California State University Chico is a public institution, founded in 1887. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 16,099. California State University Chico's ranking in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities West, #26. Its in-state tuition fees is 7,814 USD; out-of-state tuition fees is 19,694 USD.

With around 126 undergraduate courses and 35 master’s courses, the university offers academic opportunities to students who want to study in the USA. The university campus has been named as one of the greenest campuses in the country by the Princeton Review’s "Guide to Green Colleges". Notable Chico State alumni include Ken Grossman, cofounder and CEO of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

California State University-Chico Rankings

As per the US News and World Report 2023, California State University ranked:
Category Ranking
West Regional Universities #26
Best College for Veterans #16
Best Undergraduate Teaching #22
Top Performers on Social Mobility #41
Top Public Schools #9
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #91
Undergraduate Business #308

Highlights

Type of University Public
Campus setting Urban
Total Number of Full- Time Faculty 989
Total Student Enrollment (Fall 2022) 17,019
International Student % 2.7%
Student-teacher ratio 23:1
Acceptance Rate 65%
Application Fees 70 USD
Test Scores Accepted TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT
Website csuchico.edu

California State University-Chico Campus

  • The campus has proximity to San Francisco and Sacramento airport, interstate and highways, and the Amtrak train station
  • The library complex contains approximately a million print volumes, more than 41,000 full-text articles, and journals, over 100 electronic databases with full Wi-Fi coverage and access on all floors.
  • Sport-wise, the university has 13 Division II men's and women's athletic teams, with modern facilities such as an all-weather track, two gyms, stadia, softball fields, tennis and basketball courts, weight room, and other facilities.

California State University-Chico Residential Facilities

The university offers on-campus housing to its students. However, there is not enough space for every student to stay on-campus and they can, therefore, look for other student housing options near the university campus at affordable prices. These include homestays, shared, and rented apartments. The university gives priority to first-time freshmen students over on-campus housing and is encouraged to live within the University Housing communities.

  • There are 6 residence halls named Sutter Hall, Shasta and Lassen Halls, Mechoopda and Esken Halls, Whitney Hall, Konkow Hall, and University Village.
  • All students residing in university housing (on-campus and off-campus) are required to own a meal plan as this is usually added to the cost of the room. Meal plan ranges from 64 USD to 192 USD per semester
  • The total cost of the room at California State University includes the cost of the room, meal plan rate, and RHA fees. This total cost also covers all utilities and access to Wi-Fi. The annual cost of the room ranges from 8,486 USD to 13,659 USD

CSU – Chico Programs

  • CSU-Chico offers bachelor’s as well as master’s courses. All these academic programs are offered through the university’s ten colleges and several academic departments.
  • The university also offers a number of graduate degree programs such as MBA, MS Computer Science, MPA, MA Psychology, etc. However, international students are not eligible to apply for the Agricultural Education, Math Education, and Nursing Programs.
  • California State University also offer distance and online degree programs for students who cannot make it to the campus physically
  • Study abroad opportunities are also available to all students regardless of the program of study. The most popular majors offered are Business Administration, Pre-Nursing, Psychology, Liberal Studies, and Criminal Justice.
Course 1st Year Tuition Fee
MA Political Science INR 10 Lakh
MBA INR 10 Lakh
MS Environmental Science INR 10 Lakh
MS Computer Science INR 12 Lakh
MS Biological Sciences INR 6.8 Lakh

CSU – Chico Application Process

Where to Apply: For admissions to CSU-Chico, applicants can complete their applications online.

Application Fee: 70 USD

When to Apply:

Semester Undergraduate Graduate
Fall (August) April 1 March 1
Spring (January) September 30 September 15

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate:

  • Completion of secondary/high school program with a 3.0 (B in the U.S. system) or "Very Good" GPA
  • The SAT/ACT is not required for admission. But higher-level test scores may allow an applicant to be placed into higher-level Math and/or English courses

Graduate:

  • Completion of a 4-year university degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree determined by the International Graduate Admission Evaluator.
  • Grade point average of at least 2.75 in the last 60 semester credits and at least 3.0 in the last 30 credits of course work completed. Depending on the overall qualifications, a lower grade point average may be considered

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to present an English Language proficiency test result. The following are the accepted English Language proficiency tests and their minimum scores

Test Undergraduate Minimum Score Graduate Minimum Score
TOEFL-pBT 500 550
TOEFL - iBT 61 80
IELTS 6 6.5
PTE 47 59

Other standardized language proficiency tests accepted at California State Universities are:

  • Intensive English language program at the American Language and Culture Institute on the CSU, Chico campus
  • Kaplan International Center program
  • The UC Riverside Extension's Intensive English Program (IEP)
  • The UCLA Extension American Language Center program
  • The UC San Diego English Language Institute program
  • The University of Southern California Intensive Language Program

After enrolling at the university, international students will have to apply for a student visa to the USA

California State University-Chico Cost of Attendance

The tables below represent a moderate standard of living for full-time students attending calculated for a nine-month academic year. Components of the cost include direct university charges (fees and on-campus accommodation fees) and discretionary expenses (books, transportation, supplies, and personal expenses). The costs mentioned are just estimates as the actual costs payable by the student may vary markedly.

Expenses Undergraduate Fee (in USD) Graduate Fee (in USD)
Tuition Fees 7,814 9,108
International Fee 9,504 6,336
Books and Supplies 1,150 1,142
Room and Board 13,500 13,500
Personal Expenses 1,566 1,566
Transportation 694 694

NOTE- There is an additional charge of 270 USD per unit for MBA courses. Therefore, the annual cost of attendance for the MBA program at California State University-Chico is 36,290 USD. 

California State University-Chico Scholarships and Financial Aid

CSU-Chico offers a number of financial aid options which include scholarships, grants, loans, federal work-study, etc. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Office at CSU, Chico awards various types of scholarships to eligible students meeting the eligibility criteria.

  • 15,000 USD Six Star Campus Scholarship Award: This 15,000 USD award is available to undergraduate and graduates international students in all fields. Applicants are expected to submit essays no longer than 1,000 words, or, - Video of up to 3 minutes in length demonstrating excellence, passion, and commitment in athletics, academics, and community involvement
  • APIA Scholarship Program: This award is exclusive to Asian and/or Pacific Islanders who are citizens, national, or legal permanent residents of the United States, the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This scholarship is worth up to 20,000 USD and is awarded based on recommendation
  • CSU offers various scholarships through Wildcat Scholarships. Students who are eligible are automatically considered for scholarships, ranging from bachelor's to doctoral level.
Scholarship Amount Type of Scholarship Deadline
Wildcat Scholarships Varying Merit-Based February 22
President Scholar Program USD 30,000 Merit-based December 15

Students can also look for outside international scholarships to study in the USA awarded by various private organizations and agencies. 

California State University-Chico Alumni 

The Alumni network of connects graduates of California State University with members enjoying benefits such as:

  • Alumni Membership Card where members can gain access to different services in the school
  • Local discounts to some selected shops
  • Discounted Alumni Insurance Services
  • Travel and hotel discount
  • Wildcat Store Discount

Notable alumni of the school include:

  • Brad Kaufman - Senior Vice President, Kiewit Energy Group
  • Michael Finney - Reporter for ABC7
  • Stephen C. Goodall - Retired, former president and CEO of J.D. Power and Associates

California State University-Chico Placement 

  • Annually, over 750 companies visit the school to conduct a recruitment exercise. These companies include but not limited to Apple, PayPal, Google, Chevron, Amazon, Twitter, Spotify, Ernst & Young, Intel Corp, and General Electric
  • Most of the programs at California State University records a 100% job placement rates. Programs like Accounting, Business Information Systems, Agricultural Science and Education.
  • Through the Handshake Job Portal, students can secure good internship placements and future jobs. Here is a list of salaries offered to alumni of California State University as per different courses: (According to Emolument)
Degree Salary
Bachelor of Arts USD 81,000
Bachelor of Science USD 84,000