Transfer Impaction

All first-time transfer applicants need to meet the minimum standard CSU admission requirements. Additionally, California transfer students choosing one of CSUN's impacted majors must achieve that major's supplementary criteria to be considered for admission.

Currently, only a few majors are impacted at CSUN, as shown below.

Impacted Majors by Academic Year
Impacted Majors, 2025-2026 Impacted Majors, 2026-2027
  • B.S. in Accountancy options in:
    • Information Systems
    • Professional Accountancy
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts options in:
    • Film Production
    • Television Production
  • B.A. in Music
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts:
    • Film Production option
    • Television Production option
  • B.A. in Music

Learn More About Transfer Impaction

CSUN is Easing Impaction!

CSUN is easing impaction for the current and coming academic years — fall 2025-spring 2026, as well as fall 2026 and spring 2027 — as follows:

  • Local/nonlocal-area (regional) impaction is no longer in effect. All first-time transfer students must meet the same standard CSU admission criteria. Visit Transfer Admissions for details.

  • All California first-time transfer applicants must also meet the higher, supplementary criteria for an impacted major if they choose one of those majors. Supplementary criteria for impacted majors are published on this page as they become available.

While three majors are impacted for 2025-2026, only two majors are impacted for 2026-2027. See the "CSUN's Impacted Majors in Detail" row below.

Impacted Majors Overview

The academic department for each impacted major may set supplementary admission criteria for its applicants.

  • If you are choosing one of the impacted majors listed below and you are a student from California, you will need to meet that major’s supplementary admission criteria if any.

  • In all impacted majors except Music, this could mean achieving a higher GPA than is required for a non-impacted major.

The list of impacted majors may change annually in future academic years.

To find out whether or not impaction affects you, consider the following:

  1. All applicants to non-impacted majors must meet the minimum CSU minimum 2.00 transfer GPA for the standard eligibility requirements listed at Transfer Admissions.

  2. Only upper division transfer students are currently considered for admission.

  3. You are affected by impaction if you are applying to an impacted major. 

  1. You are NOT affected by impaction if you are a nonresident of California or a U.S. servicemember (active duty or veteran). Learn how to apply at:

Be sure to apply for admission to CSUN during our application filing period.

Majors Impacted for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

For admission to the 2025-2026 academic year, only three majors are impacted.

Only one business major with two options is impacted. Students apply to the pre-major program. Then, after successfully completing the pre-major, students may file for a change of major:

  • Accountancy — two options:
    • Information Systems option
    • Professional Accountancy option

Applicants to the following impacted major are required to pass an audition:

Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA) will set supplementary impaction criteria (a higher GPA) and admit applicants directly to the major program based on their GPA.

  • Only two CTVA options are impacted for fall 2025:
    • Film Production
    • Television Production

Majors Impacted for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027

For admission to the 2026-2027 academic year, two majors are impacted.

  • Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA): Two of six CTVA options are impacted:

    • Film Production
    • Television Production

    CTVA will set supplementary criteria (a higher GPA) and admit applicants directly to the major program based on their GPA.

  • Music: An audition is required. Learn more at Audition & Placement.

The following section describes admission criteria for fall 2025 and spring 2026 impaction only. These criteria may vary for future admission cycles.

Table 1 shows the admission criteria for CSUN’s non-impacted majors and Table 2 the criteria for impacted majors. Please note:

  • Applicants who meet the minimum GPA for their group will be admitted.
  • The minimum standard CSU admission requirements are published at Transfer Student Requirements.

California Transfer Students Applying to Non-impacted Majors

Table 1: Minimum GPA for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 California transfer admission.
California Community College Location Minimum Admission GPA
Anywhere in California 2.00 GPA

California Transfer Students Applying to Impacted Majors

If you are choosing one of the impacted majors listed in Table 2 below and you are a student from California, you will need to meet that major’s supplementary admission criteria if any.

Table 2: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 admission criteria for California transfer students applying to impacted majors.
Impacted Major Impacted Major GPA Requirement
B.S. in Accountancy options in:
  • Information Systems
  • Professional Accountancy
 Apply to the Accountancy Pre-Major (minimum GPA 2.00).

B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts options in:

  • Film Production
  • Television Production
 2.10 GPA
B.A. in Music Pass an audition. Visit Audition & Placement.

The admission criteria for fall 2026 and spring 2027 impacted majors will be published here at a later date.

Please note, only upper-division transfer applications are currently considered for admission to CSUN. Please review Transfer Student Requirements.