California Polytechnic State University, known as Cal Poly, is a public polytechnic in San Luis Obispo on California's Central Coast. It is best known for engineering, architecture, agriculture, business and computer science, taught through a learn-by-doing approach with high graduate salaries and selective admission. Choose it for one of the best-regarded public engineering and architecture programmes in the US.
San Luis Obispo, United States
Official website: calpoly.edu
#1401
Ranked first for over 30 years (U.S. News)
Top 10 in the US among schools without a doctorate (U.S. News)
Consistently among the top-ranked undergraduate programmes in the US
$26,000 – $32,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$18,000 – $22,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on calpoly.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Business Analytics (Orfalea)
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Engineering Management
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
MS Aerospace Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
BS Mechanical Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 90
Learn by doing — labs, projects and senior design work in every degree.
College of Engineering — one of the largest undergraduate engineering colleges in the US.
Architecture — a five-year programme ranked among the best in the country.
San Luis Obispo — a Central Coast town between Los Angeles and San Francisco, minutes from the beach.
Graduates join Apple, Google, Tesla, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Silicon Valley's tech firms.
Engineering bachelor's graduates report median starting salaries around USD 85,000-95,000.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Architecture alumni work at leading firms across California and the US.
Undergrad
30 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 6,000-acre campus spreads north of San Luis Obispo, with the University Union and Kennedy Library at its core, the engineering and architecture buildings nearby and farmland, a dairy and a vineyard used for teaching.
San Luis Obispo is a town of about 47,000 people with a lively downtown, a Thursday farmers' market, beaches 15 minutes away and a mild climate. Rent is high, and Los Angeles and San Francisco are each about three and a half hours away.
Form I-20 issued by Cal Poly
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate applications for fall 2027 go through Cal State Apply between 1 October and 30 November 2026, with no late applications accepted. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most engineering and computer science master's closing between 1 February and 1 April for September entry.
Cal Poly runs on quarters and admits undergraduates for the fall (September) only. Most master's programmes, including computer science, electrical engineering, business analytics, engineering management and aerospace engineering, also start in the fall, with a few accepting winter entrants. Check your programme's page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The International Center issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, electrical engineering, business analytics, engineering management and aerospace engineering attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree in a related field with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 90 or IELTS 7.0; the GRE is optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is selective, with an acceptance rate around 30%.
Cal Poly offers limited merit scholarships to international students through its online scholarship application after admission; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching assistantships and research positions funded by faculty grants, which are most common in engineering and computer science.
