CHAPTER 4. Admissions [66201. - 66209.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 4.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66201. Section 66201.

It is the intent of the Legislature that each resident of California who has the capacity and motivation to benefit from higher education should have the opportunity to enroll in an institution of higher education. Once enrolled, each individual should have the opportunity to continue as long and as far as his or her capacity and motivation, as indicated by academic performance and commitment to educational advancement, will lead him or her to meet academic standards and institutional requirements. The Legislature hereby reaffirms the commitment of the State of California to provide an appropriate place in California public higher education for every student who is willing and able to benefit from attendance.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66201.5. Section 66201.5.

It is the intent of the Legislature that both the University of California and the California State University shall seek to maintain an undergraduate student population composed of a ratio of lower division to upper division students of 40 to 60 percent. Consistent with Section 66201, it is the intent of the Legislature that the University of California and the California State University reach and maintain this goal by instituting programs and policies that seek to increase the number of transfer students rather than by denying places to eligible freshmen applicants.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66201.7. Section 66201.7.

The Regents of the University of California are requested to, and the Trustees of the California State University shall, require each campus in their respective systems to develop a process through which a student admitted to full-time undergraduate status may apply to defer his or her enrollment for up to one academic year. The decision as to whether to grant the deferral of the enrollment may be made, at the discretion of the affected university, on a case-by-case basis.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66202. Section 66202.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the following categories be followed, insofar as practicable in the following numerical order, for the purpose of enrollment planning and admission priority practice at the undergraduate resident student level for the California State University and the University of California: (1) Continuing undergraduate students in good standing. (2) California Community College transfer students who have successfully concluded a course of study in an approved transfer agreement program. (3) Other California Community College students who have met all of the requirements for transfer. As stated in legislative findings, the transfer function plays a key role in meeting the state’s goals of educational equity. Therefore, the Board of Regents of the University of California and the Board of Trustees of the California State University shall declare as policy for this paragraph and paragraph (2) of this subdivision that students who are eligible to transfer and who are from historically underrepresented groups or economically disadvantaged families shall be given preference, to the fullest extent possible under state and federal law, statutes, and regulations, in transfer admissions decisions, and shall design policies in conformity with state and federal statutes and regulations intended to facilitate their success in achieving transfer. (4) Other qualified transfer students. (5) California residents entering at the freshman or sophomore levels. (b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that within each of the preceding enrollment categories, the following groups of applicants receive priority consideration in admissions practice in the following order: (1) Residents of California who are recently released veterans of the armed forces of the United States. (2) Transfers from California public community colleges. (3) Applicants who have been previously enrolled at the campus to which they are applying, provided they left this institution in good standing. (4) Applicants who have a degree or credential objective that is not generally offered at other public institutions of higher learning within California. (5) Applicants for whom the distance involved in attending another institution would create financial or other hardships. (c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that those veterans referred to in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) who were enrolled in good standing at a campus of the University of California or at one of the California State Universities prior to military service receive priority over other veterans recently released from military service.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66202.5. Section 66202.5.

The State of California reaffirms its historic commitment to ensure adequate resources to support enrollment growth, within the systemwide academic and individual campus plans to accommodate eligible California freshmen applicants and eligible California Community College transfer students, as specified in Sections 66202 and 66730. The University of California and the California State University are expected to plan that adequate spaces are available to accommodate all California resident students who are eligible and likely to apply to attend an appropriate place within the system. The State of California likewise reaffirms its historic commitment to ensure that resources are provided to make this expansion possible, and shall commit resources to ensure that students from enrollment categories designated in subdivision (a) of Section 66202 are accommodated in a place within the system. In addition, transfer students from paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 66202, shall be accommodated at the campus or major of choice specified in the redirection agreement, the approved transfer program or written agreements, unless these majors have been declared “impacted.” For impacted majors, students shall be given the opportunity to have access to the major when spaces become available, and new freshmen shall be admitted to the major in a controlled manner to ensure that all transfer students described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 66202 have an equitable chance of being accommodated. It is the intent of the Legislature to fund programs designed to accomplish the purposes of this subdivision through appropriations made in the Budget Act to the public institutions of higher education, and the annual Budget shall contain appropriations necessary to accommodate all students from all of the categories designated in subdivision (a) of Section 66202. The segments may, in implementing these enrollment plans and admissions practice priorities, consider the overall needs of students in maintaining a balanced program and a quality curriculum, and are expected to consider the state’s goals of educational equity and racial and ethnic diversity of students and faculty in the planning and management of their admissions practices. It is further the intent of the Legislature that campus enrollment planning processes provide for the equitable treatment of the following: (1) all eligible entering freshmen; (2) continuing students in good standing; and (3) eligible community college transfer students with regard to accommodation in majors.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66203. Section 66203.

The California State University and the University of California shall keep a record of the applicants denied admission and develop and utilize an information collection system which indicates the number of qualified applicants who could not be accommodated at their campus of first choice and were redirected to campuses of alternate choice and the number of qualified redirected applicants who declined an offer of admission to an alternate campus.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66204. Section 66204.

(a) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall assist all school districts to ensure that all public high school pupils have access to a core curriculum that meets the admission requirements of the University of California and the California State University. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall advise school districts that maintain high schools about the importance of making readily available to each high school pupil the current list of courses offered by the school attended by that pupil that are certified by the University of California as meeting admissions requirements. It is the intent of the Legislature that each public high school shall provide the full precollegiate program, provide adequate course sections in precollegiate programs to accommodate all its pupils, and regularly counsel pupils to enter those programs and courses. There shall be no policy or practice in any public elementary or secondary school of directing, especially for cultural or linguistic reasons, any pupil in kindergarten or any of the grades 1 to 12, inclusive, away from choosing programs that prepare that pupil academically for college. (b) The University of California is requested to assist each school district that maintains a high school in order to ensure all of the following: (1) School districts understand the process by which courses are submitted to the University of California to be reviewed and certified as meeting admission requirement criteria. (2) School districts have an internal process for developing courses and submitting courses for review and certification by the University of California in order to meet admission requirement criteria. (3) School districts maintain accurate lists of courses that are currently offered by the high schools and are certified by the University of California as meeting admission requirement criteria. (4) Updated lists described in paragraph (3) are readily made available by the school districts to each high school pupil and a copy of that list is annually provided to each high school pupil. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the public and independent institutions of higher education participate in programs that assist those in elementary and secondary education in meeting their responsibilities in preparing students for college.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205. Section 66205.

(a) In determining the standards and criteria for undergraduate and graduate admissions to the University of California and the California State University, it is the intent of the Legislature that the governing boards do all of the following: (1) Develop processes which strive to be fair and are easily understandable. (2) Consider the use of criteria and procedures that allow students to enroll who are otherwise fully eligible and admissible but who have course deficiencies due to circumstances beyond their control, and, when appropriate, provide that the admission requires the student to make up the deficiency. (3) Consult broadly with California’s diverse ethnic and cultural communities. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the University of California and the California State University, pursuant to Section 66201.5, seek to enroll a student body that meets high academic standards and reflects the cultural, racial, geographic, economic, and social diversity of California.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205.5. Section 66205.5.

(a) The California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, on or after October 1, 2025, begin work on all of the following: (1) (A) Establishing a model uniform set of academic standards for high school courses and college-level coursework taken for credit at a California public college or university by pupils simultaneously enrolled in high school, including career technical education courses pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 51220, for the purposes of recognition for admission to the California State University and to the University of California, respectively. In developing the model academic standards, the faculty of the postsecondary segments may work in consultation with administrators and faculty from schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Participating schools that maintain kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall consult with an advisory group that shall include, but need not be limited to, representatives from all of the following: (i) The University of California and the California State University. (ii) Business and industry, related to career technical programs in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. (iii) Classroom teachers in career technical education. (iv) School administrators. (v) Parents. (B) It is the intent of the Legislature that the model academic standards provide clarity as to their applicability to a given course to ensure suitability for electronic transmission of coursework to and between California’s public education systems and CaliforniaColleges.edu. (C) It is the intent of the Legislature that high school pupils and individuals enrolled in adult education programs who are also enrolled in transfer-level community college courses for which they receive credit have those courses recognized for admissions purposes by the California State University and University of California. (2) Developing and implementing a speedy process whereby high schools may obtain approval of their courses to satisfy specified admissions requirements of the California State University and the University of California, respectively, by January 1, 2006. The approval process shall, by August 1 of each school year, notify applying schools whether the application for approval has been approved or denied. (3) Developing a simple procedure to evaluate a career technical education course submitted by a high school that identifies it as a duplicate of a course offered by another high school that is approved by and satisfies the admissions criteria of the California State University or the University of California. The procedure shall ensure that a duplicated course shall be approved as satisfying the admissions criteria of the California State University or the University of California, respectively, to the same extent as the original course if the review determines that the course successfully duplicates the content and requirements of the original course. If a course is not approved as a duplicate, the California State University or the University of California shall inform the applicant high school of the reasons why the course was not approved and shall provide the applicant with a specific list of requirements that the course must meet in order to be approved as a duplicate. In the event an applicant high school, whose course was not approved as a duplicate, revises the course and resubmits its application, the California State University or the University of California shall respond as expeditiously as possible so that if the course meets the necessary requirements for approval it may be offered in the next fall term. (4) Taking into consideration any previous work completed or policies adopted regarding matters related to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, by the California State University or the University of California, respectively. (5) Developing guidelines for high school computer science courses that may be approved for the purposes of recognition for admission, as provided in paragraph (1). For computer science courses determined to satisfy mathematics subject area requirements, the University of California is encouraged to ensure that these courses build upon fundamental mathematics content provided in courses that satisfy the requirements of subdivision (b). (6) Posting on its internet website the model uniform set of academic standards for the purpose of recognition for admission to the California State University and the University of California developed pursuant to paragraph (1). (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the academic standards for a high school course, adopted pursuant to and for purposes outlined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), are aligned with the standards developed pursuant to Section 60605.8. (c) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall post on its internet website the model uniform set of academic standards for college-level coursework taken for credit at a California public college or university for the purposes of recognition for admission to the California State University and the University of California developed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205.6. Section 66205.6.

(a) Subject to availability of funds in the annual Budget Act, the availability of federal or private funds, or any combination thereof, the Regents of the University of California are requested to establish and maintain the University of California Curriculum Integration Institute (UCCII) to be administered by the President of the University of California. The Institute shall accomplish all of the following: (1) Facilitate statewide collaboration and innovation among secondary level teachers, faculty, and instructors from various disciplines from the University of California, the California State University, the California Community Colleges, private higher education institutions, and statewide career technical education associations in providing California pupils career-oriented, integrated academic and technical education content in a manner that provides pupils with opportunities to experience the application of subject matter content within high-priority industry sectors among those identified in the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards as adopted by the state board. (2) Develop, disseminate, and promote career-oriented, integrated academic and technical education courses that meet course requirements for admission to the University of California and the California State University, and align with high-priority industry sectors among those identified in the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards as adopted by the state board. (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the President of the University of California shall determine the priority among the industry sectors in consultation with, but not limited to, educators, industry leaders, representatives of organized labor, and appropriate state entities. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Regents of the University of California are requested to establish procedures and forms to administer the institute only if the regents, by resolution, make these provisions applicable.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205.7. Section 66205.7.

The California State University and the University of California are requested to carry out all of the following responsibilities: (a) If the department or another state agency develops a model career technical education curriculum that integrates academic and technical knowledge and skills, designate qualified representatives to offer their expertise in the development and establishment of that curriculum. This model curriculum shall incorporate provisions of the curriculum developed pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 51220, as appropriate. (b) If a school district or other local educational agency with schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, offers students an integrated model curriculum developed pursuant to subdivision (a), designate qualified representatives to offer their expertise to teachers and administrators in the delivery of that curriculum. School districts or other local educational agencies are also encouraged to seek the expertise of an advisory group that may include representatives from all of the following: (1) Business and industry, related to career technical programs in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. (2) Classroom teachers in career technical education. (3) School administrators. (4) The California State University and the University of California. (5) Parents. (c) On or before July 1, 2011, develop an online resource that lists the academic and technical courses offered at each of the 109 community colleges in this state that, when completed by high school students, satisfy one of the subject area requirements of the “a-g” admission requirements of the University of California, and link this information to the career technical education Web site pages created in accordance with Section 52499.66. (d) On or before July 1, 2011, develop an online resource that posts the existence and terms of agreements made between local high schools and individual university campuses that grant university credit or advanced standing to students who complete specified high school pathway programs to study, and link this information to the career technical education Web site pages created in accordance with Section 52499.66.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205.8. Section 66205.8.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on or before January 1, 2014, the Trustees of the California State University shall develop and implement a procedure for allowing a student to satisfy a general elective course requirement for purposes of admission to the California State University by completing a high school career technical education course that meets either of the following: (1) Criteria adopted pursuant to subdivision (b). (2) Model uniform academic standards for career technical education courses adopted pursuant to Section 66205.5. (b) (1) The Trustees of the California State University, in consultation with the State Department of Education and in accordance with paragraph (2), shall adopt criteria for the purpose of recognizing career technical education courses adopted pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 51220 that satisfy the completion of general elective course requirements for admission to the university. (2) (A) The criteria shall be based on the model curriculum standards established pursuant to Section 51226 and any additional criteria that faculty members of the California State University identify as necessary to prepare students for success in coursework unique to a specific major or educational program. (B) The criteria shall be developed by faculty members of the California State University and shall be subject to approval by the Academic Senate of the California State University. Upon approval, the academic senate shall recommend the criteria to the trustees. (C) In adopting the criteria, the trustees shall rely primarily on the recommendations and judgment of the academic senate. (c) The trustees shall adopt regulations, based on recommendations of the academic senate, that identify the majors and educational programs for which completion of a career technical education course that meets the criteria adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) satisfies a general elective course requirement. (d) The academic senate shall ensure that the criteria adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) are implemented consistently among all campuses of the university. (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if, by January 1, 2014, the California State University has not developed a procedure for allowing a student to satisfy the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to the university that satisfies the requirements of subdivision (b), the Trustees of the California State University shall recognize the completion of all high school career technical education courses that meet the model curriculum standards established pursuant to Section 51226 as satisfying the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to the university. (f) The costs of activities necessary to implement this section shall be covered, to the extent permitted by federal law, by funds available pursuant to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 2301 et seq.), or by other nonstate funds available for the purposes of this section.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66205.9. Section 66205.9.

(a) If, by July 1, 2008, the University of California has not adopted model uniform academic standards for career technical education courses, pursuant to Section 66205.5, that will satisfy the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to that university, the Regents of the University of California are requested to recognize the completion of all high school career technical education courses that meet the model curriculum standards established pursuant to Sections 51226 and 51226.1 as satisfying the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to that university. (b) If the Regents of the University of California adopt standards for career technical education courses pursuant to Section 66205.5, the University of California is requested to make those standards publicly available upon their adoption. (c) If, by July 1, 2008, the California State University has not adopted model uniform academic standards for career technical education courses, pursuant to Section 66205.5, that will satisfy the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to that university, the Trustees of the California State University shall recognize the completion of all high school career technical education courses that meet the model curriculum standards established pursuant to Sections 51226 and 51226.1 as satisfying the completion of a general elective course requirement for the purposes of admission to that university. (d) If the Trustees of the California State University adopt standards for career technical education courses pursuant to Section 66205.5, the California State University shall make those standards publicly available upon their adoption. (e) This section shall not apply to any career technical education courses that, as of January 1, 2007, are approved as satisfying the admissions requirements of the University of California or the California State University.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66207. Section 66207.

The Regents of the University of California are requested to, and the Trustees of the California State University shall, upon the request of an applicant for admission, disclose information regarding the methodology used to adjust an applicant’s grade point average.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66207.5. Section 66207.5.

(a) (1) On or before December 1, 2026, and each December 1 thereafter, the University of California is requested to post, in a report on a publicly accessible internet website of the University of California, data on students enrolled in a University of California school of medicine. The data is requested to include, but not be limited to, the total number of all of the following: (A) Enrolled students. (B) First-generation students. (C) Federal Pell Grant recipients. (D) Multilingual students. The data described in this subparagraph shall be disaggregated by languages other than English that students speak, and shall highlight how many students speak languages that are underrepresented in California’s physician workforce. (E) Community college transfer students. (F) Students with membership in a California Indian tribe or federally recognized tribe. (2) The information posted in a report pursuant to paragraph (1) is requested to include all of the following information: (A) The total number of applicants to a University of California school of medicine. (B) Contextual data that the University of California deems relevant to the report. (C) A breakdown of both of the following: (i) Postsecondary educational institutions where students received their baccalaureate degrees. (ii) Sexual orientation and gender identity of students, if available. (b) The information posted in a report pursuant to subdivision (a) is requested to be disaggregated by campus. (c) The information posted in a report pursuant to subdivision (a) is requested to be for the academic year in which the report is due. (d) The information posted in a report pursuant to subdivision (a) is requested to be posted in compliance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g), and is requested to not include any personally identifiable information for any student. (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2035, and as of that date is repealed.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66208. Section 66208.

(a) (1) The Regents of the University of California are requested to, and the Trustees of the California State University shall, require each campus in their respective systems to grant students the right to reenroll in their baccalaureate degree program after withdrawing or stopping out, if the student was in good academic standing with the university. (2) The student may be required to pay any outstanding tuition and fees to be eligible for reenrollment under this section. (3) Nothing shall preclude the California State University and the University of California from adopting policies requiring a student to submit transcripts and proof of good academic standing if the student enrolled at another college or university after leaving the respective campus. (b) For purposes of calculating the student’s real graduation time under a graduation initiative, the California State University and the University of California may omit the semesters or years in which the student was not enrolled in any classes from the student’s time to graduation. (c) The California State University and the University of California are encouraged to begin outreach programs to students who left campus without completing their baccalaureate degree program, beginning with students closest to graduation.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66209. Section 66209.

(a) The CSU Direct Admission Program is hereby established. (b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “California College Guidance Initiative” means the initiative defined in Section 10861 and further authorized pursuant to Section 60900.5. (2) “Chancellor” means the Chancellor of the California State University. (3) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school. (4) “Program” means the CSU Direct Admission Program established pursuant to this section. (5) “University participant” means a campus of the California State University that is designated pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) to participate in the CSU Direct Admission Program. (c) (1) The chancellor shall designate one or more campuses of the California State University as university participants in the program. (2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the chancellor designate each campus of the California State University with available enrollment capacity to be a university participant. (d) (1) Upon the implementation of transcript-informed pupil accounts for pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, on the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform, the reporting available on the platform shall be used to provide the data required to determine eligibility for the program. (2) A local educational agency that complies with paragraph (3) of subdivision (g) of Section 60900 and offers transcript-informed pupil accounts for pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, on the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform, as specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (f) of Section 60900, shall participate in the program. (3) Direct admission eligibility shall include, but not be limited to, the coursework completed by the end of grade 11. This shall include on-track completion of A–G courses and a qualifying A–G California State University grade point average. (4) All pupils in grade 12 who are enrolled in a participating local educational agency are hereby designated as applicants to the California State University for the purpose of making direct admissions offers. (e) On or before the opening of the fall semester priority application filing period of each year, the California College Guidance Initiative, on behalf of the California State University, shall transmit a letter of direct admission, under the chancellor’s signature, to each pupil enrolled in a participating local educational agency who satisfies the eligibility requirements described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) that notifies the pupil that they have been directly admitted. The letter shall describe the enrollment procedures the pupil needs to complete in order to successfully enroll. (f) Upon accepting an offer of admission to one of the university participants pursuant to this section, a pupil shall complete the necessary procedures to enroll at the university participant.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026