Undergraduate Veteran Students and Dependents
We are excited that you are considering becoming a CSUN Matador! Whether you are a first-time college student or transferring from another institute, we are here to support you on your journey. We look forward to adding your story and experiences to our vibrant and resilient campus.
How to Apply as a Freshman Veteran Student
You'll apply as a first-time freshman student if:
- You're a current high school student on track to graduate the spring before you plan to begin at CSUN.
- You've already earned your high school diploma but haven't taken any college courses since graduating.
- You've earned a certificate for one of the California state high school proficiency exams — General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency test (HiSET).
Typically, we accept first-time freshman applications each year between Oct.1 and Jan. 31 for admission to the coming fall semester. We also accept applications from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 for the coming spring semester, extended to Sept. 30 for spring 2024. If you foresee needing to miss a deadline, please contact CSUN's Office of Veterans Affairs for assistance.
Explore our majors and decide which program you'll select on your application. If unsure which major to choose, don't worry. You can choose "Exploratory" and change your major later. Because you are a veteran student, you will be eligible for all majors at CSUN without having to meet any supplementary criteria.
It's a good idea to get everything you'll need for your application ready. As a first-time freshman applicant, you'll need:
- Unofficial transcripts. You will be required to enter all completed courses as well as those currently in progress and those you plan to take in the future.
- Social Security number, if you have one.
- Your citizenship status. Please note this is for CSU tuition purposes and will not affect your admission application.
- Annual income. If you are a dependent, then you'll report your parents’ or guardian’s income. If you are independent, report your income.
Once you're ready, create an account and complete your application on Cal State Apply, the CSU's online application system. Be sure to carefully review your information before submitting.
If you are a California resident, the online application will calculate your eligibility for an application fee waiver.
After you apply, watch for an email from our office with the info you'll need to create an account in our CSUN Portal. Once you've set up an account, you can check your application status.
Depending on when you submit all required documents, you can expect your admission decision to be available in the CSUN Portal as early as mid-March for fall and mid-November for spring. If you submit your application past the deadline, your admission decision may come later.
After You Apply
Claim your benefits
To claim veteran education benefits at CSUN, you will have to submit:
- Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD 214)
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
These forms are provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Even if you do not plan to receive veterans education benefits, we recommend you upload your DD 214 in order to qualify for priority registration.
We encourage you to begin providing your documents as soon as you submit your Cal State Apply application for CSUN. Your application will provide you with a student ID number that you can use to submit your documents.
You can conveniently upload and review all of the initial documents that certify your eligibility for VA education benefits through the "Request my VA Benefits" module in the CSUN Portal. Then for each term you enroll — fall, summer, winter and spring — you will need to file your official request in the portal. For help, see the How to Certify Veterans Education Benefits Guide.
Please note: Once you have enrolled and registered for classes, you must immediately report any changes in your class schedule or academic plan to the School Certifying Official in the CSUN Veterans Affairs Office. This will help avoid delay in benefits.
Submit your Joint Services / Community College of the Air Force Transcripts
Be sure to send in all of your transcripts to ensure you receive academic credit for your courses. Please see the Transcript Submission Information section below.
How to Apply as a Freshman Veteran Dependent
You'll apply as a first-time freshman student if:
- You're a current high school student on track to graduate the spring before you plan to begin at CSUN.
- You've already earned your high school diploma but haven't taken any college courses since graduating.
- You've earned a certificate for one of the California state high school proficiency exams — General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency test (HiSET).
Typically, we accept first-time freshman applications each year between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31 for admission to the coming fall semester.
You'll also want to make sure you apply for financial aid and scholarships in a timely fashion.
Explore our majors and decide which program you'll select on your application. Every year, some competitive majors receive more applicants than we can accept. These majors will have higher Eligibility Index minimums. Review this year's impacted programs.
It's a good idea to get everything you'll need for your application ready. As a first-time freshman applicant, you'll need:
- Unofficial transcripts. You will be required to enter all completed courses as well as those currently in progress and those you plan to take in the future.
- Social Security number, if you have one.
- Your citizenship status. Please note this is for CSU tuition purposes and will not affect your admission application.
- Annual income. If you are a dependent, then you'll report your parents’ or guardian’s income. If you are independent, report your income.
Once you're ready, create an account and complete your application on Cal State Apply, the CSU's online application system. Be sure to carefully review your information before submitting.
If you are a California resident, the online application will calculate your eligibility for an application fee waiver.
After you apply, watch for an email from our office with the info you'll need to activate you CSUN Portal and email account. Once you've set up an account, you can check your application status. You can expect your admission decision to be available in the CSUN Portal by mid-March.
After you Apply
Claim your benefits.
To claim veteran education benefits at CSUN, you will have to submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). This form is provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
You can conveniently upload and review all documents that certify your eligibility for VA education benefits through the "Request my VA Benefits" module in the CSUN Portal. Then for each term you enroll — fall, summer, winter and spring — you will need to file your official request in the portal. For help, see the How to Certify Veterans Education Benefits Guide.
Please note: Once you have enrolled and registered for classes, you must immediately report any changes in your class schedule or academic plan to the School Certifying Official in the CSUN Veterans Affairs Office. This will help avoid delay in benefits.
How to Apply as a Transfer Veteran Student
For veterans, CSUN is open to both upper-division and lower-division transfer students.
You'll apply as an upper-division transfer student if:
- You have completed at least 60 transferable units (or 90 quarter units) with a GPA of 2.0 or higher
- You have met the standard CSU Education Courses known as the Golden Four: Writing, mathematics, critical thinking and speech communication. (Students applying as Engineering or Computer Science majors do not have to complete a critical thinking course prior to admission.)
- You are in good standing at the last college or university attended
You'll can apply as a lower-division transfer student if:
- You have completed fewer than 60 transferable semester units of college credit (90 quarter units) after graduating from high school
- You have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all transferable units
- You have completed the CSU General Education writing and mathematics course requirements with a C- or better
- You are in good standing at the last college or university attended
- Meet the admission requirements for first-time freshman
Lower-division transfer applicants should contact our CSUN Veterans Affairs office for guidance at (818) 677-5928 or veteransmail@csun.edu.
Typically, we accept applications each year between Oct.1 and Jan. 31 for admission to the coming fall semester. We also accept applications from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 for the coming spring semester, extended to Sept. 30 for spring 2024. If you foresee needing to miss a deadline, please contact CSUN's Office of Veterans Affairs for assistance.
You'll also want to make sure you apply for financial aid and scholarships in a timely fashion.
Explore our majors and decide which program you'll select on your application. Because you are a veteran student, you will be eligible for all majors at CSUN without having to meet any supplementary criteria.
It's a good idea to get everything you'll need for your application ready. As a transfer applicant, you'll need:
- Unofficial transcripts. You will be required to enter all completed courses as well as those currently in progress and those you plan to take in the future.
- Social Security number, if you have one.
- Your citizenship status. Please note this is for CSU tuition purposes and will not affect your admission application.
- Annual income. If you are a dependent, then you'll report your parents’ or guardian’s income. If you are independent, report your income.
Once you're ready, create an account and complete your application on Cal State Apply, the CSU's online application system. Be sure to carefully review your information before submitting.
If you are a California resident, the online application will calculate your eligibility for an application fee waiver.
After you apply, watch for an email from our office with the info you'll need to activate your CSUN Portal and email account. Once you've set up an account, you can check your application status.
Your admission decision may be available in the CSUN Portal as early as mid-March depending on when we receive your final official transcripts and documents. If you submit your application past the deadline, your admission decision may come later.
After you Apply
Claim your benefits.
To claim veteran education benefits at CSUN, you will have to submit:
- Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD 214)
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
These forms are provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Even if you do not plan to receive veterans education benefits, we recommend you upload your DD 214 in order to qualify for priority registration.
You can conveniently upload and review all of the initial documents that certify your eligibility for VA education benefits through the "Request my VA Benefits" module in your CSUN Portal. Then for each term you enroll — fall, summer, winter and spring — you will need to file your official request in the portal. For help, see the How to Certify Veterans Education Benefits Guide.
Please note: Once you have enrolled and registered for classes, you must immediately report any changes in your class schedule or academic plan to the School Certifying Official in the CSUN Veterans Affairs Office. This will help avoid delay in benefits.
Submit your Joint Services / Community College of the Air Force Transcripts
Be sure to send in all of your transcripts to ensure you receive academic credit for your courses. Please see the Transcript Submission Information section below.
Send in Your Transcripts
Send us your official transcripts for any college or university courses you have completed since you last attended CSUN, as well as preliminary transcripts for course work now in progress. Please see the Transcript Submission Information section below.
How to Apply as a Transfer Veteran Dependent Student
You'll apply as an upper-division transfer student if:
- You have completed at least 60 transferable units (or 90 quarter units) with a GPA of 2.0 or higher
- You have met the standard CSU Education Courses known as the Golden Four: Writing, mathematics, critical thinking and speech communication. (Students applying as Engineering or Computer Science majors do not have to complete critical thinking course prior to re-admission.)
- Be in good standing at the last college or university attended
Typically, we accept first-year applications each year between Oct.1 and Jan. 31 for admission to the coming fall semester. We also accept applications from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 for the coming spring semester, extended to Sept. 30 for spring 2024.
Make sure you apply for financial aid and scholarships in a timely fashion.
Explore our majors and decide which program you'll select on your application. Every year, some competitive majors receive more applicants than we can accept. These majors will have higher Eligibility Index minimums. Review this year's impacted programs.
It's a good idea to get everything you'll need for your application ready. As a transfer applicant, you'll need:
- Unofficial transcripts. You will be required to enter all completed courses as well as those currently in progress and those you plan to take in the future.
- Social Security number, if you have one.
- Your citizenship status. Please note this is for CSU tuition purposes and will not affect your admission application.
- Annual income. If you are a dependent, then you'll report your parents’ or guardian’s income. If you are independent, report your income.
- Once you're ready, create an account and complete your application on Cal State Apply, the CSU's online application system. Be sure to carefully review your information before submitting.
- If you are a California resident, the online application will calculate your eligibility for an application fee waiver.
After you apply, watch for an email from our office with the info you'll need to activate your CSUN Portal and email account. Once you've set up an account, you can check your application status. You can expect your admission decision to be available in the CSUN Portal by mid-March.
Send us your official transcripts for any college or university courses you have completed since you last attended CSUN, as well as preliminary transcripts for course work now in progress. Please see the Transcript Submission Information section below.
After you Apply
Claim your benefits.
To claim veteran education benefits at CSUN, you will have to submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). This form is provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
You can conveniently upload and review all documents that certify your eligibility for VA education benefits through the "Request my VA Benefits" module in your CSUN Portal. Then for each term you enroll — fall, summer, winter and spring — you will need to file your official request in the portal. For help, see the How to Certify Veterans Education Benefits Guide.
Please note: Once you have enrolled and registered for classes, you must immediately report any changes in your class schedule or academic plan to the School Certifying Official in the CSUN Veterans Affairs Office. This will help avoid delay in benefits.
Transcript Submission Information
How to Submit Transcripts
- Paper transcripts must be received in sealed, unopened envelopes. Ask your previous school(s) to send your official transcripts to:
California State University, Northridge
Office of the Registrar
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8207
- For electronic transcripts, choose "CSU Northridge" as the recipient. If this option is not available, use registrar@csun.edu as the recipient email address.
- If you have any California community college transcripts, please review eTranscript California and have the transcripts sent through this system.
- You may also hand deliver transcripts in sealed, unopened envelopes to the Records & Registration window at the Student Services Center, Bayramian Hall, first floor lobby (BH 100) during our business hours.
- Please do not send duplicate paper and electronic transcripts.
Transcript Deadlines
Official transcripts must be postmarked to the Registrar or hand-delivered to Records and Registration by the following due dates:
| Transcript Type | Fall Admission | Spring Admission |
|---|---|---|
| Official preliminary, work-in-progress transcripts are due: | Feb. 15 | Oct. 1 |
| Official final transcripts are due: | July 15 | Jan. 15 |
| Optional AP, CLEP and/or IB test scores are due: | July 15 | Jan. 15 |
If you are a veteran and you foresee needing to miss a deadline, please contact CSUN's Office of Veterans Affairs.