CSU Channel Islands opened in 2002 on the grounds of the old Camarillo State Hospital, and the Spanish mission-style buildings and bell tower came with it. It is the youngest campus in the CSU system and among the smallest. Programmes lean toward business, nursing, computer science, biology and environmental science. Students can join fieldwork on Santa Rosa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park.
Camarillo, California, United States
Official website: csuci.edu
2002
Public, California State University system
Former Camarillo State Hospital grounds
Santa Rosa Island research station
$18,000 – $21,000
International students, tuition plus nonresident fees
$18,000 – $24,000
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 csuci.edu before you apply.
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Business
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Environmental Science and Resource Management
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Mechatronics Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MS Biotechnology
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Mission-style architecture on a former state hospital campus.
Island fieldwork in Channel Islands National Park.
Small classes and a young, still-growing campus.
Graduates work in Ventura County agriculture, health care and the naval base at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu.
Biotech graduates find lab roles in the Thousand Oaks and Oxnard area.
Eligible F-1 graduates can apply for OPT after the degree.
Undergrad
Oct to early Dec
Postgrad
Spring deadlines
The campus is tucked into the hills south of Camarillo, surrounded by strawberry and lemon fields on the Oxnard Plain. Beaches at Point Mugu and Ventura are short drives.
Ventura County rent is high. Many students live on campus or share houses in Camarillo and Oxnard; a car helps.
Form I-20 issued by the institution
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
For fall undergraduate entry, apply through Cal State Apply between October 1 and early December. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, usually in spring.
Most students start in the fall semester. Spring admission is limited and depends on the programme.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from California State University - Channel Islands after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Business, computer science, nursing, environmental science and mechatronics are popular undergraduate choices, and biotechnology leads at graduate level. Entry uses school grades and English scores around IELTS 6.0 for undergraduates.
Scholarships for international students are few. The university foundation runs a general scholarship application for enrolled students.
