California State University

The California State University (CSU) is the largest public four-year university system in the United States, comprising 23 campuses across California. It was formally established as a statewide system under the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education (California State Colleges), later renamed the California State University. CSU emphasizes accessible, affordable undergraduate and graduate education, teacher preparation, and applied research aligned with California’s workforce needs. Campuses range from large urban universities to regional comprehensive institutions and serve hundreds of thousands of students each year, including a substantial share of California’s first-generation and transfer students. Academic offerings span arts and humanities, business, education, engineering, health, sciences, and social sciences, with strong ties to state industries and community colleges. System administration is based at the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach. Individual campuses set their own admissions processes and contacts; the system website is the central portal for campus directories, admissions guidance, and institutional information.