted majors to maximize acceptance odds.
Application Review
Complete review of your Cal State Apply application before submission.
Backup Planning
Building a balanced list of CSU targets to ensure you have strong options.
See how our transfer consulting works and our prices and packages, or read whether a consultant is worth it for you.
About the author
Manraj, Founder of Pacific Admissions Group
Manraj transferred from a California community college and was admitted to UC Berkeley Haas, UCLA Business Economics, USC Marshall and UC Irvine Merage. He enrolled at Haas. More about us
Official sources
Requirements and deadlines change every year. Confirm the details for your major on the official pages below. Last reviewed October 2026.
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