To better serve high school and community college students facing university admissions challenges caused by COVID-19, the California State University (CSU) will extend its fall 2021 priority application deadline to Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Students interested in attending any CSU campus can apply at the university's application portal, Cal State Apply. (Refer to the Applicant Help Center for additional information and answers to application questions.)

After applying, prospective students should visit the university's financial aid website to learn more about financial aid options. If a student and their family have experienced a change in their financial situation, students should complete and submit their financial aid application and then follow-up with their campus financial aid office. The financial aid office can assist with determining if a change in their financial circumstances could result in additional aid.

The CSU represents the best value of all comparable institutions with one of the lowest tuition fees in the nation and robust financial aid totaling more than $4.5 billion per year. In fact, 80 percent of all CSU students receive some type of financial aid, and 60 percent of undergraduates receive sufficient grant and scholarship financial aid to cover the full cost of tuition.

The CSU is working to ensure all students are successful in college, especially first-generation students and those from underrepresented communities. As part of Graduation Initiative 2025, CSU campuses continue to remove barriers to student achievement and provide students with additional support inside and outside the classroom, resulting in record graduation rates. 

Learn more at the Cal State Apply website​.

About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 53,000 faculty and staff and 486,000 students. Half of the CSU's students transfer from California community colleges. Created in 1960, the mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity, and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards nearly 129,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 3.8 million strong.

Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.