ADMISSION DEADLINES:
| ADMIT QUARTER |
APPLICATION DEADLINE |
|---|
| Fall 2025 |
January 6, 2025 |
The FAFSA application deadline for all program starts is June 30th. For more information about the FAFSA and Financial Aid, please reach out to the Cal Poly Financial Aid office at financialaid@calpoly.edu.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Admission to the master's degree program in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs is competitive and requires the following:
1. Bachelor’s Degree
Must be completed from a regionally accredited institution. Must have a bachelor’s degree conferred prior to the program start.
2. GPA
Cumulative higher education grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. Applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be considered for admission and should highlight in the application any extenuating circumstances that led to a lower GPA. Additionally, any work/volunteer experiences relevant to student affairs or counseling.
3. Letters of Recommendation
Name and email of 3 individuals to submit a letter of recommendation
4. Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Possess an updated resume to be uploaded with application.
5. Personal Interest Essay
HOW TO APPLY:
1. Submit a Graduate application to Cal Poly
2. Upload the following requirements (within Cal State Apply)
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Interest Essay
- Name and email of 3 individuals to submit a letter of recommendation
3. Send official transcripts to the Cal Poly Admissions Office
Transcripts must be sent directly from the degree-granting institution by the Cal State Apply deadline.
- Instructions on how to submit your official transcripts
- Cal Poly bachelor's degree holders do not need to provide these transcripts
- Transcripts verifying Community College and/or Graduate-level coursework should also be sent to Cal Poly Admissions
APPLICANT REVIEW PROCESS:
1. Applicant Interview
Selected applicants will be contacted to arrange an on-campus group interview (typically held during the month of February). Those unable to attend the on-campus interview may be able to interview by internet video teleconference. All interviews are conducted by HECSA faculty. During the interview, applicants may pose additional questions.
2. Recommendation
HECSA Faculty will make acceptance recommendations to the Cal Poly Office of Admissions after interviews have been completed.
3. Offer of Admission
Applicants will receive a notification of intent via email from the Cal Poly Office of Admissions. Once the email is received applicants must accept the offer of admission by May 1st.
4. Program Overview
- After applicants have accepted their offers, the HECSA program conveys fieldwork, assistantship, and scholarship opportunities on campus.
- Applicants will receive information for orientation and registration via email.
Please contact the program coordinator, Dr. Andrew Byrne at anbyrne@calpoly.edu or (805)756-5095 if you have questions about the application process.
