How to Apply to Computer Science at Cal State Long Beach: STEM Index Admission to a Pre-Major in the College of Engineering, the April 1 International Deadline, and Requirements and Timelines for Students in China, Canadian High Schools and Transfer Students

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is part of the California State University (CSU) system. Its Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is offered by the Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) in the Hung Family College of Engineering. This guide sets out the curriculum, how admission works and the requirements for different applicants, based on CSULB’s website.

1. The degree and curriculum

• Accreditation: the BS is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
• Courses: the program page says the core covers problem solving, programming, algorithm and software design, databases, operating systems and computer security; electives include networking, artificial intelligence, user interface design and computer graphics.
• Other degrees in the department: a BS in Computer Engineering (ABET EAC) and a BS in Applied Data Science launched in fall 2025, plus minors in computer science and cybersecurity applications.
• Units and course list: the full requirements are in the catalog, which is hosted on a third-party site and was not used here. See the BS Computer Science page in the CSULB catalog (catalog.csulb.edu).
• Advising: CS majors are assigned to one of three department advisors by last name.

2. Admission by major, the STEM Index and pre-major status

• Admission by major: first-year applicants can choose a major or apply as undeclared, and CSULB makes decisions by intended major only. CSULB says admission to all majors is competitive.
• STEM Index: the College of Engineering first-year page says STEM majors are admitted on a STEM Eligibility Index and enter in pre-major status; continuing in the major depends on completing set lower-division courses and GPA requirements at CSULB.
• Formulas: STEM Index = (600 × high school math GPA) + (600 × high school science GPA), with a minimum of 3,600 for consideration. Other majors use the CSULB Index = (college-prep GPA × 200) + (500 × math GPA) + (500 × English GPA). GPAs use college-prep courses from grades 10 to 12.
• Non-California residents: the eligibility page lists a 3.0 college-prep GPA and, for STEM majors, a 3,600 STEM Index.
• Ranking: local applicants are admitted at 3,600; other eligible applicants are ranked by STEM Index and admitted as space allows. CSULB recommends extra math beyond the CSU minimum for STEM applicants.
• If not admitted to the major: local applicants may be admitted as undeclared, which CSULB says is not a route into the original major; for others, the page says many eligible applicants will not be admitted and recommends a backup plan.
• No tests: the CSU does not use SAT/ACT for admission; scores can be sent after admission for placement. Letters of recommendation and personal statements are not considered.
• Changing major: the department’s switching-majors page could not be opened, so the conditions for moving into CS were not found; ask the CECS department or the Engineering Student Success Center.

3. Timeline (fall 2027)

• Application: Cal State Apply opens August 1; the academic history section opens October 1.
• First-year admissions page: fall applications are submitted October 1 to November 30.
• International deadlines page: international first-year applicants can apply from October 1, with an April 1 application deadline and April 15 document deadline for fall; for spring, July 1 to October 1, with documents by October 15. The two pages give different deadlines, so international applicants should confirm the date with International Admissions (cie-admission@csulb.edu).
• After admission: fall offers usually go out in early spring; accept and pay the deposit by May 1; final high school transcripts are due by July 15.
• Application fee: the CSULB pages read for this guide do not state the amount; check Cal State Apply.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Transcripts: first-year applicants submit transcripts with first-semester grade 12 results; transcripts from non-US schools can be submitted unofficially through the international document portal.
• English: TOEFL 61 (3.5 for tests after January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105, PTE 43 or Cambridge English 162. Duolingo is not listed on Cal State Apply, so send the score to CSULB after applying.
• Gaokao: CSULB does not say how Gaokao results are used; admission is based on the college-prep GPA. Ask International Admissions (cie-admission@csulb.edu).
• Math and science: the STEM Index uses only math and science GPAs, so those grades matter most; the college recommends four years of math (through pre-calculus and calculus) and four years of lab science.

5. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• English: Canada is on the English-waiver country list; students from Quebec must submit English proof.
• Grades: CSULB does not publish BC grade requirements; applicants are reviewed on GPA and the STEM Index. Ask International Admissions how BC grades are converted.
• IB and AP: up to eight approved honors courses in grades 10–12 (including up to two IB or AP courses in grade 10) can earn bonus points.

6. Transfer students

• Basic requirements: 60 transferable semester units (or 90 quarter units), a 2.00 GPA in transferable work, 30 units of CSU GE, and C or better in English composition, critical thinking, oral communication and quantitative reasoning.
• Computer Science (fall 2027 and spring 2028): a 2.5 cumulative GPA; C or better in CECS 174 Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving, MATH 122 Calculus I, MATH 123 Calculus II, and PHYS 151 Mechanics and Heat or CHEM 111A General Chemistry; plus English composition and oral communication. CECS 228 Discrete Structures and CECS 274 Data Structures are recommended.
• Choosing a major: transfer applicants must declare a major and are not considered for an alternate.
• Deadlines: international transfers apply by April 1 for fall, with documents by April 15; applicants from US institutions must complete Cal State Apply by November 30 for fall.
• English: transfers with more than 60 semester units from a US institution are exempt.

7. Costs (US$)

• International page: undergraduate tuition and fees 19,646, estimated living expenses 26,332, medical insurance 1,900, total 47,204 a year (no academic year is given).
• 2026-2027 fee table: full-time (7+ units) California resident tuition and mandatory fees are 4,376 a semester; non-residents add 471 per unit. The page’s example gives 10,017 for 12 units (4,365 plus 12 × 471), which does not match the 4,376 in the table; your bill is what counts.
• Scholarships: the international page lists no scholarship specifically for international students and points to CSULB’s scholarship site and the Study California scholarship. Full-time students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week during the semester.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Math and science grades make up the whole STEM Index, so take as much math as you can
• TOEFL 61 (3.5 new scale) or IELTS 6.0; confirm the deadline with International Admissions (the international page says April 1)
• Ask International Admissions whether Gaokao results are used

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• English waiver applies (except Quebec); ask admissions how BC grades are converted

Transfer students:

• A 2.5 GPA plus intro programming, Calculus I and II, and physics or chemistry; ideally also discrete structures and data structures

Sources: California State University, Long Beach, BS in Computer Science; CECS undergraduate programs; College of Engineering first-year admissions; First-year admission eligibility; CSULB Index and STEM Index; First-year application process; International application and document deadlines; English language requirement; International tuition and fees; International scholarships; Transfer admission eligibility; Fall 2027 engineering transfer requirements; Tuition and fees. The timeline is for fall 2027 entry and tuition is for 2026-2027. Check CSULB’s website for the latest.