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Cal State San Marcos Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

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Cal State San Marcos Admissions
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The California State University San Marcos application deadlines are mentioned below:

  • Fall (August) Term: May 1, 2026
  • Spring (January) Term: Nov 1, 2026

The California State University admission deadlines can vary.

Cal State San Marcos Admissions
Table of contents
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California State University San Marcos Admission Overview 2026

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California State University San Marcos Courses: Eligibility and Fees 2025

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California State University San Marcos Admission Process 2026

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Commonly asked questions
On Admissions
Q:   What are the admission requirements at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

The admission requirements at California State University San Marcos vary on the level of study and the different programs. The basic CSUSM admission requirements include valid academic proofs, English proficiency test scores such as IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, academic transcripts, standardized entrance test scores such as GMAT/GRE, SOP, LORs etc. Minimum scores are given for all the exams and tests.

 

Q:   When can I apply to California State University San Marcos?
A: 

The students can make an application for two intakes in a year at this university which are Fall and Spring. 

The students are expected to gather all the documents required before applying on the official portal for applying to the California State University San Marcos PG and UG courses.

The California State University San Marcos application deadlines vary for PG courses.  

Below mentioned are the California State University San Marcos application deadlines 2025:

For undergraduate admissions:

Term

Start Month

Application Deadline

Fall Term

Aug 25

May 1, 2025

Spring Term

Jan 26

Nov 1, 2025

Q:   What are the admission requirements for MS at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

There are 9 courses available under the California State University San Marcos MS courses. California State University San Marcos MS fees is between INR 13 L and INR 30 L for the first year for a duration of 18 months to 24 months. (Note: It is the first year fee not including the living expenses).

Below mentioned are the California State University San Marcos MS admission requirements:

·         Transcripts of degree

·         Must meet the English requirements

·         Letters of recommendations

·         SOP

·         USD 70 application fee

·         Resume/CV

·         Some programs might have additional requirements, depending on the course.

·         English Language Proficiency 

Q:   Do I need to take IELTS for California State University San Marcos?
A: 

Yes, as part of CSUSM admission requirements,  the students are required to take an English proficiency test in order to qualify for admissions. 

For different courses and the level of study, the requirements can vary: 

California State University San Marcos English Language Tests

Score Requirements

IELTS

6.5 & Above

TOEFL

80 & Above

PTE

65 & Above

 

California State University San Marcos MS Admissions 2026

9 courses 18 - 24 months
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13.1L - 31L

iconEligibility Criteria

  • Accepting Exams: IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, Duolingo, GRE

California State University San Marcos Application Process 2026

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Commonly asked questions
On Application Process
Q:   How can I apply at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

The students are required to apply via the official portal of the university for UG and PG courses. 

Here are the steps to complete you online application process:

Step 1-Choose a program

Step 2- Fill out the application form: Now go to the official website, and navigate through the common app to apply for the programme and fill out the required details like academic history, essay, standardized test score, English language score, and more.

Step 3-Pay application fee: Students must pay the application fee of USD 70 (INR 6,008) for the all the programs.  

Step 4-Wait for a response: The California State University San Marcos will review the application and within a few weeks they will provide an offer letter to join the program. The admission team generally take 2 to 3 business days to respond to the students.

Step 5-Pay tuition fees: To get enrolled in the first semester, international students have to pay tuition fees depending on the course.

(USD 1 = INR 85.80)

Q:   Where can I apply for California State University San Marcos?
A: 

The students are expected to apply through the official application portal of the university named as Cal State Apply website for the UG and PG courses. While appying for the same, the students are expected to pay an application fee of USD 70 (INR 6,011). 

Q:   When will I hear back from California State University San Marcos?
A: 

After successfully applying to California State University San Marcos, the university will review the application of the student and revert to their application via the email shared to them. The university typically takes 2 to 3 business days to send a response to the students. 

Below mentioned are the other steps before and after getting the response from the university: 

Step 1-Choose a program

Step 2- Fill out the application form

Step 3-Pay application fee: Students must pay the application fee of USD 70 (INR 6,008) for the all the programs.  

Step 4-Wait for a response

Step 5-Pay tuition fees: To get enrolled in the first semester, international students have to pay tuition fees depending on the course.

California State University San Marcos Enrollment Statistics 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Admission
Q:   How many students are there at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

As per the data taken from unofficial sources, in the year 2025, 17,519 applications were received by California State University San Macros. Out of which, 16,765 students were rolled out an offer letter resulting in a California State University San Macros acceptance rate of 95.70%. By the table given below, it can be seen that the acceptance rate has increased over the years which was relatively lower in 2022 and 2023.

Q:   What is the acceptance rate of California State University San Marcos?
A: 

As per some unofficial souces, the California State University San Marcos acceptance rate stands at 95.70% for the year 2024 which is a good acceptance rate for a university. This suggests the out of every 100 applications, 95 to 96 students were accepted by the university. In the year 2024, 17,519 applications were received by California State University San Macros. Out of which, 16,765 students were rolled out an offer letter. 

California State University San Marcos FAQs 2025

Q:   Is California State University San Marcos an expensive university?
A: 

Offering over 100 courses in various levels and the tuition fee varies on the level of studies The California State University fee ranges from INR 15 L to INR 17 L at the UG level and between INR 13 L and INR 30 L for PG courses. It is to be noted that this fee does not include the living cost and accommodation.

Below are the courses mentioned with their tuition fee with the course duration:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

Duration & Eligibility

BBA (10 courses)

INR 16 L - 17 L

4 years

MS (9 courses)

INR 13 L - 30 L

18-24 months

MBA/PGDM (1 course)

INR 28 L

1 year

MPH (1 course)

INR 18 L

16 months

B.Sc. (12 courses)

INR 15 L - 17 L

4 years

B.A. (10 courses)

INR 16 L - 17 L

4 years

Q:   What are the visa requirements at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

International students are required to get an F-1 student visa for California State University San Marcos as it is situated in the USA. After getting the admission confirmation from California State University San Marcos, the students must arrange all these documents with the VISA fee:

·         SEVIS (I-901) fee of USD 350 (INR 30.4 K)

·         Passport/visa

·         I-20

·         Acceptance letter from the university

·         Health insurance

·         Tuition fee payment proof

·         Transcripts from all universities, colleges, or institutions beyond high school attended before admission.

Please note that the students are required to pay a non-refundable Visa application fee of USD 185 (INR 16.09 K).

Q:   What are MBA requirements at California State University San Marcos?
A: 

A variety of MBA programs are offered at California State University San Macros named as Full-time MBA, FEMBA, EMBA etc. The duration ranges from INR18 to 24 months and the tuition fee is INR 28 L for the same.

Below are the California State University San Marcos MBA admission requirements:

·         A Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0

·         Application form

·         English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE)

·         Official transcripts

·         Personal Statement (A brief essay with 500 to 700 words)

·         Two Letters of recommendation

·         GMAT/GRE

·         Essays about the goals of the applicant

·         Updated resume

·         Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

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Cal State San Marcos

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 9 months ago

San Maros is famous for being the educational hub of the North County, being home to the award-winning Palomar College & the California State University San Marcos.

Other than that, it is home to one of the top wineries in North County San Diego, the Sunshine Mountain Wines. Its NCAA Division II team

...Read more

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Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 9 months ago

CSUSM is considered among the best institutions in the region, being fully accredited by the region's most prominent accreditation board: Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC). 

The institute also ranks highly as part of country-level rankings given by some popular university ranking publi

...Read more

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Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 9 months ago

The California State University San Marcos is a an accredited higher educational institution known for offering a quality standard of education, with access to industry standard resoruces & an emphasis on experential learning. 

The institute offers around 67 major courses across a range of prominent

...Read more

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Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

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Kanishk Aggarwal

Study Abroad Expert

Kanishk Aggarwal is a content writer at Shiksha.com, creating content for universities abroad. Having pursued an M.Sc. in Forensic Science from GD Goenka University, Gurugram, he has been creating content across diverse domains. When not guiding stud...Read Full Bio

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Cal State San Marcos
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333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92096, USA
San Marcos ( California)

Phone
760 750 4000

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+1 (760) 750-4844

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