After you are admitted to
CSU San Marcos, but
before you enroll in classes, there are a number of requirements you must
meet. Please be sure you understand these requirements and be prepared to
fulfill them when you arrive on campus.
Required Tests
All 23 campuses of the California State University
system require new undergraduate students to be tested in English and mathematics as soon as
possible after they are admitted and before enrollment. These are not
admissions tests, but a way to determine whether students are prepared for
college work.
The two tests, The English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry Level
Mathematics Exam (ELM) are given several times a year on each campus.
Ideally, a new student should take these tests at least four weeks prior to the
beginning of a semester to allow sufficient time for it to be scored.
New undergraduate international students coming to the United States to begin their
studies at CSU San Marcos should be aware that they will not be permitted to
enroll in classes if they have not taken these tests.
This creates serious problems for students who arrive in the U.S. only a few
weeks or days prior to the beginning of the semester. They may have to
travel a long distance to another CSU campus to take the test if one is not
being given at CSU San Marcos after they arrive but before classes begin.
Therefore, international students who are required to take the ELM/EPT must plan
to arrive in San Marcos early enough to take the last scheduled test prior to
enrollment. For those entering in the fall semester, this generally means
arrival by the first week of August.
All newly admitted students will be notified of the test dates at the time of
their admission.
Students who do not pass these tests are given two semesters to meet the
proficiency requirements. They do this by taking and passing with a grade
of "C" or better a designated remedial course.
International students transferring to
CSU San Marcos from California
Community Colleges may be exempt from the EPT/ELM requirement if they have
completed courses that meet the requirement. These students should check
with the Office of Admissions to determine their status.
Exemptions to the EPT are given only to students who present proof of one of
the following:
- A score of 550 or above on the Verbal section of the SAT I Reason Test
- A score of 680 or above on the Writing Test of the SAT II
- A score of 24 or above on the ACT English Test
Exemptions to the ELM are given only to students who present proof of one of
the following:
- A score of 550 or above on the Mathematics section of the SAT I Reasoning
Test or on the SAT II Mathematics Tests Level I, IC, II or IIC.
- A score of 23 or above on the ACT Mathematics Test
Medical Tests and Vaccinations
All students must show proof of vaccination against Mumps, Measles, and
Rubella. Students admitted to the University will be sent a medical form, which they
can have completed by their physician before coming to the United States. If a student arrives without proof of
vaccination against Mumps, Measles, and Rubella they are given one semester to obtain
proof. They cannot enroll for the second semester without receiving these vaccinations.
International students must be tested for Tuberculosis in the six-month period prior to entering the United States,
or within one year prior to entering the University if they have been living in the United
States. If an international student arrives without proof of a Tuberculosis test, they
will be required to be tested by the CSU San Marcos Health Center upon arrival. Any student who tests
positive for Tuberculosis will be required to have an x-ray, and if this
indicates active Tuberculosis the student will be required to take prescribed
medication. A student who does not comply with these regulations will not
be permitted to enroll.
Medical Insurance
As a condition for receiving an I-20, all F-1 visa applicants must agree to obtain and
maintain medical insurance for the duration of their student status. The California
State University system requires that health insurance policies conform to the following
conditions:
- The policy must be valid for each entire semester of enrollment;
- The medical benefit must be for at least $250,000 per illness or injury;
- The maximum deductible can be no more than $100 per illness or injury;
- The repatriation benefit must be at least $7,500;
- The medical evacuation benefit must be at least $10,000;
CSU San Marcos offers a policy that provides the required coverage, which includes
access to student health
services on campus. The cost of
this coverage is $710 for a year. Application forms are available from the Office of
Global Education or from the
International Admissions Office.
Students who wish to purchase health insurance independently or who have health
insurance coverage from their home country must provide a copy of the policy in English
showing that the policy meets all of the above-stated criteria.
International students will not be permitted to register
without proof of health insurance.
Tuition Requirement
California law requires all nonresident students (which includes all
international students on F-1 and J-1 visas) to pay tuition in addition
to the State University Fee paid by all students. Tuition is payment
for the cost of instruction, which California residents are not required
to pay. The nonresident tuition fee is $339 per credit unit.
Tuition requirements and regulations apply to all nonresident students,
whether they come from another state in the U.S. of from another country.
Under certain circumstances, some international students who are on visas other
than F-1 or J-1 (e.g., H-4) may qualify for resident status after a certain
period of time in the state. Please check with the Office of Global
Education to determine if you are eligible for resident status.
Refund of Tuition Policy
International students should pay special attention to the refund policy
governing nonresident tuition. That policy states that if nonresident
students drop a class
during the add/drop period at the beginning of each semester they will receive a full refund
of the tuition paid for those credit units. However, if a class is dropped
after the end of the add/drop period there will be no
refund of any portion of the nonresident tuition.
If nonresident students drop all classes and
withdraw from the university after the add/drop period, but no later than
the 60% point in the academic year, they will receive a pro-rated refund
of tuition and fees based on the date of withdrawal.
Therefore, it is very important for an international student
to drop a class that they are no longer interested in taking
within the add/drop period.
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