Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Current Admission Policies and Requirements

Please note that due to the dynamic nature of managing campus enrollment in light of changing public policy, www.csum.edu/admission is the place to find the most current admissions policies.  

Office of Admission

The Office of Admission assists prospective students interested in attending Cal Maritime. Additional information is available at: https://www.csum.edu/admissions/visit-campus/

Mail: Office of Admission
CSU Maritime Academy
200 Maritime Academy Drive
Vallejo, CA 94590-8181
Phone: 707-654-1330
Fax: 707-654-1336
Email: admission@csum.edu
Web: www.csum.edu

Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedures

Protected Status: Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Nationality, Race or Ethnicity (including color or ancestry), Religion or Religious Creed, and Veteran or Military Status.

The California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) does not discriminate on the basis of age, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, nationality, race or ethnicity (including color and ancestry, religion (or religous creed), and veteran or military status - as these terms are defines in CSU Executive Order 1097 - in its programs and activities, including admission and access. Federal and state laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California Equity in Higher Education Act, prohibit such discriminiation. 

Cal Maritime is committed to creating and maintaining a positive learning and working environment. Compliance inquiries can be made directly to the Title IX Coordinator, Vineeta Dhillon at vdhillon@csum.edu or 707-654-1283.

Undergraduate Application Procedures

Prospective students applying for part-time or full-time undergraduate programs of study must submit a completed undergraduate application. The $70 nonrefundable application fee should be paid online at the time of application via credit card or PayPal and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. An alternate major may be requested on the application if desired by the campus. The applications of persons denied admission to an impacted campus may be redirected to another campus at no cost, but only if the applicant is CSU eligible.

Impacted Programs

The CSU designates programs as impacted when more applications from regularly eligible applicants are received in the initial filing period (October and November for fall terms, June for winter terms, August for spring terms, February for summer terms) than can be accommodated. Some programs are impacted at every campus which they are offered; others are impacted only at a few campuses. Candidates for admission must meet all of the campus’ specified supplementary admission criteria if applying to an impacted program or campus.

Campuses will communicate supplementary admission criteria for all impacted programs to high schools and community colleges in their application service area and will disseminate this information to the public through appropriate media. This information will also be published on the Cal Maritime website at https://www.csum.edu/admissions/requirements/first-time-freshmen/future-impaction.html. 

Applicants must file applications for admission to an impacted program during the initial filing period. Applicants who wish to be considered for impacted programs at more than one campus should file an application at each campus for which they seek admission consideration.

Supplementary Admission Criteria

Each campus with impacted programs or class-level admission categories uses supplementary admission criteria in screening applicants. Supplementary criteria may include rank-ordering of freshman applicants based on the CSU eligibility index or rank-ordering of transfer applicants based on verification of the Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or Associate in Science Transfer (AS-T) degrees, the overall transfer grade point average (GPA), completion of specified prerequisite courses and a combination of campus-developed criteria. Applicants for freshman admission to impacted campuses or programs may need to have a higher “a-g” GPA . In no case will standardized test scores be utilized in making freshman admission decisions. 

The supplementary admission criteria used by individual campuses to screen applicants are made available by the campuses to all applicants seeking admission to an impacted program.

Freshmen Requirements

Generally, applicants will qualify for consideration for first-time freshman admission if they meet the following requirements:

1. Have graduated from high school, have earned a Certificate of General Education Development (GED) or have passed the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE);

2. Complete the 15-unit comprehensive “a-g” pattern of college preparatory courses;

3. Have completed, with grades of C- or better, each of the courses in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirements also known as the “a-g” pattern (see “Subject Requirements”); and

•  The CSU will accept “Credit” or “Pass” grades to satisfy “a-g” requirements completed during Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall 2020 terms and during Winter, Spring or Summer 2021 terms. The CSU expects and assumes that high school Pass (Credit) grades will represent work completed at the Cor higher level.

4. Earn a qualifying “a-g” grade point average (GPA) as described below. ◦

• California residents and graduates of California high schools will be eligible for admission by earning a 2.50 or greater “a-g” GPA. 
• Any California high school graduate or resident of California earning a GPA between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum “a-g” requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the campus admission decision. 
• Non-California residents may be eligible for admission to the CSU by earning a 3.00 or greater “a-g” GPA along with other supplemental factors utilized by the individual campus, including those outlined by impacted campuses and programs.
• Any Non-California resident earning a GPA between 2.47 and 2.99 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum “a-g” requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the campus admission decision.

5. Each CSU campus will determine the supplemental factors used with GPA to determine eligibility in these cases and communicate these criteria publicly for prospective students. 

The California State University (CSU) has temporarily suspended the use of ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility for all CSU campuses for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years. 

Provisional Admission

Cal Maritime may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned coursework for the senior year. The campus will monitor the final terms of study to ensure that admitted students complete their secondary school studies satisfactorily, including the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school. Students are required to submit an official transcript after graduation to certify that all coursework has been satisfactorily completed. Official high school transcripts must be received prior to the deadline set by the university. In no case may documentation of high school graduation be received any later than the census date for a student’s first term of CSU enrollment. A campus may rescind admission decisions, cancel financial aid awards, withdraw housing contracts and cancel any university registration for students who are found to be ineligible after the final transcript has been evaluated.

Applicants will qualify for regular (non-provisional) admission when the university verifies that they have graduated and received a high school diploma, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory “a-g” subjects and, if applying to an impacted program or campus, have met all supplementary criteria.

Subject requirements - The CSU requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of C- or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling 15 units. A “unit” is one year of study in high school.  

• 2 years of social science, including 1 year of U.S. history, or U.S. history and government. 
• 4 years of English. 
• 3 years of math (algebra, geometry and intermediate algebra; four years recommended). 
• 2 years of laboratory science (1 biological & 1 physical, both must have laboratory instruction).
• 2 years in the same foreign language (subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence). 
• 1 year of visual and performing arts: art, dance, drama/theater or music. 
• 1 year of electives: selected from English, advanced mathematics, social science, history, laboratory science, foreign language, visual and performing arts or other courses approved and included on the UC/ CSU “a-g” list.

Transfer Policies of CSU campuses

Most commonly, college-level credits earned from an institution of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting agency are accepted for transfer to campuses of the CSU; however, authority for decisions regarding the transfer of undergraduate credits is delegated to each CSU campus.

California Community Colleges and other authorized certifying institutions can certify up to 39 semester (58.5 quarter) units of General Education-Breadth (GE-Breadth) or 37 semester (55.5 quarter) units of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) for transfer students to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for any CSU campus prior to transfer.  

“Certification” is the official notification from a California Community College or authorized institution that a transfer student has completed courses fulfilling lower-division general education requirements. The CSU GEBreadth and the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) certification course lists for particular community colleges can be accessed at assist.org.

CSU campuses may enter into course-to-course or program-to-program articulation agreements with other CSU campuses, any or all of the California community colleges and other regionally accredited institutions. Established CSU and CCC articulations may be found on assist.org. . Students may be permitted to transfer no more than 70 semester (105 quarter) units to a CSU campus from an institution which does not offer bachelor’s degrees or their equivalents, for example, community colleges. Given the university’s 30-semester (45-quarter) unit residency requirement, no more than a total of 90 semester (135 quarter) units may be transferred into the university from all sources.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants who have completed fewer than 60 transferable semester college units (fewer than 90 quarter units) are considered lower-division transfer students. Applicants who have completed 60 or more transferable semester college units (90 or more quarter units) are considered upper-division transfer students. Applicants who complete college units during high school or through the summer immediately following high school graduation are considered first-time freshmen and must meet the CSU minimum eligibility requirements for first-time freshman admission. Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses and accepted as such by the campus to which the applicant seeks admission.

Lower-Division Transfer Requirements

Due to increased enrollment demands, most CSU campuses do not admit lower-division transfer applicants. An applicant who completes fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) units of college credit is considered a lowerdivision transfer student. Due to enrollment pressures, most CSU campuses do not admit lower-division transfers so that more upper-division transfers can be accommodated. Having fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) units at the point of transfer may affect eligibility for registration priority at CSU campuses and may affect the student’s financial aid status. California resident transfer applicants with fewer than 60 semester or 90 quarter units must:

• Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better in all transferable units attempted; 
• Have completed, with a grade of C- or better, a course in written communication and a course in mathematics or quantitative reasoning at a level satisfying CSU General Education Breadth Area A2 and B4 requirements, respectively; 
• Be in good standing at the last institution attended; and
• Meet any one of the following eligibility standards.

Transfer Based on Current Admission Criteria

The applicant meets the freshman admission requirements in effect for the term for which the application is filed; - OR -

Transfer Based on High School Eligibility

The applicant was eligible as a freshman at the time of high school graduation and has been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation; - OR -

Transfer Based on Making Up Missing Subjects

The applicant had a qualifiable eligibility index at the time of high school graduation (combination of GPA and test scores if needed), has made up any missing college preparatory subject requirements with a grade of Cor better, and has been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation.

One baccalaureate-level course of at least 3 semester (4 quarter) units is usually considered equivalent to one year of high school study.

(Note: Some campuses may require lower-division transfer students to complete specific college coursework, for example the four basic skill courses, as part of their admission criteria).

Upper-Division Transfer Requirements

Generally, appplicants will qualify for consideration for upper-division transfer admissions if they meet all of the following requirements:

1. Cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all transferable units attempted;

2. In good standing at the last college or university attended; and

3. Completed at least sixty (60) transferable semester (90 quarter) units of college level coursework with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher and a grade of C- or better in each course used to meet the CSU general education requirements in written communication, oral communication, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning, e.g. mathematics.

The 60 units must include at least 30 units of courses that meet CSU general education requirements, including all of the general education requirements in communication in the English language (both oral and written) and critical thinking and the requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (usually 3 semester units) OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements in English communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning.

Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T)

The Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and the Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degrees offered at the California Community Colleges (CCC) are designed to provide a California community college student the optimum transfer preparation and a clear admission pathway to the CSU degree majors. 

CCC students who earn an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) are guaranteed admission with junior standing to a CSU and given priority admission over other transfer applicants when applying to a local CSU campus or non-impacted CSU program. AA-T or AS- T admission applicants are given limited priority consideration based on their eligibility ranking to an impacted campus/program or to campuses/programs that have been deemed similar to the degree completed at the community college. Students who have completed an AA-T/AS-T in a program deemed similar to a CSU major are able to complete remaining requirements for graduation within 60 semester (90 quarter) units. It is the responsibility of the student who has earned an AA-T/AS-T to provide documentation of the degree to the CSU campus.

English Language Requirement

All undergraduate applicants whose native language is not English, and who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full time where English is the principal language of instruction, must present a score of 61 (internet) or 500 (paper) or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). 

Placement Measures for First-Year GE Written Communication and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Courses

Freshman skills assessment and placement for general education written communication and mathematics/ quantitative reasoning shall be based on systemwide skills assessment standards that include the Early Assessment Program/ Smarter Balanced Achievement Levels, ACT scores and/or SAT scores, high school coursework, high school GPA and math GPA.  

Skills assessments are not a condition for admission to the CSU; they are a condition of enrollment. 

These skills assessments are designed to inform entering freshmen of placement in appropriate baccalaureate-level courses based on their skills and needs.

First-time freshmen in need of support as determined by the skills assessment will be placed in supported instruction. Supported instruction is designed to assist students in credit bearing courses. Students may also be required to participate in the Early Start Program.   

The Early Start Program gives students the opportunity to earn college credit in written communication and mathematics/ quantitative reasoning the summer before their first term.  

Assessments and Placement for GE Written Communications Has Fulfilled the GE Subarea A2 English Requirement

The student has met the requirement via completion of one of the following:

Advanced Placement (AP) Test

• 3 or above: AP Language and Composition
• 3 or above: AP Composition and Literature

College Transfer Coursework

• Completed approved college course that satisfies CSU GE Area A2 (written communication) with a grade of C- or better

Placement in a GE Subarea A2 English Course

The student has met examiniation standards and/or multiple measures-informed standards via one of the criteria below:

English CAASPP/EAP Test: 

• Standard Exceeded
• Standard Met and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test: 

• 550 or above
• 510 - 540 and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better English

ACT Test: 

• 22 or higher  
• 19-21 and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better

High School Courses and GPA: 

• Weighted GPA 3.3 or above 
• GPA 3.0 or above and completed approved 12 grade year-long English course (AP, CSU ERWC, Weighted Honors English)
• GPA 3.0 or above and completed Honors English 
• GPA 3.0 or above and 5 or more years of high school English

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea A2 English Course

The student has met examination standards and/or multiple measures- informed standards via one of the criteria below:

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test:

• 510 - 540 and 4 or more years of high school English

ACT Test:

19-21 and 4 ore more years of high school English

High School Courses and GPA:

• Weighted GPA 3.0 or above and 4 or more years of high school English

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea A2 English Course and Participation in the Early Start Program Required

Based on multiple measures evaluation, student needs additional academic support including participation in the Early Start Program. Visit the Early Start Page to learn about the Early Start Program. 

Assessments and Placement for GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning: NonMath Intensive Majors (Algebra and Statistics Disciplines, Non-STEM and Undecided Majors) Has Fulfilled the GE Subarea B4 Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement  

The student has met the requirement via completion of one of the following:

Advanced Placement (AP) Test:

• 3 or above: Calculus AB 
• 3 or above on AP Calculus BC
• 3 or above on AP Statistics 
• 3 or above on AP Computer Science Principles

International Baccalaureate (IB) Test: 

• 4 or above on Math Higher Level (HL)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP): 

• 50 or above on: Calculus, College Algebra, College Algebra-Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus or Trigonometry

College Transfer Coursework: 

• Completed math/quantitative reasoning college course with a C- or better that satisfies CSU GE Area B4

Placement in a GE Subarea B4 Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement  

The student has met examination standards and/or multiple measures-informed standards via one of the following criteria:

High School Math GPA:

• Weighted math GPA 3.3 or above

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea B4 Math/ Quantitative Reasoning Requirement and Participation in the Early Start Program Required

ADVANCED PLACMENT EXAM INFORMATION

1   These units count toward eligibility for admission. The units may not apply towards Associate Degrees for Transfer (AD-T) or the baccalaureate degree. The units may not all apply toward certification of the corresponding GE-Breadth area. See Executive Orders 1036 and 1100 for Academic Affairs Coded Memo AA-2011-12 for details.

2   Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1033. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 405, and at assist.org.

4  If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate.

5  Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply to either B1+B3 or B2+B3 of GE Breadth. Fall of 2009 or later, those credits may only apply to B1+B3.

COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP)

Notes:

1-These units count toward eligibility for admission. The units may not apply towards Associate Degrees for Transfer (AD-T) or the baccalaureate degree. The units may not all apply toward certification of the corresponding GE-Breadth area. See Executive Orders 1036 (Credit for Prior Learning) and 1100 (CSU General Education Breadth Requirements) for details.

2-Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in CSU General Education Breadth Requirements. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 1061, and at assist.org. Numerical subcategories for Area D were removed and no longer apply effective 4/11/2018 but are provided for historical reference.

3-Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date.

4-If a student passes more than one CLEP test in the same language other than English (e.g., two exams in French), then only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. For each test in a language other than English, a passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit; the higher score listed for each test is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth, as noted.

5-The IB curriculum offers language at various levels for native and non-native speakers. Language B courses are offered at the intermediate level for non-natives. Language A1 and A2 are advanced courses in literature for native and non-native speakers, respectively.

6-If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate.

7-Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply either to B1+B3 or B2+B3 of GE Breadth. Fall of 2009 or later, those credits may only apply to B1+B3.

8-If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units of credit may be applied to a certification in GE Breadth.

Credit for U.S. Military Service

Cal Maritime grants undergraduate degree credit to students who successfully complete either military or civilian non-collegiate instruction, which is appropriate for the baccalaureate degree and has been recommended by the American Council on Education’s (ACE’s) Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials.Students shall be granted undergraduate or graduate credit for learning acquired through education, training and service provided by the Armed Forces of the United States as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide. Such credit shall be applied as appropriate towards the completion of students’ academic programs.

Three units of General Education Area E credit will be awarded for military basic training with any additional credit for basic training recommended by the ACE Guide awarded as free electives.  

1. Three to four units of General Education Area C2: Language credit will be awarded for Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center proficiency exams based on ACE’s guidelines in the National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training (Guide). Any additional credit for language proficiency recommended by the ACE Guide will count as free electives.
2. Major or other General Education credit may be awarded by substitution requests.

Students shall be allowed to appeal decisions regarding credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience through existing campus grade appeal procedures.