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Office of Graduate Studies Academic Affairs

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Newly Admitted Students

Congratulations on Your Admission to Sac State!

This is an exciting time and we wish you the best of luck in your academic career!

On this page you will find a wealth of resources to help you in your transition to studying at Sac State, including information on the campus and programs, as well as the Sacramento area and all that it has to offer.

Intent to Enroll (ITE)

Newly admitted graduate students have two weeks to Intent To Enroll (ITE).

You have two weeks from the receipt of your admission email from the office of graduate studies to accept your intent to enroll.

You must indicate your intent to enroll my logging into your MySacState Student Center via my.csus.edu and clicking on the “Application Status” link located under the “Admissions” expandable section of your Student Center.

Please be aware that Sacramento State does not defer admission. Failure to respond by your Intent to Enroll deadline date may result in your admission being rescinded.

If you have questions and/or need more information, please email grad_admissions@csus.edu.

Click here for an Intent to Enroll Guide

Registration Appointments

  • New Graduate students registration for Spring 2025 opens on TBA.
  • Returning Graduate Students registration for Spring 2025 begins on Monday, November 18, 2024. Registration appointments will be viewable in the Student Center on November 8, 2024.

Important Dates

  • January 20, 2025: Enrollment closes for everyone as waitlist are removed & rosters finalized
  • January 21, 2025: Spring 2025 Instruction Begins Late registration and change of schedule resumes up to census date.
  • January 21-31: Spring 2025 Late Registration and Schedule Adjustment
  • February 1-17, 2025: Spring 2025 Late Registration and Change of Schedule done by electronic form via OnBase
  • February 17, 2025: Spring 2025 census date. Enrollment locks
  • March 31, 2025: Cesar Chavez Birthday Observed (Holiday Campus Closed)
  • May 12-16, 2025: Finals Week
Click here for the full Academic Calendar

Conditional Admission

Applicants may be admitted to a graduate degree program in a Conditionally Classified status if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, any deficiencies in their qualification for the program may be remedied by additional preparation.

If admitted as Conditionally Classified, the student will be notified of the specific conditions to be met and must fulfill these conditions before being fully classified in their program and advancing to candidacy for their degree.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact us.

Mandatory Deadlines

Payment Deadlines

The deadline to pay Tuition Fees is based upon the day when you register for your first class.

Other information regarding fees and deadlines, as well as payment options, may be found on the Bursar's Office website.

Transcript Deadlines

Letters will be sent out to students via email who have not yet submitted their final transcript showing the awarding of their degree.

Transcripts can be sent electronically to gradtranscripts@csus.edu or via mail to:

Office of Graduate Studies
California State University, Sacramento
Riverfront Center, Room 215, MS 6112
6000 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95819

Spring 2025

In order to complete your admission file at Sacramento State, the Office of Graduate Studies must receive the following no later than January 15, 2025:

  • Students admitted to a Credential, Master’s or the Physical Therapy Program, please submit your official baccalaureate degree conferral transcript.
  • Students admitted to the Education Doctorate or the Joint Public History Ph.D. Program, please submit your official master’s degree conferral transcript.

If you are completing your bachelor’s or master’s degree this Fall we must receive a Degree Verification from your university’s Office of Registrar by January 15, 2025. You must also request your final degree transcript for your file to be complete.

Please note that your degree conferral/award date must be prior to January 21, 2025. Participation or completion of course(s) date is not the same as a conferral/award date.

Your admission to the university may be rescinded if an Official Transcript with the conferral date of the Baccalaureate or Master’s Degree is not submitted to our office by January 15, 2025.

A Financial Aid hold will be placed on your record and will only be removed when our office receives your final transcript with the conferral of your baccalaureate degree. If you have applied for, and are eligible for, financial aid, you will be responsible for tuition and fees payments if the financial aid hold is not removed.

Additionally, a registration and transcript hold will be placed on your record, and you will not be eligible to register for future terms if your official degree conferral transcript is not received by January 15, 2025. In addition, a registration hold will be placed on your record for Fall 2025 if any official transcripts have not been received.

Spring Instruction Begins January 21, 2025

Census is February 17, 2025

New Graduate Student Orientation Registration

Orientation is a fun, informative event that lasts about 120 minutes and is hosted via Zoom.

For Spring 2025 admits, we will be offering two New Graduate Student orientation sessions. Students are required to attend one of the following sessions:

  • New Graduate Student Orientation, Session 1: Thursday, January 9, 2025 (5:00PM - 7:00PM)
  • New Graduate Student Orientation, Session 2: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 (5:00PM - 7:00PM)

The Office of Graduate Studies New Student Orientation is offered via Zoom and designed to introduce our graduate students to the campus as well as provide them with information, processes, and deadlines that are specific to Graduate Studies.

While returning graduate students (i.e. students who have started/completed a graduate-level program in the last year at Sac State) are not required to attend an Office of Graduate Studies orientation, we strongly encourage their attendance in order to receive the most up-to-date information since their last attendance at Sac State.

Note: Students who earned their Bachelor's degree from Sacramento State are not considered returning graduate students.

Dates and Deadlines:

  • Spring 2025 New Student Orientation registration opens Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 9:00AM
  • Spring 2025 New Student Orientation registration deadline, registration will close on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 3:15PM

Please be aware that students are required to attend an Office of Graduate Studies orientation session in addition to the orientation session(s) your specific degree program may require. Regularly check your Sac State and personal email for communications from both your graduate program and, the Office of Graduate Studies.

Following orientation, students will be enrolled in Hornet Grad School Success (a self-paced Canvas course) where during the first semester they can complete modules to enhance their academic, social, and professional experience as they begin their journey in graduate education.

New Student Orientation (Hornet Grad School Success)

Please Note: These orientations are for Master's & Doctoral Degree students only.

During the orientation, the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) reviews important information such as:

  • Campus Resources;
  • Health & Wellness;
  • Career Exploration;
  • Graduate Milestones;
  • Classification;
  • Advancement to Candidacy;
  • Petition for Exceptions;
  • Academic Standing;
  • Grade Appeals;
  • Important deadlines;
  • Grants/fellowship; and more. Master’s degree seeking students.

Graduate Student Orientation or what we refer to as Hornet Grad School Success offers new graduate students a social and academic overview of graduate studies here at Sacramento State. The Graduate Resource Center designed Hornet Grad School Success as a component with two segments: a directed presentation with Graduate Studies staff (the New Graduate Student Orientation), followed by an online self-paced program (the Hornet Grad School Success Canvas course) designed to help new students prepare for graduate school and become familiar with the various university services available to graduate students.

If you have any question(s), please contact the Office of Graduate Studies by following the Contact Us portion of this page.

Life In Sacramento

California's capital university is in the heart of the state's political, economic, and cultural center. Our students come here to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others, to find and develop their passions, and to live those passions beyond the classroom.

Beyond campus, Sacramento – the nation's "Farm to Fork" capital – is home to a one-of-a-kind gastronomic scene, prominent professional sports franchises, a vibrant arts and music culture, and exciting nightlife. Natural amenities on and off campus offer outdoor adventures of every sort: Biking and hiking trails, rivers, lakes, and mountains make up the city's backyard.

Housing

  • On-Campus: On-Campus housing for Graduate students is available at the American River Courtyard. This residence hall is intended for sophomores, juniors, seniors, transfer, international and graduate students, in an apartment-style suite setting. Suites are completely furnished with a shared common living area and include two full bathrooms.
    Additional On-Campus housing is available at Hornet Commons. Residents will lease individually by-the-bed and will share the common area, living/dining room, bathroom and kitchen with their roommates. Hornet Commons is intended for sophomore, junior, senior, transfer, international and graduate students.
  • Off-Campus Housing: The Upper Eastside Lofts are a University-owned off-campus housing option, within walking distance of campus. A Hornet shuttle is also available for rides to and from campus. The staff at the Upper Eastside Lofts work hand-in-hand with the on-campus housing staff to provide an excellent off-campus experience while maintaining strong ties to the campus community.

There are also many other rentals available in the surrounding area, that can be found using sites like Apartments.com, Zillow, ApartmentList.com, HotPads,or RentCafe.

University Housing Services - North Village

Parking & Transportation

  • On-Campus: Parking is available on-campus, by permit only. Daily, weekly and semester permits may be purchased from University Transportation & Parking Services (UTAPS). Please note that parking permits are required. Sac State is also bicycle friendly! With bicycle pathways throughout campus and a foot/bicycle bridge connecting to residential areas on the other side of the American River, as well as several on-campus bicycle parking compounds, commuting to campus by bicycle is a viable option.
  • Off-Campus: The Sacramento Regional Transit District operates a network of public transportation options that cover the entire Sacramento metropolitan area, including 80 bus routes and 27 miles of light rail.

Traffic

Traffic in the Sacramento area can get quite congested and a trip during peak commuting times can take much longer than anticipated. If you are planning to commute to campus by car, you can check local traffic reports to keep updated on the current traffic flows.

Dining

  • On Campus: There are many dining options open on campus, from the residence halls to the Riverfront Center and even in the University Union. A directory of available dining can be found on the Dining Services website.
  • Off-Campus: The area around Sac State also has a variety of dining options available. Show your One Card at certain eateries for a discount!