CSU Partners with Riverside County to Launch First-Ever Direct Admission Pilot

Eligible students at every public high school in Riverside County will soon be offered direct admission even before they apply to the California State University, including Cal State East Bay. 

Qualifying high school seniors in Riverside County — those on track to meet college preparatory courses (A-G requirements) — are being offered immediate, conditional admission to 10 CSU campuses. Students will receive a brochure mailed to their home address and then use the CaliforniaColleges.edu​ platform to select their preferred CSU campuses. Official acceptance letters are to be sent directly from the universities.

“We are excited to provide a direct pathway to higher education for thousands of high school students across Riverside County,” said April Grommo, CSU assistant vice chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management. “We want students to know that the door to college opportunity is open to them, and to help relieve some of the stress and uncertainty about applying for college. Riverside County is an excellent location for this first-ever program for the CSU, as it is ethnically and economically representative of the diversity of California, and many of the students the CSU is so proud to serve.”

The 10 CSUs for direct admission in this pilot are East Bay, Channel Islands, Chico, Humboldt, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, San Bernardino, San Francisco​, San Marcos, and Sonoma. 

After direct-admitted students submit their applications, they must continue to meet the A-G requirements and graduate from high school. Once receiving official acceptance from their university of choice, students must confirm their intent to enroll by the campus deadline and complete any additional enrollment steps such as attending orientation, paying tuition fees and providing final transcripts or other documentation. Students are also encouraged to apply for financial aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) as soon as possible, and no later than the California deadline, which has historically been March 2.