16 CSUs are offering a direct admissions program to California high school students
SFGATE
Madilynne Medina
October 17, 2025
Starting next year, some California high school students will automatically be accepted to a California State University campus under a new state admissions program.
The CSU Direct Admissions Program will streamline the application process for the 16 participating CSU campuses. Available to high school students statewide, it builds on a CSU partnership with Riverside County announced last year through which eligible public school students were offered admission to the system before they applied.
“We’ve seen that be kind of a transformational process through this Riverside County pilot,” April Grommo, assistant vice chancellor for the system’s strategic enrollment management, told SFGATE. “So we’re excited to be able to move this statewide and really provide clear and supportive paths for students to be able to earn their CSU degree.”
Though the program will be effective Jan. 1, the first students to participate will be applicants for the fall 2027 semester. The CSU schools not on the list are some of the system’s most highly competitive campuses: San Jose State, San Diego State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach.
