How to Apply to Computer Science at Fresno State: a BS Not on the Impacted List, CSci 40 and 60 in the First Semester, the July 1 International Fall Deadline and About US$35,591 a Year in 2027-28, with Requirements and Timelines for Students in China, Canadian High Schools and Transfer Students

California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is part of the California State University (CSU) system and is in Fresno in California’s Central Valley. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is offered by the Department of Computer Science in the College of Science and Mathematics. Below are the courses, how admission works and the requirements for different applicants, based on Fresno State’s official pages.

1. Degree and courses

• Degree: the department says the BS prepares students for the computing industry or graduate study and can be combined with a minor in another field; advanced study covers areas such as computer architecture, artificial intelligence, databases, compilers, operating systems, theory, graphics, software engineering, programming languages, networking, distributed systems and parallel processing.
• Starting sequence (department checklist): CSci 40 and CSci 60 in the first semester, CSci 41 in the second, and Math 75 within the first two semesters; required courses such as 112, 113, 115 and 119 in the sophomore year; most required courses, at least one course of a sequence and two electives in the junior year.
• 2025 course flow chart: it shows Math 75 (or 75A) and Math 76, and for physics either Phys 2A and 2B or the Phys 4 series with labs.
• Electives: by senior year students meet either “one sequence + five additional electives + one second course in a sequence” or “one sequence + five additional electives + senior project (CSci 198)”, and should finish the writing (W) requirement early.
• Units and full course list: the catalog blocked our request, so the total units and the full list of required courses were not checked; see the BS in Computer Science page at catalog.fresnostate.edu.
• Finish In Five: a pathway to a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years.
• Undergraduate certificates: options include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (12 units from CSCI 164–167), Advanced Cybersecurity, Algorithms and Analytics, and Computer Graphics and Game Development; non-CS majors can also take an AI minor.
• Transfer road maps: the department has a 3-year road map for students who finished CSci 40 and 2.5-year road maps for those who finished CSci 40 and 41; CSci 40, 41 and 75; or CSci 40, 41, 75 and 76 (as the site lists them).

2. Impaction and admission

• Not impacted: the admissions office’s list of impacted programs for 2026-27 and 2027-28 includes Nursing, Biology, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering, among others; Computer Science is not on the list.
• Non-impacted programs: the admissions office says it admits students who meet CSU minimum requirements to all other programs.
• CSU first-year minimums: high school graduation; the 15-unit “a-g” college preparatory pattern; and an a-g GPA of 2.5 for California residents or 3.00 for non-residents and out-of-state graduates. For non-residents with a GPA of 2.47–2.99, up to eight additional a-g courses are counted (the multi-factor admission score). SAT/ACT scores are not used. The international page does not state a GPA requirement, so ask the International Office which standard applies.
• After enrolling: no separate threshold for switching into Computer Science is published; confirm with a department advisor.

3. Timeline (fall 2027 entry)

• International first-year: for fall, applicants outside the U.S. can apply from August 1 with a deadline of July 1; applicants inside the U.S. have an August 1 deadline. Spring opens July 1 and closes November 1.
• U.S. first-year: for fall 2027, applications can be started from August 1, 2026 (submitted from October 1) and close January 15, 2027; spring 2027 is not open to first-year students.
• How to apply: Cal State Apply online or the paper application, with a US$70 non-refundable fee.

4. Students at high schools in China

• English (one of): TOEFL 3.5 on the new scale (from January 21, 2026) or 61 on the old iBT; IELTS 6.0 (or 5.5 in each band); Duolingo 100; SAT reading and writing 550; ACT English 22; AP English Language or Literature 3 or higher; IB English A HL 4; PTE 45; and other options such as GTEC and iTEP.
• Documents: high school transcripts or mark sheets with literal English translations, the graduation certificate if graduated, a passport copy and a personal statement; recommendations are encouraged but not required; financial documents and an affidavit covering at least one year. Email unofficial PDFs to International Admissions (intladmissions@csufresno.edu) first and bring official documents after admission.
• GPA and Gaokao: the international page states neither a high school GPA requirement nor how Gaokao results are used; ask International Admissions.

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

• English: three years of full-time study in a listed country with English as the language of instruction waives English testing. Canada is on the list, but Quebec needs English demonstration.
• GPA: grade requirements and conversion for the BC curriculum are not published; ask International Admissions.

6. Transfer students

• International transfer: the same English requirements and exemptions as first-year applicants; lower-division transfers (1–59 semester units) also submit a high school transcript.
• Computer Science courses: the department’s road maps give 3-year and 2.5-year plans depending on which courses are done (listed on the site as CSci 40, 41, 75 and 76).
• Transfer GPA: the international transfer page read does not give a GPA threshold; ask International Admissions.

7. Costs (US$)

• Fall 2027 to spring 2028 (undergraduate, 12 units a semester): tuition and fees 20,979, food and housing 11,634, books and insurance 2,978, total 35,591.
• Fall 2026 to spring 2027: tuition and fees 19,921, total 34,434.
• Insurance: international students must buy the university’s approved UnitedHealthcare plan.
• Dependents: financial documents must show an extra 12,000 a year for each dependent.
• Scholarships: the international pages read do not list scholarships open to international students; ask the International Office.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• TOEFL 3.5 on the new scale (61 on the old), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 100; apply by July 1 for fall; fee US$70
• Ask International Admissions about the GPA requirement and the Gaokao; plan on CSci 40, CSci 60 and Math 75 in the first semester

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

• Three years of English-medium study in Canada (except Quebec) waives English testing; ask International Admissions how BC grades are converted

Transfer students:

• Compare your completed courses with the department’s road maps to see whether a 3-year or 2.5-year plan applies; ask International Admissions about the transfer GPA

Sources: California State University, Fresno, Computer Science degrees and programs; Computer Science checklist for students; BS in Computer Science course flow chart (2025); International undergraduate admissions; International undergraduate transfer admissions; International estimated yearly costs; First-time freshman deadlines; CSU first-time freshman requirements; Impaction information. The timeline is for fall 2027 entry and costs are 2027-2028 estimates. Check Fresno State’s website for the latest.