About an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma State University sits in Rohnert Park, surrounded by vineyards. It's part of the California State University system, and its Wine Business Institute is the best-known programme on campus. The Green Music Center brings serious concerts here too. Budget cuts in recent years have reduced some programmes, so check your course is still offered.
Rohnert Park, California, United States
Official website: sonoma.edu
Public university, California State University system
Rohnert Park, Sonoma County wine country
Wine Business Institute
$18,000 – $22,000
Non-resident rates, undergraduate and graduate
$17,000 – $21,000
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 sonoma.edu before you apply.
BS Business Administration (Wine Business)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Kinesiology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BA Psychology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Wine business teaching in the middle of wine country.
The Green Music Center and Weill Hall.
A CSU campus with lower costs than private California colleges.
Wine business graduates join wineries, distributors and hospitality firms in Sonoma and Napa.
Business and computer science graduates find roles across the Bay Area.
Kinesiology graduates move into health and fitness careers or graduate study.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Limited
Postgrad
Selected programmes
The campus is flat and spacious, with residence villages and a lake. Rohnert Park is a quiet suburb, and the SMART train runs north to Santa Rosa and south to Larkspur for the San Francisco ferry.
Sonoma County is known for wine, redwoods and the coast at Bodega Bay. Rent is high, though below San Francisco.
Form I-20 issued by Sonoma State University
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
CSU applications for fall open in October and usually close in early December, though Sonoma often extends deadlines. Graduate programmes have their own deadlines, usually in spring.
Most programmes start in fall. A few admit in spring.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, Sonoma State University issues the Form I-20. After that it's the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Business administration with the wine business concentration, kinesiology, computer science, psychology and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need a secondary school diploma and IELTS 6.0. The MBA needs a bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5.
Scholarships for international students at Sonoma State are limited, though some departmental awards are open to all students.
