“Public R2 research university in San Francisco focused on equity and access”
San Francisco State University (SF State) is a public Hispanic-Serving and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution and one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. Founded in 1899, the university enrolls roughly 22,500 students on a 144-acre campus in the Lake Merced neighborhood of southwestern San Francisco, just steps from Stonestown Galleria and a short Muni Metro ride from downtown and Silicon Valley. The university is organized into seven colleges — including the Lam Family College of Business, the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Liberal & Creative Arts, the College of Health and Social Sciences, the College of Ethnic Studies (the first of its kind in the United States, founded in 1969), the Graduate College of Education, and the College of Professional and Global Education — and offers more than 200 academic programs across 77 bachelor's and 63 master's degrees. For international students, SF State combines the affordability of a CSU public university with proximity to one of the world's leading technology, biotech, and creative industry hubs. With about 1,150 international students from 100+ countries — most prominently India, China, and Japan — and a Division of International Education that handles SEVIS, OPT, CPT, and the American Language Institute (ALI) for English-language preparation, the university provides strong infrastructure for F-1 students. Popular international student majors include business administration, computer science, and STEM-OPT-eligible engineering and biology programs, supported by direct recruiting pipelines into San Francisco Bay Area employers in tech, finance, biotech, hospitality, and the nonprofit sector.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research
Carnegie Classification
Social Mobility
The Wall Street Journal
Visual and Performing Arts Degrees
Hispanic Outlook on Education
Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceFall Priority Filing Period Opens
Cal State Apply opens for Fall 2026 admission
Fall Regular
Standard fall application deadline (subject to CSU campus availability)
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$7,950
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$20,550
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
AACSB-accredited business school in the heart of one of the world's leading financial and tech hubs, with concentrations in accounting, finance, information systems, marketing, and hospitality.
Houses programs in computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and earth sciences with active undergraduate research and Bay Area industry partnerships.
SF State's largest college with 21 departments spanning the arts, humanities, and social sciences, plus a top-ranked School of Cinema and the Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts program.
Trains nurses, social workers, public-health professionals, and criminal-justice practitioners with field placements throughout the Bay Area.
The first college of ethnic studies in the United States, founded after the historic 1968-69 student strikes; offers degrees in Africana Studies, Asian American Studies, Latina/Latino Studies, and American Indian Studies.
Major preparer of Bay Area teachers, counselors, and administrators with credential and master's programs across K-12 disciplines.
4 years
One of the oldest and most respected film schools in the western United States, with strong alumni in independent and mainstream cinema.
4 years
STEM-OPT-eligible CS program with direct pipeline into San Francisco and Silicon Valley tech employers; concentrations in software engineering and data science.
4 years
One of the few dedicated hospitality undergraduate degrees in northern California, leveraging San Francisco's status as a global tourism and hospitality capital.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $20,550
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
