In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 85% of first-time freshman applicants to English (239 of 281), compared with 79% for all majors. That is down from 95% in 2021. 57% of transfer applicants were admitted (74 of 130). Of the freshmen admitted, 14% enrolled, so only 12% of applicants ended up starting in the major.
English admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 281 | 239 | 85% | 34 | 130 | 74 | 57% |
| 2024 | 324 | 313 | 97% | 30 | 148 | 106 | 72% |
| 2023 | 340 | 309 | 91% | 29 | 148 | 100 | 68% |
| 2022 | 328 | 310 | 95% | 23 | 193 | 137 | 71% |
| 2021 | 269 | 255 | 95% | 27 | 240 | 185 | 77% |
Area: Letters. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
English at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJSU | 281 | 85% | 57% |
| SDSU | 694 | 77% | 85% |
| Cal Poly SLO | 617 | 64% | 27% |
How admission works
- Every major at SJSU is impacted. Applicants are ranked within their major using an impaction score: 800 × your a-g GPA, plus 200 points if you graduate from a Santa Clara County high school (the same as 0.25 GPA), plus 40 points each for a Cal State Apply fee waiver, first-generation status or military service.
- Engineering majors add 400 × your math GPA, so the scores for engineering are on a different scale.
- SJSU publishes the lowest score it admitted in each major every year. A score of 2000 means every CSU-eligible applicant (2.5 GPA) to that major was admitted.
- Transfers are ranked by self-reported GPA within each major; Santa Clara and Santa Cruz County community college students get a 0.25 GPA boost, and some majors also give credit for completed prep courses.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SJSU English acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 85% (239 of 281) of first-time freshman applicants to English, compared with 79% for all majors.
What is the SJSU English transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 57% (74 of 130) of transfer applicants to English.
Is English easier to get into at SJSU or SDSU?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 85% of freshman English applicants and SDSU admitted 77%.
More for SJSU
Source: California State University, Applications and Admissions Dashboard by Discipline, fall 2021–2025 (first-time freshmen and undergraduate transfers); SJSU impaction results from sjsu.edu. CSU counts every application submitted, including ones later withdrawn, left incomplete or not meeting minimum eligibility, so admit rates among complete applications are somewhat higher. “Non-residents” includes out-of-state and international applicants. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10. This site is independent and not affiliated with the California State University. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.