Undergraduate and graduate applicants must apply through Cal State Apply. Information about majors, filing deadlines, impacted programs, and more are available on Cal State Apply's website.
For more information about applying to CSUs if you're a veteran or active military, visit the California State University Veterans Education site.
San Francisco State University bans the practice of providing commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including Tuition Assistance funds) to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.
San Francisco State University does not use high-pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (3 or more), including contacts by phone, email, in-person. Nor does SF State engage in same-day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will take applications from students who are:
- First-Time Freshmen | Student's college credit is limited to units granted based on active duty service or service training.
- Upper Division Transfers | Student has completed at least 60 transferable semester units or 90 transferable quarter units. Credit earned for military experience and training counts toward upper-division status.
Contact Information
- Phone:
- Prospective Students: (415) 338-2355
- Admitted Students: (415) 338-6486
- Email:
- Prospective Students: outreach@sfsu.edu
- Admitted Students: ugadmit@sfsu.edu
The Office of Graduate Studies accepts applications for master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and teaching credential programs.
Contact Information
- Phone: (415) 338-2234
- Hrs: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Email: gradstudies@sfsu.edu
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions can help active duty military and veterans plan for admission to San Francisco State University. A pre-admission review of your academic record can be prepared to help assess your level of preparation for admission and develop a plan to help complete unfulfilled admission requirements.
Current and former members of the United States Armed Forces may apply for a College Application Fee Waiver code by contacting SF State Veterans Services and providing:
- Proof of Service (DD-214, copy of military orders, etc. with Social Security Number REDACTED)
- Email address to be used with application
NOTE: SF State Veterans Services Center can only provide application fee waiver codes for undergraduate students. Graduate students have to reach out to the Division of Graduate Studies in order to inquire about an application fee waiver code.
Contact Information
- Phone: (415) 338-2336
- Hrs: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Email: veterans@sfsu.edu
SF State grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, military or civilian, as recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education.
The number of units allowed is recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.
- Six-semester units of credit are awarded for being on active duty for at least one year in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard.
- Three of these units can be used to complete Area E, Lifelong Learning and Self-Development, of the CSU General Education Program.
Documents needed to assess credit for military education are the:
- Joint Service Transcripts (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard)
- Community College of the Air Force Transcript
- DD-214
Additional Sources of Credit
- SF State also awards credit for College Level Education Program (CLEP) subject examinations in Statistics and Calculus.
- Credit may also be awarded for Defense Activities in Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) up to a maximum of 24-semester units.