Admitted International Graduate Students

Based on your location inside or outside the U.S. at the time of your admission, you'll need to complete the following instructions:

• Inside the U.S.: As soon as you receive our email offering admission, ask your college or university advisor to transfer your SEVIS record to CSUN. About two or three business days after your school releases you in the SEVIS database, our International Admissions Office will email your CSUN Form I-20 to you.
• Outside the U.S.: Our International Admissions Office will email your CSUN Form I-20 to the email address you provided in your Cal State Apply admission application.

Form I-20 Delivery Options: 

To receive your I-20 other than by email, please contact us at intladm@csun.edu as soon as possible to arrange one of the following options:

• Pick up your CSUN Form I-20 from our International Admissions Office at CSUN.
• Ask us to hold your I-20 for a friend or family member to pick up.
• Ask us to mail your I-20 to you or a friend or family member.

All new F-1 students must complete the online "Six-Step Immigration Requirements for Newly Admitted International Students," including the mandatory Reporting Session with CSUN's International and Exchange Student Center (IESC).

• These steps allow you to maintain visa status and register for CSUN classes.
• You can start now at Immigration Requirements for Newly Admitted International Students.

IMPORTANT!

If you are outside the U.S. at the time of your admission, please arrange an appointment at a local U.S. Embassy to secure your F-1 student visa. This can be a long process, so please make the appointment as soon as possible.

If you are unable to enter the U.S. for the spring or fall semester of your admission, please contact your IESC advisor.

Explore your graduate program in the CSUN University Catalog, where you will also find your graduate program coordinator’s name and contact information to request guidance with course selection.

If you are majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics — the STEM fields — ask your advisor if taking a math or chemistry placement test is recommended. Placement tests do not affect your admission but place you into a class that matches your skill level.

If you are a member of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, you will be advised by both your graduate program coordinator and CSUN’s NCOD: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. 

To prepare for your advisement meeting, it's a good idea to check out the Graduate Student Handbook, too.

If you have completed the steps above and cleared registration holds (see below), you may enroll in classes online through the CSUN Portal.

1. Look for your enrollment appointment date and time in the CSUN Portal Checklist each semester. This is when your access to online, self-service registration begins. (If no appointment displays, you may be able to enroll right away.)*
2. Check your CSUN email for a new student registration message with instructions for your first semester of enrollment. You will receive a similar email each semester before registration begins.
3. Before you can enroll in first-semester classes, you must complete the following online processes to clear your advisement and registration holds:

• • IESC’s Online Six-Step Immigration Requirements
  • Title IX "Not Anymore" Training

Any other registration holds will display in your CSUN Portal Checklist.

4. The following tutorials are helpful for registration:

• • CSUN Portal Checklist Guide
  • How-To Guides
  • View Holds

* IMPORTANT! If you are currently outside the U.S., you cannot register for classes until:

• You have arrived in the United States, or
• You have made special arrangements with CSUN's International and Exchange Student Center (IESC) and the academic department for your graduate program, and
• You have completed IESC’s Online Six-Step Immigration Requirements.

Upon arrival, you will need to arrange a meeting with an advisor in the IESC.

You and your family have no doubt considered the cost of attending school abroad. The information below can help you make informed choices when preparing for this next step in your education. Please note that our international students pay nonresident tuition as well as California State University tuition. All students pay additional mandatory campus fees. Visit Tuition and Other Fees.

The resources below will help you to estimate the cost of attending CSUN:

1. CSUN Cost of Attendance
2. CSUN Net Price Calculator
3. The Affidavit of Financial Support (PDF). Note: Submit this form together with your bank statement if you did not already upload them to Cal State Apply. Please see instructions on the form.

Although the university does not offer financial aid to international students, other resources can assist you with the cost of attendance. Please visit Scholarship Opportunities for International Students.

For the most up-to-date information regarding tuition and other fees, refer to the Student Financial Services website.

How to Pay for Your Classes

To view tuition and other fees:

1. Log in to the CSUN Portal.
2. In the list of links below the Top Tools icons, select Make a Payment.
3. On the Student Account Information page, review your Current Balance Outstanding.
4. Select the CSUN Payment button.

Important Payment Information

• Tuition and other fees are due at the time you register but no later than the deadline, which is about one week before weekday classes begin. Find the exact deadline by semester at payment due dates.
• If you have questions about payment, please email University Cash Services at ucs@csun.edu.

Please be aware of the student disclosure regarding the Schedule of Tuition and Other Fees.

Helpful Guides

• How to Pay Your Fees (payment options)
• International Wire Transfer (PDF)
• View Your Student Financial Account

The Office of Graduate Studies organizes special events that promote graduate student academic success, such as:

• Advancement to Graduate Education Conference (AGE)
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) Workshops
• New Graduate Student Orientation*
• Student Success Series

Graduate Studies also encourages research and scholarship by funding several awards and programs for masters and doctoral students. Learn more at Funding Programs.

*Attend New Graduate Student Orientation, designed by Graduate Studies to increase your awareness of special events, financial opportunities and academic policies pertaining to graduate programs.

• Graduate Student Orientation is separate from the International Student Orientation in the row below. Both orientations are required.
• Graduate Student Orientation is held before the fall semester begins. You may also review the online slide presentation anytime during your first semester.

Be sure to check out the dozens of opportunities offered to current student through the Graduate Resource and Academic Development (GRAD) Center.

During this required orientation before classes begin, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the CSUN campus and community; meet classmates, faculty and staff; and discover resources for academic success, student involvement and belonging, information technology and more!

For the most current orientation information, including dates and registration, visit New Student Orientation – International Students.

Please note: The Office of Graduate Studies holds a separate orientation. Both of these orientations are required. Please refer to the row above to learn more.