Let's start with the goal
Transfer to a CSU and earn your bachelor's degree
Most of the journey is coursework, spread across however many semesters you need. There's one focused "application year" near the end and here's a preview.
Your application year, once you're ready
Fall
Oct 1 — Cal State Apply opens
Deadlines vary by campus
Winter–Spring
Admission decisions
Spring
Accept your offer; finish your degree
Fall
You start at your CSU
Everything before this (GE, major prep, units) happens at your own pace. Meet with a counselor each semester to confirm you're on track. Incoming first-year? The Transfer Success Pathway has its own window: Aug 1–Oct 31.
Which path applies to you?
Most students
Started Fall 2025 or later
Follow Cal-GETC and the requirements below — this is the current, default path.
Catalog rights
Started before Fall 2025
You can choose Cal-GETC, CSU GE Breadth, IGETC, or COM's prior local GE pattern. See your options ↓
What it takes to be eligible
- Complete 60 CSU-transferable semester units
- Complete the "Golden Four" with a C or higher: Oral Communication, Written Communication, Critical Thinking, and Math / Quantitative Reasoning
- Earn a minimum 2.0 GPA (2.4 if you're a non-resident) — higher for competitive campuses and majors
- Complete your major preparation courses
- Meet any campus- and program-specific requirements
The Golden Four is the one hard gate. A full GE pattern isn't required for admission to every major, but the Golden Four always is. Don't leave it for your final term.
What is Cal-GETC?
Cal-GETC is the statewide GE pattern for students starting Fall 2025 or later. It:
- Replaces CSU GE Breadth and IGETC for new students
- Fulfills lower-division GE for most CSU (and UC) campuses
- Covers English, math, arts & humanities, social sciences, lab science, and Ethnic Studies
Confirm this fits
A full GE pattern isn't recommended for every major. STEM majors especially should prioritize major prep. Meet with a counselor to confirm it's right for your goals.
Started before Fall 2025? See your GE options
If you started before Fall 2025 and maintain catalog rights, you can choose any of the following — talk to a counselor about which fits your goals:
CSU GE Breadth
39-unit pattern covering CSU lower-division GE only.
IGETC
37-unit pattern covering both UC and CSU lower-division GE. Not all UC departments accept it.
COM local GE
Meets COM's AA/AS requirement, but not the Associate Degree for Transfer. Use CSU Breadth or IGETC for that.
Completing any of these (or a prior bachelor's degree) also satisfies COM's local AA/AS general education requirement.
Your top priority
Major preparation comes first
Major-prep requirements vary by campus and are what most affect whether you get in, especially at impacted campuses and majors. Use ASSIST.org to see exactly which courses your major requires at each campus. STEM majors (engineering, biological/physical sciences) need extensive lower-division coursework and shouldn't rely on a GE-only plan.
Two ways to lock in a guarantee
For most transfer students
Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T / AS-T)
Earn an AA-T or AS-T, and you get:
- Guaranteed admission to the CSU system (not necessarily your first-choice campus)
- A 0.10–0.20 GPA bump at impacted campuses/majors
- Priority to your local CSU for a similar major
- Bachelor's completion within 60 units after transfer.
Requires the major's AA-T/AS-T courses, a CSU GE pattern, 60 units, a 2.0+ GPA, and completion by spring of your transfer year.
For incoming first-year students
Transfer Success Pathway (TSP)
If you're starting college with no prior coursework, TSP gives you:
- Guaranteed admission to one of the CSU campuses
- Extra academic advising while you're at COM
- Access to the CSU Transfer Planner to stay on track
Apply Aug 1–Oct 31 through the CSU Transfer Planner. Meet requirements within three years to keep your seat.
Explore AA-T / AS-T degrees Ask about TSP at a Transfer Center appointment
Impacted campuses and majors
"Impacted" programs get far more applicants than seats, so they're more selective and may use extra criteria. Whole-campus impaction (every major is competitive) currently includes:
Cal Poly SLO Fresno Fullerton Long Beach San Diego San José
Many other campuses impact specific majors (nursing, business, engineering, psychology, CS, kinesiology). Impaction status changes — always check the current list.
How to be a stronger applicant to an impacted program
- Complete as many major-prep courses as possible — all of them if the program requires it. Check ASSIST.org.
- Meet regularly with a counselor to stay on track.
- Contact an admissions representative at the campus, ideally one who works with transfers.
- Research the program's website to learn what they expect.
- Find out whether the program requires a supplemental application beyond Cal State Apply.
Impacted campuses may also admit local-area applicants under different criteria. An ADT adds "similar major" priority at your local CSU.
Your toolkit
CSU Transfer Planner
Explore all 22 CSU campuses, track your GE and coursework, compare your GPA, and enroll in TSP.
ASSIST.org
See which of your courses transfer, and what they satisfy for your major or GE, at any CSU.
A Degree with a Guarantee
Browse every AA-T / AS-T and see exactly what each one requires for your major.
Use these alongside your counselor, not instead of them — a Student Education Plan (SEP) is what actually keeps you on track.
Ready for the next step?
Meet with a CSU transfer representative
Your COM counselor builds your overall plan; a campus representative adds campus-specific detail on top of it — how impaction criteria are applied, whether a program needs a supplemental application, and what counts as a "similar major" at that campus. It's worth talking to both.
Or call (415) 485-9432, or book through the MyCOM Portal.
The CSU is one of California's two public university systems — 22 universities serving over 400,000 students. Check campus application dates and deadlines →
Requirements, impaction status, and deadlines vary by campus and can change without notice. Confirm anything time-sensitive with a counselor or your target campus before acting on it.