Graduate Student: Masters

We're so glad that you are interested in applying for admission to a CSUN graduate program! Explore CSUN's post-baccalaureate programs at majors and programs.

If you've already earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, we encourage you to apply to a CSUN graduate program.

Please note: You can apply to as many campuses as you wish, each with a $70 application fee, but note you can only apply to one program per campus per admission term. Select only one graduate program in Cal State Apply. We are unable to issue a refund if you apply for two programs or submit two separate applications for the same term.

Select the rows below to find out how to apply for admission to a master's degree program.

How to Apply

Applicants to master's degree programs must apply to both the university and the specific program of interest. The application filing period opens Oct. 1 for the coming fall and Aug. 1 for the coming spring.

Deadlines vary for each program. Please see the Cal State Apply search tool at Application Dates & Deadlines or contact the individual graduate program.

How to Apply to the University

1. Check your graduate program status at Application Dates & Deadlines to determine if your program of interest is currently accepting applications.
2. Complete the CSU university application at Cal State Apply. Have important documents (grades, transcripts, test scores) handy when completing the application.
3. Submit official college transcripts to the Office of the Registrar for all of the following:
   • All courses taken at other colleges and universities previously attended, even if the course work was not completed.
   • All college courses in which you are currently enrolled (these are your preliminary, work-in-progress transcripts).
   • Your final transcripts for work-in-progress as soon as you complete the courses and grades are posted.
   • Find out if you also need to provide a duplicate set of official, paper transcripts to the individual graduate program/department.

All transcripts, preliminary and final, must be official:

• Electronic transcripts:
  • When ordering your school's electronic transcripts, choose "CSU Northridge" as the recipient. If this option is not available, use registrar@csun.edu as the recipient email address.
  • If you have any California community college transcripts, save time with eTranscript California and have the transcripts sent through this system.
  • Please do not send identical, duplicate paper and electronic transcripts!

  How to Apply to Your Specific Program

  For individual program filing requirements and deadlines, find and contact the department of interest at Graduate Programs. Explore your graduate program!

  Admissions Criteria

  Applicants are considered for admission to CSUN when they meet both university and individual department eligibility requirements. To be considered for admission to CSUN as a graduate student in a master's program, applicants must meet the following university requirements (items A–C below) and department requirements (item D below):

  A. Have a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution;
  B. Be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended;
  C. Have satisfied one of the following conditions:

  1. Have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all units attempted as an undergraduate, independent of when the degree was granted; or,
  2. Have attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 semester/90 quarter units attempted from all post-secondary institutions attended. The entire semester or quarter in which the 60/90 units began will be used in the calculation; or,
  3. Hold an acceptable post-baccalaureate degree earned at a regionally accredited institution and:
     • Have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all units attempted as an undergraduate, or
     • Have attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 semester/90 quarter units attempted from all post-secondary institutions attended.

  D. Meet the higher admission standards of the individual master's program even when the applicant has met the minimum university requirements (items A–C above). The applications of students who meet the university admission requirements will be reviewed by the appropriate academic department. The department will then determine if the student meets requirements for admission to its master’s program. Visit the website for the department of interest to review the standards for graduate study.

  After You Apply

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

  1. Set up your CSUN Portal and CSUN email accounts using the information you received in the “Activate Your CSUN Account” email from the Office of Admissions after you submitted your application on Cal State Apply. You should receive the email 1 or 2 days after you apply. For help, see account activation instructions.
  2. Monitor your application status. Log in to the CSUN Portal, locate My Checklist, and review any Incomplete Tasks. For help with the portal, see the How-To Guides.
  3. Verify your mailing address in the portal. Learn how at Update Personal Information.
  4. Check your CSUN email often as it's our primary form of communication throughout the admissions process. If you forward your CSUN Gmail messages to another account:
  • Be sure to add the CSUN sender's email address to your contact list.
  • We recommend setting up automatic forwarding through your CSUN email account, where you’ll have the option to “Keep Gmail’s copy in the inbox.” Then, if a forwarded message is lost, you can still read the stored copy in CSUN email. Visit Gmail Help: Automatically forward mail to another email account.

  Cost to Attend

  Visit Estimated Cost of Attendance for the latest updates.

  You and your family should take time to understand what your costs will be so you can make informed choices when preparing for this next step in your education. Visit the Financial Aid & Scholarships page to determine how these resources can assist with the costs of attendance.

  For estimates on the cost of attending CSUN and the amount of grants and other financial aid that may be available to you, use the CSUN Net Price Calculator.

  For the most up-to-date information regarding tuition and other fees, refer to the Student Finance website.