Applying To CSUB Graduate Programs

CSUB Admission Requirements

  1. Have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, or shall have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by appropriate campus authorities;
    • Have been in good academic standing at the last college or university attended;
    • Have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted; and
    • Have satisfactorily met the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards for graduate study, including qualifying examinations, as appropriate campus authorities may prescribe.
  2. Graduate students must apply to the university AND to a specific graduate program. Each graduate program establishes its own minimum admission requirements and makes its own admission decisions based on specific criteria.
Spring 2022 Graduate Christina Lopez MS Educational Counseling
2023-2024 Graduate Studies Catalog

How Do I Apply?

Graduate Student Application Checklist

A student writing on a notebook
  1. Review the Graduate Program application requirements. Visit the CSUB Catalog website for details: Graduate Program Admission requirements  2022-2023.
  2. Complete the Cal State Apply Graduate Application for admission to CSUB by the program/university application deadline for the term you are applying for. ($70 non-refundable, non-transferable fee)
  3. Submit the separate program application (if applicable) to the appropriate department as instructed.  Additional fees vary by program.
  4. Order official transcripts!
    • Review the program application requirements regarding unofficial transcripts
    • CSUB  Graduate Admissions will require official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended. For more details, visit our Admissions website:  https://www.csub.edu/admissions/document-submission
  5. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (CSUB's school code is 007993)
  6. Apply for CSUB scholarships on Roadrunner Scholarship Universe by the March 2nd priority filing for the upcoming academic year
    1. Review our Funding Opportunities Webpage for additional scholarship opportunities 
  7. Periodically review the GSC website & follow us on our social media (@CSUBGSC) for announcements, deadlines, funding opportunities, or workshops available to you as a graduate student.
  8. If you have questions regarding graduate programs, application requirements, or general graduate studies questions, schedule a meeting with us!
Schedule a Meeting!

CalState Apply Help

CalState Apply Graduate Application Guide 2023-24
CalState Apply Applicant Help Center

I Submitted My Application. Now What?

Evaluation of Eligibility & Application Decision

  1. Most post-baccalaureate programs require both a program-specific application and a university application via Cal State Apply.
    • Each program is different, therefore you are encouraged to apply early and pay close attention to the specific requirements of the academic program you are seeking. This also means that the decision timeframe for each department will be different because it is based on the number of applicants applying for the same program.
    • To receive an estimated timeframe, contact the Graduate Program Director of the program you applied to. This information can be found on the  Graduate Programs webpage.
  2. Upon receipt of the required application documents, Graduate Admissions will review your eligibility based on the minimum university requirements. If you are deemed eligible, your academic program will be notified.
    • Your status will also be reflected on myCSUB. Be sure to monitor your "To-Do" list regularly even after you have been admitted; there may be additional documents or requirements you will need to submit.
    • To verify your application materials have been received, please check your my.CSUB.edu portal or email the Graduate Admissions Office: graduateadmissions@csub.edu.
  3. An Admissions decision will be sent upon final review by the Graduate Director or Department Chair.
    • Incomplete applications will delay a decision and/or could be withdrawn/canceled.
    • If you have been denied admission to a CSUB graduate program, you may file an appeal. Please read the information provided on the Admissions Appeal Request  website before submitting the form.
Several students interacting
MyCSUB

Admission Classification

Graduate Conditionally Classified: You may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the opinion of the appropriate campus authority, you can remedy deficiencies by additional preparation.

Graduate Classified: To pursue a graduate degree, you will be required to fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus.

Credential Programs: California State University, Bakersfield, offers several credentialing programs accredited by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Visit the School of Social Sciences & Education for more information. If you wish to enroll in a credential or certificate program, you will be required to satisfy additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus.

Accepted to CSUB?

After Notification of Acceptance

CSUB President with students

Register/Log in to myCSUB

You can use myCSUB to:

  • Check for Holds
  • Review important messages regarding your account
  • Register for classes
  • Add/drop/change classes
  • Review your academic records
  • Check progress toward your degree
  • Make payments
  • View your financial aid status
  • Provide contact information for emergency alerts
  • ...and much more!

Immunization Records

Entering CSU students are required to present proof of the following immunizations to the CSU campus they will be attending before the beginning of their first term of enrollment:

  • COVID-19: All CSU Bakersfield students and employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have requested a medical or religious exemption or self-attest that they will not access campus facilities. Visit CSUB's dedicated page (CSUB and COVID-19) for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our campus.
  • Measles and Rubella: All new and readmitted students must provide proof of full immunization against measles and rubella prior to enrollment.
  • Hepatitis B: All new students who will be 18 years of age or younger at the start of their first term at a CSU campus must provide proof of full immunization against Hepatitis B before enrolling. Full immunization against Hepatitis B consists of three timed doses of vaccine over a minimum 4 to 6 months period. If you need further details or have special circumstances, please consult Student Health Services.
  • Meningococcal Disease Information: Each incoming freshman who will be residing in on-campus housing will be required to return a form indicating that they have received information about meningococcal disease and the availability of the vaccine to prevent contracting the disease and indicating whether or not the student has chosen to receive the vaccination. Although immunization against this infection is not a requirement, all entering freshmen, particularly those living in residence halls, are urged to consider vaccination. The meningococcal vaccine is available at Student Health Services. The above are not admission requirements but are required of students as conditions of enrollment in CSU. Students may fulfill the immunization requirements by bringing or sending medical documentation of immunization to the Student Health Services. Students may also receive immunizations at Student Health Services.

Important: Students who have not complied with these California State  University mandates prior to the registration deadline will not be able to register for their second quarter.

Visit the CSUB Student Health Services website for additional information.

Forms

New Student Orientation

You will receive email notifications for the "New Student Orientation" nearing the commencement of your semester. Your graduate program may also plan a separate orientation for new graduate students. Check out our "Events & Workshops" webpage for more information on your New Student Orientation.

Events and Workshops

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

No. If you want to take a specific classes, you may register through CSUB-Extended University or apply as a post-baccalaureate student pursuing a second bachelor's degree. For more information on CSUB-Extended University, click the following link: CSUB Extended University
Contact the Cashier’s Office by phone (661-654-3222). Tuition costs at this link: Costs of Attendance
Each graduate program sets it's own application deadline. All application deadlines are posted on www.calstate.edu/apply. Submitting your application early is strongly encouraged, so you can take advantage of any other requirements such as; placements tests, entrance exams, etc., that you may need to fulfill before the term begins.
No, prospective students may submit only one graduate program application to CSUB. Students may apply to more than one college or CSU, but only one per institution will be considered.
You can take classes through CSUB-Extended University, and/or look into conditional admittance to a program. Students can also attend another institution, such as a community college to raise grades. You can contact Extended University’s by phone (661-654-2447), or email eud@csub.edu
You must contact the coordinator of the program you are interested in to find out which courses they will accept.  To find the coordinator for your program, click the following link: Graduate Programs

APPLICATION FEE

You must pay the $70 application fee online when you submit your application.
As per the Chancellor's Office, the application fee waiver is no longer available for graduate applications beginning Fall 2013 forward.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

No, we will be able to access your transcripts. Please indicate the dates you attended CSUB on your application.
Yes, you need to submit one official transcript from each schools you have attended after CSUB.
You must refer to the guidelines recommended on the program packet or reference form. You may contact the coordinator to the program you are interested in for any exceptions. You can find the coordinator to your program at the following link: Graduate Academic Programs
Some programs (i.e. Social Work, History, Biology, Geology, Credentials) have specific instructions and guidelines for what should be included in the statement of purpose, so please follow the guidelines recommended by the program to which you are applying for admission. If specific guidelines are not listed, the Graduate Student Center recommends you describe your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for the field of study, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the faculty committee in evaluating your motivation for graduate study.
Yes. A preliminary evaluation can be done by the Graduate Admissions Coordinator based on unofficial transcripts. HOWEVER, an official transcript is required to complete your application.

Official Translation of Transcripts

Admissions requirement is that all college/university transcripts from foreign institutions must be submitted for detailed, course by course credential evaluation along with degree posted. CSU, Bakersfield recommends the following evaluation services.

World Education Services: (415) 986-3356

Three year degrees from India are generally not considered the equivalent of a four year degree from the U.S. Exceptions would be degrees in areas such as science and engineering.

For additional information regarding international student requirements, please contact the Director of International Students and Programs at (661) 654-6113.

You can contact the department office of the program you are interested in applying to for further information. NOTE: You can take classes through CSUB-Extended University, and/or look into conditional admittance to a program. Students can also attend another institution, such as a Community College to raise grades. You can contact CSUB-Extended University by phone (661-654-2447) or email (eud@csub.edu).
You must contact the coordinator of the program you are interested in to find out which courses they will accept.

PROCESSING YOUR APPLICATION

  1. Complete and submit a Graduate Admission Application online through www.calstate.edu/apply.
  2. Your application is downloaded into a central database and a myCSUB account is created.
  3. You will receive an email notification acknowledging your application was received (the email will also include your student identification number, and instructions on how to check your status online). You will also receive a letter in the mail with this information.
  4. Once you have submitted all required application materials, and transcripts to the Office Graduate Student Center, the Graduate Admissions Office reviews your application and materials to ensure that the minimum requirements are met in your application. (Includes financial support requirements for International Students).
  5. The Graduate Admissions Evaluator will then forward your application packet with a university admissions evaluation to the academic program to which you are applying for a final review of admissions eligibility.  You will receive an email notification that your application is in-Department Review.
  6. Once a decision is made, you will receive an email notification to review the results on your myCSUB account and a detailed letter will be sent to you shortly after.
Please refer our Graduate Academic Programs for more information about the programs CSUB offers and their admission requirements.
You may be considered for conditional admission to a graduate degree program if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, you can remedy deficiencies by additional preparation.
Please review all program application requirements before submitting your online CalState Application.  Then review the program website for additional information regarding submitting additional documents, if you have not submitted them with the online application.  Various programs offer step-by-step instructions regarding the secondary application and required documents, please review the program website or contact them directly.
You can contact the Graduate Student Center by phone (661-654-2786), or by email (gsc@csub.edu).
Processing your application varies.  Failure to submit all requested documents will result in delays in processing. Once a decision has been made, the Admission Status on your myCSUB account will be updated, you will receive an email notification, and a letter will be mailed thereafter.  Please check your myCSUB account.  For additional questions, please contact Graduate Admissions at postbaccadmissions@csub.edu

Step 1: Complete and submit a Graduate Admission Application online through www.calstate.edu/apply.

Step 2: Complete and submit an application for a specific credential program.

 

Informational workshops are held by the credential department to go over the program requirements, deadlines, residency programs, and more!

TESTING

To find out which test is needed to your program click the following link: Graduate Academic Programs. More information about tests/exams is available at the CSUB Testing website.

More information about tests/exams is available at:

Free Resources for the GRE and GMAT:

Testing location and dates at this link:

CSUB Testing Center

All graduate students must satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) as soon as possible. Graduate students may meet this requirement by passing the regularly scheduled examination (offered once a quarter) or by earning a “C” or better in one of the approved GWAR courses. Waivers for Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Students

You will be exempt from the GWAR if you meet any of the four criteria below:

  1. You graduated from a CSU or UC since 1980.
  2. As of Fall 2006, post-baccalaureate and graduate students with the following test scores (provided the test(s) were taken since 1980):
    GMAT - 4.5 or higher on the writing portion of the GMAT
    CBEST - 41 or higher on the writing portion of the CBEST
    GRE - 4.5 or higher on the analytic writing portion of the GRE General Test
  1. You graduated from a CSU or UC since 1980.
  2. As of Fall 2006, post-baccalaureate and graduate students with the following test scores (provided the test(s) were taken since 1980):
    GMAT - 4.5 or higher on the writing portion of the GMAT
    CBEST - 41 or higher on the writing portion of the CBEST
    GRE - 4.5 or higher on the analytic writing portion of the GRE General Test

CHECKING ADMISSION STATUS TO PROGRAM

Information regarding your application can be found in your MYCSUB account. Scroll down to the MY APPLICATION STATUS to view the most current status of your application materials. If you have any outstanding items on your To Do List, please submit them as soon as possible, to continue the processing of your application. The Graduate Student Center can also assist you with verify receipt of documents. You may contact the Graduate Student Center by phone (661-654-2786), or by email (gsc@csub.edu).
From your Student Center, click the details link in the Holds section. Click the hold link, such as Advising Hold - No Enrl to see more information about the hold. The Hold Item page opens. The Item List shows the Hold Item, Amount, Currency, Institution, Term, and Department associated with the Hold, along with Instructions on how to resolve the hold. Instructions are also available on the Student Guides.
You must contact the coordinator of the program you are interested in for a course list.  To find the coordinator for your program, click the following link: CSUB Teacher Education
You must contact the Credentials Office to find out which courses you need to take. To contact the Credential’s Department, call (661-654-2110).

Check your To-Do List for a change in the status of your letters of recommendation either on your CalState Apply Application or with your Graduate Program Director/Coordinator. 

Another option is contacting by email the Graduate Admissions Office: graduateadmissions@csub.edu

If unable to verify with above contacts, you can ask the Graduate Student Center by phone (661-654-2786), or by email (gsc@csub.edu) for assistance.

Check your To-Do List for a change in the status of your transcripts. If nothing has change after one week of submission, contact us at the Graduate Student Center by phone (661-654-2786), or by email (gsc@csub.edu).
No, you can only be categorized under one program at a time.
You may request a change of program form to change your academic program/degree objective/concentration.

AFTER YOU ARE ADMITTED

  1. Check your decision details online. Log onto myCSUB and review your To-Do list. Your myCSUB account will give you important information about your enrollment appointment, residency status, and financial account information.  
  2. Respond to your offer of admission and receive advising. If you choose to enroll at CSUB we ask that you please contact your program of study within two weeks of receiving admission to inform them of your intent to enroll and to schedule an appointment for advising.  You can find the contact person of your program at the following link: gscacademics 
  3. Financing your education at CSUB. Be sure to apply for Financial Aid by completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid online if you have not yet done so. Click here for more information about Financial Aid and Scholarships. 
  4. Visit the Student Health Center website to read about the Mandatory Immunization Requirement.All the University's immunization requirements must have been satisfied prior to your registration for your second quarter at CSUB.
Contact the corresponding department and ask what you can change to become a better applicant. You may also contact the Graduate Student Center by phone (661-654-2786), or by email (gsc@csub.edu) for other program options.
For more information, review the Tuition and Fees sheet.
No paperwork is necessary to continue registration as long as you return within one academic year. If you return to CSUB after one academic year or attend another school in your time away from CSUB, you will need to re-apply for admission. However, you should meet with your program advisor for any updates.
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FINANCIAL AID

Contact the Financial Aid Department by phone (661-654-3016) or email finaid@csub.edu. 

Visit the Financial Aid Website

For more information on tuition costs, review the following  information: Registration Fees 

Review our recorded workshops regarding funding graduate school: 

Money Matters for Graduate Programs Workshop

Funding Graduate School

“General Rule. To be classified a California resident for purposes of tuition and fees, adult students who are not precluded from residence due to immigration status must have established a primary and permanent domicile in California for at least 366 days and relinquished all ties to their past place(s) of residence.

Parent(s) of dependent students claiming California residence also must fulfill the physical presence and intent requirements. Students with out-of-state parent(s) also may have to prove financial independence. (See Financial Independence, p. 17.)” (University of California Residence Policy and Guidelines 2013-2014 Academic Year).

NOTE: Dena Gonzales handles all Residency issues at CSUB.

Phone: 654-3384 email: dgonzales6@csub.edu

You can apply to the various scholarships the campus offers by accessing the Roadrunner Scholarship Universe page. The time period for application submissions is from February 1st to March 15th every year). Additionally, you can check with financial aid on census day each semester.  NOTE: Census Day is the day when financial awards to undergraduates return to the Financial Aid Office for various reasons — you can inquire for an award. KEEP IN MIND that Undergraduate and Graduate Funds are separate and not equal.  Priority is given to Undergraduates.

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