Admitted Returning Graduate Students

Ask your college or university to send your final, official transcripts to the CSUN Office of the Registrar on your college's official letterhead. Transcripts may be sent directly from your school, electronically or via sealed envelope.

Your final transcripts are used to verify that you have completed the course work you indicated as work-in-progress on any preliminary transcripts. You can check for missing transcripts and other incomplete tasks in your CSUN Portal Checklist (login required).

How to Send Transcripts

Electronic Transcripts:

• When ordering your school's electronic transcripts, choose "CSU Northridge" as the recipient. If this option is not available, use registrar@csun.edu as the recipient email address.
• To send California Community College transcripts, save time with eTranscript California.
• Please do not send identical, duplicate paper and electronic transcripts.

Paper Transcripts:

If your college doesn’t offer electronic transcripts, have paper transcripts sent to the address below in sealed, unopened envelopes:

California State University, Northridge 
Office of the Registrar
18111 Nordhoff Street 
Northridge, CA 91330-8207 

You may also hand deliver transcripts in sealed, unopened envelopes to the Office of Admissions in Bayramian Hall (BH) Room 160 during office hours.

Transcripts are not required if:

• If you were previously disqualified and have only taken courses in CSUN’s Tseng College since your disqualification.
• If you are a returning student in good academic standing who has not taken courses elsewhere since your last attendance at CSUN.

NOTE: If you attended CSUN before 1992 and submitted official transcripts for transfer courses at that time, you must submit new transfer course transcripts.

Start Planning Early

• Before making a plan to finance your education, review CSUN's estimated cost of attendance, which includes basic tuition and fees, books, housing, transportation and personal expenses.
• By combining grants, loans, scholarships, part-time employment, savings and contributions from your family, a college education at CSUN is affordable. With much of the grant and scholarship aid eligibility based on FAFSA need, it’s important to start planning early.
• The CSUN Financial Aid & Scholarship Department has prepared a list of resources for special groups, including graduate students.

For additional information on financing your education, contact the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department. Visit the Student Financial Services website for the latest on tuition and fees.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

To be considered for federal financial aid, as well as state aid for California residents, you’ll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

Federal and state financial aid include resources such as grants, part-time job opportunities and student loans for eligible students. Learn more about types of aid at Financial Aid Basics.

Important Deadlines

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) as soon as possible.

• FAFSA tip: Use the IRS data retrieval option to reduce errors and list CSUN's federal school code 001153 on your FAFSA.

• The FAFSA application is available in early December for the coming 2025-2026 academic year.

• File your FAFSA by March 3 for priority consideration and the best opportunities in the 2025-2026 academic year for California.

• California residents must also file FAFSA or CADAA by March 3 to be considered for a State University Grant in 2025-2026.

How to Apply for CSUN Scholarships

To apply for institutional scholarships, log in to myMatador Scholarships with your CSUN user ID and password. You will see the list of scholarships including eligibility and application requirements for each one. Please note that each CSUN scholarship requires a separate application and essay.

Students awarded CSUN scholarships will be notified in late May.

Log in to your CSUN Portal for updates on your application and award status. Visit CSUN on-campus scholarships for additional scholarship opportunities posted throughout the year.

How to Apply for External Scholarships

In addition to the scholarships available through CSUN, a number of external companies and organizations offer scholarships each year. To maximize external scholarship possibilities,  apply for as many relevant scholarships as possible.

To learn more about external scholarships, visit our off-campus scholarships website.

Guidelines for Financial Aid and Scholarships

Based on available funding, financial aid and scholarship applications are reviewed and aid is awarded throughout the year.

Log in to the CSUN Portal to view your Financial Aid awards. For navigation help, visit Financial Aid How To Guides.

If registered for classes and your aid is available, University Cash Services will apply financial aid funds to any charges on your account and issue refunds for any remaining amount. University Cash Services will send you an email once your funds have disbursed.

To receive your refund via direct deposit, sign up for eRefund by early August.

Before enrolling in classes, we suggest scheduling an appointment for academic advisement with your graduate program coordinator, whose name and contact information are available for your program at the links below:

• CSUN Credential Programs 
• Master's Degree Programs
• Doctoral Programs

If you are a member of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, you will be advised by both your graduate program coordinator and CSUN’s NCOD: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.

Ask your program coordinator about any requirements to attain graduate student classified status.

To prepare for your advisement meeting, it's a good idea to check out the Graduate Student Handbook, too.

Look for your registration appointment in your CSUN Portal Checklist. Clear any registration holds before enrolling.

Learn about self-service registration with these resources:

• CSUN Portal Checklist Guide
• How to Guides
• Registration Calendar
• Registration Guide
• View Registration Holds

Tuition and other fees are due at the time you register, but no later than the deadline, about one week before weekday classes begin. Find the exact deadline by semester at payment due dates.

How to Pay Your Fees

1. Log in to the CSUN Portal.
2. In the list of links below the Top Tools icons, select Make a Payment.
3. On the Student Account Information page, review your Current Balance Outstanding.
4. Select the CSUN Payment button.

For additional information, visit the Student Finance and University Cash Services website.

Please be aware of the student disclosure regarding the Schedule of Tuition and Other Fees.

So that we can keep in contact, please:

• Check your CSUN email often for the latest information.
• Verify your mailing address, phone number, alternate email address, emergency contacts and preferred pronouns in the CSUN Portal. Learn how at Update Personal Information. 

Best wishes for your return to CSUN!

The Office of Graduate Studies organizes special events that promote graduate student academic success, such as:

• Advancement to Graduate Education Conference (AGE)
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) Workshops
• New Graduate Student Orientation*
• Student Success Series

Graduate Studies also encourages research and scholarship by funding several awards and programs for masters and doctoral students. Learn more at Funding Programs.

*Attend New Graduate Student Orientation, designed by Graduate Studies to increase your awareness of special events, financial opportunities and academic policies pertaining to graduate programs.

• Graduate Student Orientation is held before the fall semester begins.
• You may also review the online slide presentation anytime during your first semester.

Be sure to check out the dozens of opportunities offered to current student through the Graduate Resource and Academic Development (GRAD) Center.