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New Admitted Student FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for New International Students

We understand that you may have many questions about starting your program at Cal State East Bay.

If you have questions about the mode of instruction for the courses you are interested in, the class schedule page provides tips for reading the class schedule format.

International Programs staff will hold virtual pre-departure orientations to prepare students admitted for the latest intake. 

Please also see our Admitted Student Checklist, as well as the orientation page and mandatory immigration check-in information for those who will be in the U.S. at the start of term.

New F-1 Initial I-20 Students and Travel to the United States

New Initial Students:

New students coming on an Initial Attendance I-20 may arrive up to 30 days from your Program Start Date. This date is listed on your I-20. 

New Transfer Students:

New students transferring from another institution may arrive - or stay - in the U.S. at any time before their program start date. Please note that if you have travelled outside of the U.S. prior to the beginning of the semester, you will need your I-20 for travel by our DSO. In addition you will need to have valid F-1 visa for re-entry, unless you are a Canadian citizen or if you travelled to a border country and Automatic Revalidation applies.

 

 

Once you arrive to the U.S., or complete your transfer in process, please check in with our DSO about the next steps. You should have received an email about enrollment, our upcoming orientation, and other information about beginning your academic program with us. Please reach out if you have any questions by emailing cie@csueastbay.edu.

We're excited to meet you! Please visit our Orientation Page for details.

We understand that there continue to be many hurdles for students in obtaining F-1 student visas due to challenges beyond anyone’s control.  Students are expected to arrive in the United States prior to August 19, 2025.  Arrival beyond that date is at the discretion of the U.S. Custom and Border Protection. 

Deferral of Admission

If you are not able to attend for the semester in which you originally applied, you must reapply to another term. 

Transferring to Cal State East Bay from an institution in the United States

F-1 international students currently in the U.S. at another SEVP certified institution can request to transfer their current I-20 to Cal State East Bay. Please check with your current DSO about the steps to transfer your I-20. You may also visit Study in the States Complete Transfer of F-1 SEVIS Record page for a more detailed explanation.

To transfer your SEVIS Record to Cal State East Bay, F-1 international students would need to provide our admissions letter to your current DSO and complete their internal process. Your DSO may need our current school code (SFR214F00137000). 

For more information, please see our SEVIS Record Transfer page. 

Class Registration

Submit official documents to the International Admissions Office as follows: 

  • By Mail/Courier: Send to the International Admissions Office, Cal State East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., SF102, Hayward, CA 94542.
  • Electronic Transcripts/Mark Sheets and Degree Certificates: Cal State East Bay accepts electronic transcripts from schools/colleges that partner with Parchment/Credential Solutions, Naviance, National Student Clearinghouse, and for some California Community Colleges, eTranscript CA.
    If your school is using a different electronic transcript platform, please request for the electronic transcript to be sent to IAOoffdocuments@csueastbay.edu.
  • In Person Drop Off: Hand-delivered in a sealed envelope from the institution to Cal State East Bay’s International Admissions Office located in the Student and Faculty Support building on the Hayward Campus in SF102. 
Your provisional admission will not be cleared until you meet all university requirements.  

Yes! Students who will be taking classes from inside the U.S. must maintain adequate health insurance coverage during their period of enrollment in the California State University System. For international students who are enrolled online and are verifiably out of the country, this provision may be waived.

Please see our Health Insurance webpage to enroll in Health Insurance or to request a waiver.

After you have accepted your offer of admission and cleared all registration holds and to-do list items:

  • Undergraduate first-year (freshman) students seeking bachelor degrees can email advising@csueastbay.edu for advising and class selection.
  • Transfer Students please contact your major department for major advising. For GE advising you can contact advising@csueastbay.edu.
  • Graduate students seeking master's degrees: Contact your graduate department coordinator for assistance selecting your classes if needed.

F-1 international students may count one class or 3 units towards their full course load. Hybrid classes count as an in person course. 

If you have any concerns about online enrollment and class availability, please reach out to our F-1 advisors. 

Employment Eligibility

F-1 international students who are maintaining F-1 status may be employed via:

Cal State East Bay Tuition and Fees

Tuition and Fees for California State University, East Bay are set by the Board of Trustees of the California State University on an annual basis. Information about tuition and fees can be found https://www.csueastbay.edu/student-financial-services/index.html  If you have any questions about tuition and fees, please address them to studentfinance@csueastbay.edu 

 

Last Updated November 21, 2025

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