San Francisco State University is a public university in the California State University system, on a campus in the south-west of San Francisco near the Pacific coast. It is best known for business, computer science, engineering, cinema, creative arts, nursing and its diverse student body, with Silicon Valley and the city's tech and finance employers nearby. Choose it for a San Francisco degree at CSU prices.
San Francisco, United States
Official website: sfsu.edu
#1201
One of the top public film schools in the US
Ranked among the most diverse universities in the US
Around 23,000 students
$20,000 – $26,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$22,000 – $28,000
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 sfsu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (Lam Family College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Business Analytics
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
Lam Family College of Business — AACSB-accredited, with Silicon Valley and financial district recruiting.
School of Cinema — a leading public film school with alumni across Hollywood and documentary film.
Diversity — a majority-minority campus with a long civil rights history.
Location — beside Lake Merced, a Muni ride from downtown and Ocean Beach.
Graduates join Salesforce, Google, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente and San Francisco's startups.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Cinema alumni work at Pixar, Lucasfilm and production companies across California.
Business analytics graduates move into fintech and marketing roles in the Bay Area.
Undergrad
30 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Limited programmes
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 140-acre campus sits in the south-west corner of San Francisco beside Lake Merced, with the Cesar Chavez Student Center and J. Paul Leonard Library at its centre, the business and science buildings nearby and Muni light rail to downtown in 35 minutes.
San Francisco offers the tech, finance and creative industries of the Bay Area, with the ocean, Golden Gate Park and a mild climate. Rent is among the highest in the world, and most students share apartments or use campus housing.
Form I-20 issued by SF State
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 some majors accepting late applications into spring. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and business master's closing between 1 February and 1 May.
Undergraduates start in the fall (late August), with spring (January) admission open for a limited set of majors. Computer science, the MBA and engineering master's admit for both fall and spring, while data science and business analytics are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Office of International Programs 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, data science and AI, the MBA, business analytics and engineering 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; the GRE and GMAT are optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is based on grades under CSU eligibility rules.
SF State 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 San Francisco. Graduate students can apply for teaching assistantships in computer science, business and the sciences, which are competitive.
