How do I apply to Cal State as an undocumented student?

This page is general information, not legal advice. It also answers "What is the CSU application deadline?"

Can I apply to Cal State without papers?

Yes. Undocumented students apply to Cal State through the same online application as everyone else, Cal State Apply. You do not need DACA. Your grades, classes and activities are what the application is built around.

Cal State also says nonresident students, including undocumented students, can be exempt from nonresident tuition if they meet the AB 540 school rules. That is what makes Cal State affordable for many families.

How do I fill out Cal State Apply?

1. Make your account at Cal State Apply. Write down your username and password. You get a Cal State Apply ID by email. Keep it.
2. Choose your term (fall 2027) and whether you are a first year or transfer student.
3. Enter your classes and grades carefully, exactly as they appear on your transcript.
4. Add your activities, jobs, family duties and awards. Caring for siblings and working count. List them.
5. Choose your campuses.
6. Answer the citizenship and Social Security number questions truthfully. Do not mark yourself as a U.S. citizen or permanent resident if you are not. A false claim to U.S. citizenship can cause serious immigration problems later. CSU's own 2024 training for counselors says that if a student has a Social Security number, such as one from DACA, they should include it (CSU, Access for All Students, 2024). We did not find a current CSU page that says which citizenship choice to pick if you are undocumented. Ask your counselor or the campus Dreamer Resource Liaison (every CSU campus must have one) before you submit.
7. Check your fee waiver. The fee is $70 per campus. Cal State Apply considers you for a waiver on its own once your application is complete. AB 540 students without lawful status can qualify if they are first year or transfer undergraduates who have lived in California more than one year. A waiver covers up to four campuses per term. Look for "Check My Fee Waiver Status" on the Submit page. Report your family income carefully: don't put the same amount in both income boxes. If your family's income changed a lot, you can appeal with each campus.
8. Submit, then save the confirmation.

You do not have to finish in one sitting. You can save and come back.

When is the CSU application deadline?

For fall 2027, Cal State's priority filing period runs through November 30, 2026. You could start in August, and submitting opened October 1, 2026 (CSU application dates, checked October 19, 2026). Many campuses take applications after November 30. Others do not, so check each campus you want.

Our advice: submit by mid November. Do not wait for the last day.

This deadline is for admission. Your aid deadline is different: March 2, 2027 for the California Dream Act Application.

How do I get in state tuition and aid?

The application gets you in. These steps help you pay.

1. File the California Dream Act Application by March 2, 2027 at dream.csac.ca.gov. List the Cal State campuses you applied to.
2. Sign the AB 540 section in that application. California law (AB 1540, 2023) requires Cal State to accept the AB 540 affidavit you send through it.
3. Check with your campus. Cal State's page still describes its own Nonresident Tuition Exemption form, sent to the campus admissions office with an official transcript. Some campuses, like San Jose State, say students who filed the CA Dream Act Application only need to send official final transcripts. Ask your campus which it wants.
4. Watch for aid. With the CA Dream Act Application, Cal State considers you for the State University Grant automatically. You may also get a Cal Grant, the Middle Class Scholarship, campus scholarships, or a California Dream Loan (borrowed money you pay back).

Have DACA, TPS, a U visa or a T visa? Cal State lists several of these statuses as ones that may let you build California residency. Ask the campus residency office.

What should I do next?

• This fall: submit Cal State Apply during the filing period.
• By March 2, 2027: file the California Dream Act Application.
• After you are admitted: send your AB 540 paperwork and final transcripts by your campus deadline. Until the exemption is approved, the campus can bill you nonresident tuition.

Where can I get free help?

These are free. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Your high school counselor or community college transfer center.
• A Dreamer Resource Liaison at the Cal State campus. California law requires every Cal State campus to have one.
• Cash for College workshops for the CA Dream Act Application: cash4college.csac.ca.gov
• California Student Aid Commission: (888) 224-7268 or studentsupport@csac.ca.gov.

A Cal State degree is within your reach. Start your application this week.

Related questions

• How do I get the CSU tuition exemption?
• How do I fill out the UC application if I am undocumented?
• What is the difference between AB 540, the CA Dream Act and DACA?