San Diego State University is a public research university in California's second-largest city, and one of the largest campuses in the California State University system. It is best known for business, international business, engineering, public health, hospitality, entrepreneurship and the sciences, with San Diego's biotech, defence and cross-border economy nearby. Choose it for a California degree at CSU prices in a coastal city.
San Diego, United States
Official website: sdsu.edu
#1001
R1 — very high research activity, awarded in 2025
Top 15 undergraduate programme in the US (U.S. News)
Over 37,000 students
$22,000 – $28,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$20,000 – $25,000
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 sdsu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Big Data Analytics
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (Fowler College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Master of Public Health
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS International Business (Fowler)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Fowler College of Business — international business and entrepreneurship programmes ranked in the top 20.
San Diego — a biotech, defence, telecoms and tourism economy with a mild coastal climate.
Aztecs — a large sports and campus culture with a new stadium at Snapdragon.
Cross-border ties — Tijuana and Mexico's manufacturing belt 20 minutes away.
Graduates join Qualcomm, Illumina, General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, Intuit and San Diego's biotech firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Fowler business graduates move into finance, marketing and management roles across southern California.
Public health alumni work at Scripps Health, Kaiser Permanente and county health agencies.
Undergrad
30 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
No UG intake
Postgrad
Limited programmes
The 280-acre campus sits in the College Area east of downtown, with Spanish-style buildings around Hepner Hall, the library, the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union and a trolley station on campus.
San Diego is a coastal city of 1.4 million with beaches, year-round sun and a large military and biotech economy. Rent is high, and most students share apartments near campus or use university housing.
Form I-20 issued by SDSU
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 for most majors. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing, engineering and business master's closing between 1 February and 1 April.
Undergraduates start in the fall (late August), as spring admission is closed for most majors. Computer science, big data analytics and public health master's programmes admit for fall only, while the MBA and electrical engineering also accept spring (January) entrants. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The International Student 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, big data analytics, the Fowler MBA, electrical engineering and public health attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is competitive, with an acceptance rate around 40%.
SDSU offers limited merit scholarships to international undergraduates, considered through the university's online scholarship application after admission; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships in engineering, computing and the sciences, which are competitive.
