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Transfer Admissions Requirements

Welcome, Transfer Applicants!

At Cal State San Bernardino, we’re excited to help you take the next step in your academic journey. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about transferring as an upper- or lower-division student—including eligibility requirements, impacted majors (programs with more applicants than available spaces), and how your completed courses may transfer to CSUSB.

Lower Division Transfer

The lower-division transfer pathway is open only for non-impacted majors. You are considered a lower-division applicant if you have fewer than 60 semester units (90 quarter units) of transferable college credit.

To qualify, you must:

  • Have a minimum overall college GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Complete at least two of the Golden Four courses with a grade of C- or better:
    • Written Communication (GE Area A2)
    • Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (GE Area B4)
  • Be in good standing at your last college or university
  • Graduate from high school (diploma, GED, or equivalent)
  • Complete the “A-G” course requirements in high school
Upper Division Transfer 

You are considered an upper-division transfer applicant if you have 60 or more transferable semester units (90 quarter units) from a regionally accredited* community college or university.

To qualify, you must:

  • Have a minimum overall college GPA of 2.0 or higher (for non-impacted majors)
  • Complete all Golden Four courses with a grade of C- or better:
    • Oral Communication (GE Area A1)
    • Written Communication (GE Area A2)
    • Critical Thinking (GE Area A3)
    • Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (GE Area B4)
  • Be in good standing at your last college or university
  • Meet the impaction criteria (such as GPA or program-specific requirements) if applying to an impacted major, based on whether you’re a Local Area or Out-of-Local-Area student

GPA & Impaction

To be considered for admission, California residents must have a minimum transferable GPA of 2.0 (“C” or better).

For impacted majors, the GPA requirement is higher and is set each term based on the number of qualified applicants and available spaces. GPA minimums may also differ for students from CSUSB’s Local Area compared to those applying from outside the area.

CSUSB’s Local Area includes specific community colleges within San Bernardino and Riverside counties. You can find the full list on our Transfer Impaction website. If you’ve attended more than one college, your classification will be based on where you completed the majority of your coursework or the last school you attended.

Local Area Students

If you’re applying to an impacted major from CSUSB’s Local Area, you’ll receive priority consideration. This means the minimum GPA required for admission may be lower than the GPA required for applicants outside the local area.

The exact GPA cutoff is set each term and depends on the number of qualified applicants and available spaces.

Out-of-Local-Area Students

If you’re applying to an impacted major from outside CSUSB’s Local Area, the minimum GPA required for admission will be higher than for local applicants. The exact GPA cutoff is set each term and depends on the number of qualified applicants and available spaces.

 

*Regional accreditation includes: 

  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges 
  • Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges 
  • North Central Association of Schools and Colleges 
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges 
  • Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges 
  • Southern Association of Schools and Colleges 

Compare Course Credits and Explore Programs

Want to see how your community college courses transfer to CSUSB? Use the ASSIST portal to find a complete list of transferable courses. To explore your academic options, check out our online catalog, which features every CSUSB degree and program—from Accountancy to Writing.

Transfer Tools for Success 

Transfer Success Pathway

Planning to start at one of California’s 116 community colleges? The Transfer Success Pathway helps you lock in a clear path to CSUSB, making it easier to transfer and finish your bachelor’s degree.

Explore the Pathway