Returning Student Application and Admission

Cal State LA will be opening Spring 2025 admission to returning applicants for select majors.

• Applicants must apply via the online Cal State Apply application between August 1-31, 2024.
  • For Spring 2025 admission consideration, all admission requirements must be completed by the end of Summer 2024.
• The following major is CLOSED for Spring 2025 admission:
  • Nursing - Basic Pre-Licensure BSN

• Applicants must apply via the online Cal State Apply application. For some tips on how to complete the application, visit our Application Tips webpage

• The Cal State Apply application requires you to enter all college coursework, including Cal State LA courses, so have your transcripts handy and make sure you have adequate time before the deadline to complete your application.

• To facilitate timely graduation, Cal State LA has compiled a list of major-specific courses for each major that focus on lower-division preparation in the major. Please visit the Major-Specific Criteria webpage for the latest information about these requirements.

Returning Transfer Student

If you have been absent from Cal State LA as a regularly matriculated degree-seeking student for more than 2 years (or were academically disqualified), and you have attempted units at another college/university or through the College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE) since you left Cal State LA, you are considered a Returning Transfer Student. Returning Transfer Students are held to the same eligibility requirements, application procedures, and deadlines as new transfer students. They are also given 'local preference' for admission consideration. Refer to the Transfer Admissions webpage for details.

Returning Student

If you have been absent from Cal State LA as a regularly matriculated degree-seeking student for more than 2 years (or were academically disqualified), and you have not attempted units at another college/university, or through the College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE), since you left Cal State LA, you are considered a Returning Student.

• If you are applying to return to the same major, you will be evaluated for readmission based on your academic record and your ability to successfully complete the major in a timely manner including any degree progress requirements in that major.

• If you are applying to a new major that is impacted (or specialized), you will be evaluated based on the Major-Specific Requirements required of current Cal State LA students to declare the that particular major, and your ability to successfully complete the major in a timely manner.

Returning students may be required to meet with an academic advisor, and/or submit an academic plan consistent with the timely graduation policy, in order to be considered for readmission.

Additional information for Disqualified Students

In addition to the above returning student types, if you were academically disqualified from Cal State LA and wish to seek readmission, you must follow the appropriate application procedure, and also meet readmission eligibility requirements to qualify for consideration. Readmission after disqualification is not automatic. Disqualified students must wait at least two terms before applying for readmission. For readmission, students must satisfy the terms and conditions from the disqualification interview as documented in the student's file by the academic advisor. Students must also have a cumulative Cal State LA grade point average (GPA) that is at or above the minimum for their class level when they apply.

• Units earned elsewhere while under disqualification can be used to reduce the total grade point deficiency, but not the Cal State LA deficiency (which may be corrected through Open University enrollment via the College of Professional and Global Education).

If the readmission request includes a change of major, you must have the support of your prior major department, and if applicable, must meet the Major-Specific Admission Requirements for the impacted (or specialized) major. Please remember that seeking readmission to the University requires a commitment of time, effort, and financial resources on your part, with no guarantee of readmission even if all minimum requirements for consideration are met.

If you are changing your major to one of the below impacted (or specialized) programs, please review the Major-Specific Criteria webpage for additional requirements:

• Computer Science BS  
• Criminal Justice BS
• Fire Protection Administration Technology BS  
• Music BM  
• Nursing BS  
• Psychology BA
• Social Work BA
• Television, Film and Media Studies BA
• Urban Learning BA: Teacher Prep

Returning Transfer Student

Be Aware: Returning Transfer Students are held to the same eligibility requirements, application procedures, and deadlines as new transfer students. Refer to the Transfer Admissions webpage for details.

1. Apply online at Cal State Apply by the Returning Transfer deadline.
2. If previously disqualified, meet with an advisor for the major that you seek readmission and they will work with you to submit the Undergraduate Petition for Readmission from Disqualification to the Admissions Office within 30 days of reapplication. If you are changing your major, you must meet the Major-Specific Criteria for the new major, and also receive support from your prior major department. See next section for College Advisement Center contact email addresses.
3. Plan to submit official transcripts from colleges/universities attended since leaving Cal State LA. For Fall readmission, transcripts should include courses and grades earned through the prior Fall term; for Spring readmission, transcripts should include courses and grades earned through the prior Summer term.

Apply online using Cal State Apply by the Transfer Student Application Deadline. For Fall 2025 readmission, the deadline is December 2, 2024; for Spring 2025 readmission, the deadline is August 31, 2024. Once your application has been submitted, we will send you a notification by email to acknowledge receipt of your application. Once we receive all required transcripts and documents, we will notify you via email of your readmission decision. Please plan to regularly check your email, and promptly respond to requests.

Returning Student

1. Apply online at Cal State Apply by the Returning Student deadline. For Fall 2025 readmission, the application filing period is October 1, 2024-March 31, 2025; for Spring 2025, it is August 1-31, 2024.

   • IMPORTANT:
     • If you are reapplying after the Transfer Student Application Deadline (see above), please submit the Returning Student Verification eForm to request a special code before accessing the Cal State Apply application.
     • If previously disqualified, meet with an advisor for the major that you seek readmission and they will work with you to submit the Undergraduate Petition for Readmission from Disqualification to the Admissions Office within 30 days of reapplication. If you are changing your major, you must meet the Major-Specific Criteria for the new major, and also receive support from your prior major department. See next section for College Advisement Center contact email addresses.
2. Once your application has been submitted, we will send you a notification by email to acknowledge receipt of your application. If you are a returning student applicant who has NOT attended another institution since leaving Cal State LA, we can usually make an admissions decision without additional documents. We will notify you via email if additional documents are required and the deadline for submitting them. Please plan to regularly check your email, and promptly respond to requests.

Be Aware: If you last attended Cal State LA more than 3 years ago, after you submit your Cal State Apply application, please plan to also resubmit official transcripts from all other colleges attended (except for Cal State LA). If you originally started at Cal State LA as a freshman student, you may also be asked to resubmit your official high school transcript.

Students should email their appointment request to the College Advisement Center for the major/program department from which they seek readmission:

Cal State LA uses email as the official means of communication with applicants. Throughout the admissions process, the Office of Admissions and Recruitment will send communications to the "preferred" email address as indicated in your GET Student Center. If that email address has changed since your last attendance, please update your email address by visiting your Golden Eagle Territory (GET) Self-Service Student Center. Applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the University, and to check their email regularly.

To help prevent these important emails from being flagged as spam/junk mail by your email provider, please mark the calstatela.edu domain as a safe sender in your email account.

You will receive notification of your admission status by email after we have reviewed your application and any required documents. Admission offers may be withdrawn if the GPA, completed courses, or course grades are lower than what is reported or if you miss any admission deadlines. Please make sure to report accurate information on your application.

How do I accept the offer of readmission?

To accept the admission offer, admitted students must pay the non-refundable $100 Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD) by May 1st for Fall admission; or November 1st for Spring admission. The deposit will offset a portion of the student's State University Fee. This is in addition to submitting documents to confirm the admission decision within 30 days of the admission offer.

What if I am not offered readmission to Cal State LA?

In addition to applying to Cal State LA, we hope you have considered applying to one or two other colleges so that you will have alternatives in the event that you are not offered admission.

Can I appeal my admission decision?

If you believe you are eligible for Cal State LA admission, you may appeal our decision. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 15 days of the date of the denial notification and must include a basis for the appeal and supporting academic records. We will respond via email to your appeal request within four to six weeks. Only one appeal may be submitted for an academic term. For more information, visit the Admission Appeals webpage.