San Francisco State University

The eligibility requirements for international students for admission to San Francisco State University are given below:

Undergraduate Eligibility

Admissions to undergraduate programs are based on a combination of the following:

• High school grades

• Completed twelve years of high school or secondary school from an accredited school

• A minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or Grade-B in academics after the ninth grade

• SAT or ACT results

Postgraduate Eligibility

Admissions to postgraduate programs are based on a combination of the following:

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited institute or university equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree in a related field or area of study

• Either a four-year bachelor’s degree or a three-year with a postgraduate Diploma or master’s degree

• A minimum B-grade or 50% aggregate or higher in the bachelor’s program

• GMAT or GRE Score (depending upon course)

San Francisco State University offers on-campus housing options to incoming international students. The university has various residential halls that students can choose from. On-campus housing is limited and is allotted on a first-come-first-served basis. Students must apply well in time to ensure a residence at the university. The priority application is around the end of March, and the housing application deadline is around mid-May.

SFSU Accommodation Cost

The tentative cost of on-campus accommodation and meal plans, per installment out of total 9 annual installments, at SFSU are given below:

Source: San Francisco State University

Off-Campus Accommodation

Students can opt for off-campus accommodation while studying at SFSU. There are plenty of housing options available near the university. You can choose the apartment and facilities as per your preference. These include studio apartments, 1 BHK apartments, 2 BHK apartments, and 3 BHK apartments.

As a part of the California State University, SFSU accepts international applications through the CSU Common Portal. For admission to graduate or undergraduate programs at SFSU, international applicants must visit this portal, create an account, provide the supporting documents, and pay the application fee of USD 70.

International students may refer to steps given below for better understanding of the application process:

Step 1: Visit the Cal State Apply portal at calstate.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login and create an account.

Step 2: Add the programme of your choice and add details of the extended profile, including goal and visa.

Step 3: Add personal information, contact information, citizenship, ethnicity, and biographic information.

Step 4: Add academic history and supporting documents.

Step 5: Complete all four steps, pay the application fee, and submit the application form.

Next, wait for the results.

San Francisco State University provides financial aid to international students who demonstrate the need for financial assistance. Several scholarships are available to international students based on need and merit. Some of these are:

Diana T.Y. Chung and Henry W.S. Chung Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is available to international students with an F-1 or J-1 visa. The applicant must prove the need and merit for consideration to acquire this scholarship. A minimum GPA of 3.25 in the undergraduate programme and a GPA of 3.5 in a graduate programme are required to be considered for this scholarship.

Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship Program

The scholarship for postgraduate study seeks to enable deserving candidates to undertake postgraduate studies at prominent universities in India and overseas. Every year, a scholarship of up to 20 lakhs is given to a handful of Indian students who demonstrate good scholastic performance consistently.

Gates Millennium Scholarship

This Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded scholarship is awarded to 20,000 excellent learners of color to encourage excellence in education, offer opportunities, and lower monetary obstacles. The scholarship is primarily for admission to undergraduate courses.

Note: Scholarship deadlines and amounts may vary. For more details on the scholarship application process and deadlines, please visit the university’s scholarship webpage.

San Jose State University and San Francisco State University are among the best and top-rated universities in California. The best university is the one that suits your requirements and conditions best. However, based on rankings we can make a comparison between both universities. The U.S. News and World Report 2025 ranked San Jose State University is ranked #4 among Regional Universities (West) and San Francisco State University is ranked #204 among the national universities (overall). Also, San Francisco State University acceptance rate is around 90%, whereas, San Jose State University acceptance rate is around 80%. This means SJSU is more selective.