California State University Fullerton B.S Computer Science 2025 intake:- fees, deadlines, entry requirements, etc.

California State University Fullerton Bachelor of Science Computer Science is a 4-year, 120-unit on-campus undergraduate degree. Indian freshmen need a 3.0 GPA (approximately 65% to 70%, or CGPA 6.5 to 7.0 on 10 for Indian applicants) plus TOEFL 61 or IELTS 5.5. Both Fall and Spring intakes accept international students, with 4-year tuition near US$ 83,048 (INR 79.15 Lakhs).

It trains graduates for California’s tech corridors, with ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation across every track. Five concentrations cover AI, Multimedia and Digital Game Technologies, Internet and Enterprise Computing, Software Engineering, and Scientific Computing. It fits Indian STEM applicants wanting a California-based degree without Ivy tuition.

• Per-unit nonresident tuition of US$ 471 (INR 44,891) lets self-paced students spread costs across five or six lower-load terms.
• STEM designation extends the standard 12-month OPT (Optional Practical Training) permit by an additional 24 months for STEM graduates.
• The Fullerton campus sits inside Orange County, within commuting range of Los Angeles-area tech employers.

Also Check: California State University Fullerton Admission 2026

California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

The California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science charges nonresident international students on a per-unit tuition model plus flat mandatory fees. The published 2026-27 undergraduate cost of attendance for nonresident students combines tuition, campus fees, and standard living expenses in Orange County.

Source: California State University Fullerton Office of Financial Aid Undergraduate Cost of Attendance 2026-27.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.31 as of August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

• Nonresident tuition is charged per unit; the published US$ 12,246 figure assumes an average full-time load of 13 units per semester across the year.
• Mandatory tuition of US$ 6,838 applies to every full-time undergraduate regardless of residency status and covers state-university system costs.
• Campus fees of US$ 1,678 fund student services, health facilities, and Titan Student Union access.
• Under-loading (fewer than 13 units per semester) proportionally trims the per-unit nonresident tuition line.

Read More: CSUF Fees Structure for Indian Students

Cost of Living in Fullerton for Computer Science Students

Orange County living costs sit above the US median, driven by rental housing. CSUF publishes off-campus estimates that Indian applicants should treat as a lower bound rather than a target.

Source: CSUF Undergraduate Cost of Attendance 2026-27, off-campus living breakdown.

Check Out: Study in USA Cost of Living Guide

ROI reality: The 4-year tuition cap of INR 79.15 Lakhs at CSUF sits well below UC-system nonresident tuition, letting Indian families front-load a first-year deposit near INR 20 Lakhs without private-loan dependency, provided living costs are shared through roommate housing near the Fullerton campus.

California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science Admission

CSUF admits international B.S. Computer Science freshmen through the Cal State Apply portal, with campus-specific supplemental review for Engineering and Computer Science majors. The programme accepts both Fall and Spring international cohorts every year.

Intakes and Deadlines for International Freshmen

CSUF runs two undergraduate intakes for international applicants. Fall is the larger cohort; Spring is smaller but useful for applicants missing the November filing window.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

Indian applicants must complete Class 12 (Higher Secondary Certificate) with a strong math and science background. CSUF applies the CSU-system minimum GPA plus its own supplemental math prerequisite for Computer Science.

The Indian percentage equivalent is an approximation only. WES (World Education Services) sets the official equivalence once the applicant uploads the Class 12 marksheet.

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Requirements

All international applicants whose secondary education was not in English must submit a valid English test score. CSUF accepts three tests at the following minimums.

Note: TOEFL iBT moved to a 1.0 to 6.0 band scale on 21 January 2026. CSUF currently lists the 0 to 120 requirement shown above; both scales are reported during the 2026 to 2028 transition. Verify the current requirement on the official admissions page before applying.

• The TOEFL 61 threshold is one of the lowest in the CSU system, giving Indian CBSE-medium applicants a wider prep runway than UC-tier requirements.
• IELTS 5.5 maps to 4 to 5 months of prep for a Class 12 student with strong reading but weak speaking, which is the typical Indian CBSE profile.
• Duolingo at 95 is the fastest option for applicants unable to secure a Chennai or Mumbai TOEFL slot before the August 2026 deadline.

CSU Fullerton is ranked in the US News Regional Universities West list rather than a subject-specific Computer Science ranking, so applicants should treat this as a strong regional teaching programme rather than a research-tier CS school.

Also Check: CSUF Ranking and Recognition

Tip for Indian students: Order the WES evaluation of your Class 12 marksheet within the first two weeks of application, since WES turnaround averages 20 business days and a delayed report is the single most common reason CSUF international files miss the deadline.

California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science Application

The application funnel for Indian freshmen runs through one portal (Cal State Apply) plus a second CSUF-specific document-upload step for I-20 issuance. There is no separate departmental application for the B.S. Computer Science.

Application Timeline for Indian Freshmen

Forward cycle dates below reflect the current CSUF filing pattern. Fall is the primary international intake.

Required Documents for International B.S. Computer Science

Assemble the full document set before starting the Cal State Apply form; incomplete files stall the I-20 issuance regardless of academic strength.

• Cal State Apply online application plus the US$ 70 (INR 6,672) non-refundable application fee.
• Official Class 12 marksheet from CBSE, ICSE, or State Board, with a WES or campus-approved credential evaluation.
• Valid TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score report, matching the minimums stated in Section 3.
• International Student Financial Statement showing liquid funds of at least US$ 49,800 (INR 47.46 Lakhs) for the first year.
• Bank statement dated within the last six months and a scanned copy of the applicant passport.
• SEVIS I-901 fee of US$ 350 (INR 33,359) paid before the F-1 visa interview.

Step-by-Step Application Flow

Indian applicants who split the workload across two months rarely miss the deadline. The finance-document loop is the slowest step.

• Create the Cal State Apply account and select California State University Fullerton as the campus of choice.
• Upload the Class 12 marksheet with the WES evaluation reference number attached.
• Submit the ELP score and pay the US$ 70 (INR 6,672) application fee.
• Await the CSUF conditional admission letter within four to six weeks after submission.
• Upload the International Student Financial Statement plus bank documentation to trigger I-20 processing.
• Book the F-1 visa slot at the nearest US consulate (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad) after the I-20 arrives.

Read More: USA F-1 Student Visa Guide for Indian Applicants

Application tip: Upload the WES evaluation and bank statement together within the same 48-hour window; splitting them across weeks is the single most common cause of I-20 delays for Indian applicants at CSUF, since the international office batches document review by application ID.

California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science Scholarships

CSUF pays out over US$ 21 million (INR 20 Crore) in scholarships and awards annually across all schools. International undergraduate B.S. Computer Science applicants are eligible for a small institutional pool plus larger external India-based awards.

CSUF Institutional Scholarships for International Students

The two named awards below are open to F-1 undergraduates. Neither publishes a fixed dollar amount; both are need and merit-based.

Amount figures marked as not published require applicants to verify at the CSUF International Students and Scholars office before assuming award value.

External India-Based Scholarships for USA Study

These awards are more valuable for the B.S. Computer Science because the CSUF institutional pool rarely covers full tuition. Indian applicants routinely stack one or two of the following.

• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation covers up to US$ 100,000 (INR 95.31 Lakhs) for undergraduate study at select US universities.
• KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad awards up to INR 10 Lakhs; note this is primarily postgraduate but occasionally lists top-up UG awards.
• JN Tata Endowment offers a loan-scholarship up to INR 10 Lakhs plus a travel grant to Indian nationals abroad.
• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship covers 50% grant plus 50% loan for full-time study; open to eligible Indian applicants.

Application Timing for CSUF Scholarships

Continuing students apply through the CSUF Scholarship Application portal each year. The application window historically opens in early January and closes on 1 March.

• New incoming international freshmen are not eligible for the internal pool during their first term; they must complete one CSUF semester with 12+ units first.
• The Abroova and Prabakar deadline is announced case-by-case; check the ISS portal in January and September each year.

Also Check: CSUF Scholarships for Indian Students

Check Out: USA Scholarships for Indian Students

Scholarship reality: Assume zero institutional funding in year one of the B.S. Computer Science and plan the full US$ 20,762 (INR 19.79 Lakhs) tuition + fees from family or external India-based funds; the CSUF internal pool is realistically accessible only from year two onwards once a 2.5+ CSUF GPA and 12+ unit load are on file.

California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science Salary and Placements

CSUF Computer Science bachelor graduates report entry salaries above the campus-wide undergraduate median. Orange County employer density (Disney Streaming, Blizzard, Kingston Technology, Broadcom) drives absorption into product engineering, QA, and cloud roles.

Reported Salary Bands for CSUF B.S. Computer Science Graduates

The figures below combine institutional College Scorecard data with median salary reports for CSUF Computer Science bachelor graduates.

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard and CSUF Institutional Research reports.

• Computer Science is the second-highest paying bachelor programme at CSUF, trailing only Registered Nursing on the starting-salary chart.
• Roughly 30% of CSUF Computer Science graduates enrol in a master programme within five years, which lifts the mid-career salary above the reported $68,000 median.
• Take-home pay is materially lower than the gross; California state income tax (up to 9.3%) and federal FICA reduce net cash. Use an OPT-friendly tax calculator to model actual monthly income.

Typical Employer Roles

OPT-eligible F-1 graduates from CSUF Computer Science typically land in one of four role families in Southern California.

• Software Development Engineer at Orange County product companies (Blizzard Entertainment, Disney Streaming, Kingston Technology).
• Cloud and DevOps Engineer at Los Angeles-based enterprises (aerospace, streaming media, fintech).
• Data Engineer or QA Automation roles at mid-sized SaaS employers within a 40-mile Fullerton radius.
• Application Developer roles inside California State agency IT departments, which recruit annually from CSUF ECS.

Read More: USA OPT and STEM Extension Guide

ROI reality: A CSUF Computer Science starting salary of US$ 63,200 (INR 60.24 Lakhs) recovers the 4-year INR 79.15 Lakhs tuition in roughly 15 to 18 months of OPT earnings after tax, but only if the graduate lands a role before the 90-day OPT unemployment clock expires.

USA Visa Pathway for California State University Fullerton B.S. Computer Science

Admitted CSUF B.S. Computer Science students apply for the F-1 Student Visa after receiving the I-20 from the CSUF International Students and Scholars office. The F-1 permits full-time study plus limited on-campus employment during the 4-year degree.

• The programme is STEM-designated, so graduates get a 12-month OPT (Optional Practical Training) permit plus a further 24-month STEM extension for a total of 36 months of post-study work in the US.
• H-1B sponsorship after OPT requires an employer petition and the annual lottery; the minimum wage floor for the H-1B is roughly US$ 60,000 (INR 57.19 Lakhs) depending on role and location.
• Permanent Residency (Green Card) through EB-2 or EB-3 employment sponsorship typically takes 6 or more years for Indian nationals due to per-country visa caps.
• Spouses and dependent children of F-1 students qualify for the F-2 dependent visa, though F-2 spouses cannot legally work in the US.
• On-campus employment is capped at 20 hours per week during the term and 40 hours during official breaks.

Read More: USA F-1 Visa Application Process

Visa reality: The 36-month OPT window (12 initial + 24 STEM) gives CSUF Computer Science graduates three H-1B lottery attempts, materially better odds than non-STEM peers who get only one shot before the OPT expires and the graduate must leave the US.