Organizer Information
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) is a public university in the California State University system. Its San Luis Obispo campus includes the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, offering undergraduate programs in areas including art and design, architecture, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, communication studies, music, theatre arts, journalism, and related disciplines. Cal Poly also offers graduate programs across its colleges.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate / Graduate
- Degrees Offered: BA / BS / BFA / BArch / BLA / MA / MS / MAgEd / MBA / MCRP / MPP
- Academic Fields: Fine Arts / Design / Architecture / Landscape Architecture / City & Regional Planning / Communication / Media / Music / Theatre / Journalism / Humanities
- Relevant Programs: Art and Design (BFA); Architecture (BArch); Landscape Architecture (BLA); City and Regional Planning (BS); Communication Studies (BA); Music (BA); Theatre Arts (BA); Journalism (BS); Graphic Communication (BS); English (BA)
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes
- Application Period: Undergraduate Fall 2027: 1 October–30 November 2026; graduate deadlines are program-specific
- Application Deadline: Undergraduate: 30 November 2026; graduate: program-specific
- Start of Studies: Fall 2027 for the current undergraduate cycle
- Application Fee: $70 per campus
- Tuition: 2026–27 international undergraduate estimated total: $68,473–$69,511, depending on college
- Funding: Cal Poly states that it does not provide financial aid to international students.
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- Cal Poly's relevant creative and design fields include Art and Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, City and Regional Planning, Communication Studies, Music, Theatre Arts, Journalism, Graphic Communication, and English. The BFA in Art and Design has three concentrations: Graphic Design, Photography and Video, and Studio Art.
- Art and Design provides studio-based study across visual art, graphic design, photography, video, and related creative practices. Architecture is a five-year BArch program, while Landscape Architecture is a five-year BLA program.
- Program-specific prior coursework can apply to transfer admission. For example, Fall 2027 Art and Design transfer applicants must complete specified English, mathematics, and major-related coursework, while Architecture transfer applicants have separate required design, technology, mathematics, physics, and general-education preparation.
General Eligibility
- Cal Poly admits first-year, transfer, and graduate applicants, including international applicants. International applicants educated outside the United States must meet country-specific academic entry requirements in addition to Cal Poly's general admission criteria.
- First-year applicants must meet Cal Poly's high-school preparation requirements. International first-year applicants must provide academic records and meet the applicable country-based entry requirements.
- Transfer admission is for upper-division applicants; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo does not accept lower-division transfer applications and normally requires applicants to enter at the junior level.
- Graduate applicants must hold at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a recognized international institution, with additional requirements varying by program.
- For Art and Design, first-year applicants must submit a portfolio. For Architecture, a portfolio is required for transfer applicants but is not required for freshman applications.
Language Requirements
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit an approved English-proficiency examination unless an applicable waiver applies.
- TOEFL: minimum 80 iBT for tests taken before 21 January 2026; minimum 4.5 under Cal Poly's newer TOEFL scale for tests taken from 21 January 2026
- IELTS: minimum 6.5
- Duolingo: minimum 115
Undergraduate applicants may qualify for a waiver based on at least three years of education in an institution where English was the language of instruction. Cal Poly also provides specified country-based automatic waivers.
Application Fee
| Applicant Category | Application Fee | Fee Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | $70 per campus | Available to eligible applicants |
| Transfer | $70 per campus | Available to eligible applicants |
| Graduate | $70 per CSU campus | Systemwide fee |
Cal Poly's published catalog identifies the nonrefundable CSU application fee as $70.
Tuition
| Study Level / Applicant Type | Published Cost | Billing Structure | Other Mandatory Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate, California resident — Liberal Arts | $14,682 tuition and fees | Academic year, 2026–27 estimate | Other living costs apply |
| Undergraduate, international — Liberal Arts | $68,473 total estimated cost | Academic year, 2026–27 estimate | $900 international student fee + $1,533 mandatory health insurance included in estimate |
| Undergraduate, international — Engineering, Architecture or Agriculture | $69,511 total estimated cost | Academic year, 2026–27 estimate | $900 international student fee + $1,533 mandatory health insurance included in estimate |
The international figures are Cal Poly's estimated annual cost of attendance, not tuition alone. The estimates include the applicable base and non-resident charges as well as the listed international fee and mandatory health insurance; housing and other cost-of-attendance components are also reflected in the total.
Funding & Financial Support
Cal Poly offers university-wide and college-based scholarships, and incoming students are automatically considered for most scholarships. However, Cal Poly's international admissions page states that financial aid is not provided to international students. International students can consult Cal Poly's International Center for information on external scholarship and financial-resource sources.
University Services & Academic Support
- Relevant support includes Career Services, academic advising, international immigration and visa advising, orientation and cross-cultural programming, and international student support. Art and Design students have access to dedicated studio, photography/video, computer and senior-studio facilities, including photography and video equipment and editing resources.
- Kennedy Library provides Special Collections and Archives research access and exhibition opportunities, while the University Art Gallery presents exhibitions involving studio art, photography/video, and graphic design.
Application Requirements
- Cal State Apply application
- Academic records/transcripts
- English-proficiency test results, unless exempt
- Required supporting documentation
- Country-specific academic credentials where applicable
International transcripts must be submitted in the original language with certified English translations. Transfer applicants with international university coursework must submit a WES international academic evaluation.
Art and Design: First-year applicants must submit a personal statement and 8–10 original creative works through the Application Status Portal. Requirements differ by concentration; Studio Art requires ten original works, while Graphic Design and Photography and Video have concentration-specific portfolio requirements.
Architecture: A digital portfolio is required for transfer applicants after they pass the university-level selection stage. It is not required for freshman applicants.
Music: Admission to the Music major requires an audition assessing musical ability.
How to Apply?
Deadline & Timeline
- Application Opens: 1 October 2026
- Undergraduate Application Closes: 30 November 2026
- Application Changes Deadline: 31 January 2027
- Art and Design Portfolio Deadline: 31 January 2027
- International Undergraduate File Completion Deadline: 15 February 2027
- Art and Design, Music and Transfer Architecture International File Deadline: 31 January 2027
- Admission Notification: 1 April 2027
- Decision Day: 1 May 2027
- Graduate Fall Application Deadline: 1 April 2027, or the earlier program-specific deadline
- Graduate Spring Application Deadline: 1 September, or the earlier program-specific deadline
Location
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo — San Luis Obispo, United States
Additional Details
- Cal Poly's current undergraduate application cycle is for Fall 2027. The university-wide admissions pages give 30 November 2026 as the undergraduate application deadline. The Art and Design department's current application page separately states 1 December, creating a discrepancy; the university Admissions deadline is used here because the Admissions Office administers the application process.
- For international applicants, financial capacity is an important enrollment condition: Cal Poly states that it does not provide financial aid to international students and advises applicants to demonstrate the ability to pay their educational expenses independently or through a sponsor.