Cal State (CSU) guide · By CalChannel Editorial Team · Updated October 1, 2026
The Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate was 88% for Fall 2025: CSUF admitted 48,716 of 55,289 first-year applicants, according to its Common Data Set. But every program at CSUF is impacted, so your real odds depend on two things the headline number hides: whether you live in CSUF’s local admission area and how your grades rank in your chosen major.
Cal State Fullerton, or CSUF, is one of the largest universities in California and one of the most applied-to campuses in the Cal State system. An 88% admit rate makes it look easy to get into. For many local students it is. For others, especially applicants from outside Orange County or students aiming at popular majors, it’s a more competitive school than that number suggests. Here’s how admission really works, followed by what CSUF costs and where it is.
| Fact | Cal State Fullerton |
|---|---|
| First-year acceptance rate (Fall 2025) | 88% (48,716 of 55,289) |
| California residents (Fall 2025) | 88.7% (46,493 of 52,429) |
| Out-of-state applicants (Fall 2025) | 83.7% (1,938 of 2,316) |
| Average high school GPA, enrolled first-years | 3.45 |
| Impaction | All undergraduate programs impacted (2026-27) |
| SAT/ACT | Not used for admission |
| Application | Cal State Apply, October 1 to November 30 |
| Tuition and campus fees, California residents (2026-27) | $8,516 |
Sources: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-26; CSUF Office of Admissions; CSUF Office of Financial Aid. Full list at the end of the article.
In This Article
Cal State Fullerton Acceptance Rate
For Fall 2025, 55,289 students applied to Cal State Fullerton as first-years, 48,716 were admitted and 6,787 enrolled, according to CSUF’s Common Data Set 2025-26. That puts the Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate at 88.1%. California residents were admitted at 88.7%, out-of-state applicants at 83.7% and international applicants at 39.6%.
| Fall 2025 first-year applicants | Applied | Admitted | Acceptance rate | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California residents | 52,429 | 46,493 | 88.7% | 6,642 |
| Out-of-state | 2,316 | 1,938 | 83.7% | 65 |
| International | 427 | 169 | 39.6% | 25 |
| All applicants | 55,289 | 48,716 | 88.1% | 6,787 |
Source: CSUF Common Data Set 2025-26, item C1. The total includes 117 applicants whose residency was not reported.
One number in that table is worth pausing on: only about 14% of admitted students enrolled. Many CSUF admits also hold offers from other Cal State and UC campuses. That’s part of why the Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate stays high while the campus is still full.
Why CSUF Is Harder Than 88% Suggests
Cal State Fullerton is impacted at every level. For 2026-27, all of its undergraduate programs, pre-programs and undeclared options are impacted, meaning CSUF receives more qualified applicants than it has room for. Meeting the basic CSU requirements makes you eligible to be considered, not guaranteed a seat.
Instead of admitting everyone who qualifies, CSUF ranks first-year applicants using supplemental criteria. CSUF Admissions has described the factors it weighs as including:
- Your overall A-G GPA, plus your A-G English and math GPAs
- Additional A-G courses beyond the minimum requirements
- Whether you attend one of CSUF’s Educational Partnership high schools
- First-generation college status
- Eligibility for free or reduced-price school lunch
- Youth services status, such as foster youth
The cutoff changes every term with the strength of the applicant pool, and CSUF doesn’t publish a fixed number. In practice, strong grades in English and math, extra college-prep courses and a solid A-G GPA do the most to improve your position. SAT and ACT scores don’t count, because the CSU no longer uses them for admission.
CSUF Local Admission Area
Where you went to high school matters at CSUF. The university has defined its local admission area as high schools in Orange County and the Chino, Corona-Norco, Walnut Valley, Whittier and Alvord school districts, and it gives local first-year applicants priority, including when it admits students from its waitlist. Check CSUF Admissions for the current local-area definition before you apply.
That’s the main reason the Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate can look very different for two students with the same grades. A student from Anaheim or Irvine competes with a lower bar than a student from San Diego, the Bay Area or out of state. If you’re outside the local area, treat CSUF as a more selective school and apply to several other Cal State campuses as well. Nearby options include Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Dominguez Hills.
CSUF Business and Other Popular Majors
At a Cal State, you apply to a specific major, and CSUF’s impaction applies to each one. CSUF does not publish separate acceptance rates by major, so any “CSUF business acceptance rate” you see online is an estimate rather than an official figure.
What is clear is that demand isn’t spread evenly. Business is one of CSUF’s largest and best-known programs, through the College of Business and Economics, and it draws a large share of applicants. Some programs, such as criminal justice, also use supplemental criteria. If your heart is set on a high-demand major, the safest strategy is simple: keep your A-G grades as high as possible, especially in English and math, and have a realistic second choice on your Cal State list.
What GPA Do You Need for CSUF?
The CSU minimum is a 2.5 GPA in A-G courses for California residents and 3.0 for nonresidents. Enrolled CSUF first-years for Fall 2025 averaged a 3.45 high school GPA. That average is a better target than the minimum, especially if you live outside the local admission area. Your GPA won’t change the published Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate, but it does change your own odds.
- Courses: 15 A-G college preparatory courses with grades of C- or better
- GPA: 2.5 minimum for residents, 3.0 for nonresidents; enrolled first-year average 3.45
- Tests: not used
- Application: Cal State Apply, with the fall window running from October 1 to November 30
Transferring to CSUF
Transfer applicants follow CSU upper-division rules: at least 60 transferable semester units, the “Golden Four” general education courses (oral communication, written communication, critical thinking and college-level math) and the preparation courses for their major. Because CSUF is impacted, transfer applicants are also ranked, and local-area community college students receive priority.
Students who earn an Associate Degree for Transfer in a matching major get priority consideration across the CSU. See our California community colleges guide for transfer paths, including Orange Coast College nearby.
How Much Does CSUF Cost?
Cal State Fullerton tuition and campus fees for California residents are $8,516 for 2026-27: $6,838 in CSU tuition and $1,678 in campus fees. The full cost of attendance is $26,768 for a resident living with family, $36,148 on campus and $37,554 off campus. Nonresidents pay an additional $471 per unit, or $12,246 for a standard full-time year.
| CSUF cost of attendance, 2026-27 (California residents) | With family | On campus | Off campus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition and campus fees | $8,516 | $8,516 | $8,516 |
| Books and supplies | $1,078 | $1,078 | $1,078 |
| Housing and food | $11,162 | $21,530 | $21,056 |
| Transportation | $2,846 | $1,678 | $2,906 |
| Miscellaneous and loan fees | $3,166 | $3,346 | $3,998 |
| Total | $26,768 | $36,148 | $37,554 |
Source: CSUF Office of Financial Aid, 2026-27 Undergraduate Cost of Attendance, California residents and AB 540 eligible students.
Most students pay well below the full budget. CSUF’s average net price for first-time, full-time students receiving grant aid was $7,064 in 2023-24, according to College Navigator. The Cal Grant, the Pell Grant and the CSU’s State University Grant can cover tuition for eligible Californians.
Our take: At CSUF, where you live matters more than tuition. A student living with family has a budget of about $26,800, while the same student in an Orange County apartment needs about $37,600. If you can commute, CSUF is one of the lowest-cost ways to earn a four-year degree in Southern California.
For more on budgeting, read what cost of attendance includes or compare CSUF with San Diego State and other Cal State campuses.
Where Is Cal State Fullerton?
Cal State Fullerton is in the city of Fullerton, in north Orange County, California, roughly 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The campus address is 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831. It sits in a large suburban area, surrounded by residential neighborhoods, with Anaheim and Disneyland a short drive south.
Getting around is practical. The Fullerton Transportation Center, a few miles from campus, connects to Metrolink and Amtrak trains, and many students commute by car from across Orange County and the eastern edge of Los Angeles County.
CSUF opened in 1957 and today enrolls 45,863 students, including 40,705 undergraduates, according to its Fall 2025 Common Data Set. It’s known for business, communications and the arts, and its Titans compete in NCAA Division I in the Big West Conference. Cal State Fullerton baseball has won four College World Series titles, in 1979, 1984, 1995 and 2004. About 82% of first-year students return for a second year, and 68% of the 2019 entering class graduated within six years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate?
The Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate was 88% for Fall 2025: CSUF admitted 48,716 of 55,289 first-year applicants, according to its Common Data Set. California residents were admitted at 88.7%.
Is CSUF hard to get into?
It depends on where you live and what you study. All CSUF programs are impacted, and local-area applicants from Orange County and nearby districts receive priority over everyone else. For local students with solid A-G grades, CSUF is very reachable.
What is the CSUF business acceptance rate?
CSUF doesn’t publish acceptance rates by major. Business is one of its most popular programs, and like every CSUF program it is impacted, so applicants are ranked using CSUF’s supplemental admission criteria.
What GPA do you need for Cal State Fullerton?
The CSU minimum is 2.5 in A-G courses for California residents and 3.0 for nonresidents. Enrolled first-year students for Fall 2025 averaged a 3.45 GPA. SAT and ACT scores are not used.
Where is Cal State Fullerton located?
Cal State Fullerton is at 800 N. State College Blvd. in Fullerton, California, in north Orange County, about 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Is “UC Fullerton” a real school?
No. There is no University of California campus in Fullerton. CSUF is part of the Cal State system, which has its own application, rules and tuition. See our UC campus guide for UC options.
The Bottom Line on CSUF
The Cal State Fullerton acceptance rate was 88% for Fall 2025, but the campus is impacted in every program and ranks applicants using supplemental criteria. Local applicants from Orange County and nearby districts have a real advantage, and high-demand majors such as business draw the most competition.
On cost, CSUF is one of Southern California’s better values: $8,516 in tuition and fees for residents in 2026-27 and an average net price of about $7,000 for aided students. Apply through Cal State Apply between October 1 and November 30, file the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application, and keep a few other Cal State campuses on your list.
Sources
- CSUF Institutional Research. “Facts & Figures: Common Data Set 2025-26.” fullerton.edu.
- CSUF Office of Admissions. “First Time First Year Waitlist.” fullerton.edu.
- The California State University. “2025 Impaction Report.” calstate.edu.
- CSUF Office of Financial Aid. “Undergraduate Cost of Attendance, 2026-27.” fullerton.edu.
- National Center for Education Statistics. “College Navigator: California State University-Fullerton.”
- The California State University. “First-Year Admission Requirements.” calstate.edu.
CalChannel Editorial Team California college guides
The CalChannel editorial team researches and writes guides to California colleges, admissions and financial aid. We build our college profiles and aid guides from colleges’ own published data, federal IPEDS data and the California Student Aid Commission. Read our editorial policy.
