California State University San Marcos is a young public university in the California State University system, in north San Diego County. It is best known for business, computer science, nursing, kinesiology, biotechnology and its close ties to the region's life sciences and defence employers, with a modern hillside campus opened in 1989. Choose it for an affordable San Diego-area degree with small classes and a growing campus.
San Marcos, California, United States
Official website: csusm.edu
#1401
Top 20 in the US (U.S. News)
1989 — one of the newest CSU campuses
Around 16,000 students
$19,000 – $25,000
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 csusm.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Cybersecurity
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (College of Business Administration)
Masters DegreeDuration
20 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Biotechnology
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Kinesiology
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Business Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
Modern campus — a compact hillside site with new engineering and science buildings.
Biotechnology — a professional science master's tied to San Diego's life sciences cluster.
Small classes — a student-to-faculty ratio among the lowest in the CSU system.
North County — 35 minutes from downtown San Diego and 15 from the coast.
Graduates join Viasat, Qualcomm, Scripps Health, Palomar Health and north San Diego County's biotech and defence firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Nursing graduates enter San Diego County's hospital systems.
Business and computing alumni move into San Diego's technology and finance employers.
Undergrad
30 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
31 Aug 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 300-acre campus sits on a hillside in San Marcos, with the University Student Union and Kellogg Library at its centre, the science and engineering buildings nearby and residence halls and a Sprinter light-rail station at the foot of the hill.
San Marcos is a suburban city of about 95,000 people in north San Diego County with a mild climate, hiking trails and beaches 15 minutes away. Rent is high for the region but below central San Diego.
Form I-20 issued by Cal State San Marcos
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, and for spring 2027 between 1 August and 31 August 2026. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and business master's closing between 1 March and 1 June for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (late August) or, for many majors, spring (January). Computer science and cybersecurity master's admit for both fall and spring, while the MBA, biotechnology and kinesiology master's are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Global Education office 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, cybersecurity, the MBA, biotechnology and kinesiology 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 80 or IELTS 6.5; the GRE and GMAT are optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is based on grades under CSU eligibility rules.
Cal State San Marcos offers limited merit scholarships to international students through its online scholarship application after admission; need-based aid is not available, though tuition is low for the San Diego area. Graduate students can apply for teaching assistantships and grant-funded research roles in the sciences and computing.
