In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 81% of first-time freshman applicants to Liberal Studies (73 of 90), compared with 79% for all majors. That is down from 91% in 2021. 50% of transfer applicants were admitted (28 of 56).
Liberal Studies admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90 | 73 | 81% | <10 | 56 | 28 | 50% |
| 2024 | 88 | 83 | 94% | <10 | 67 | 49 | 73% |
| 2023 | 96 | 87 | 91% | <10 | 71 | 38 | 54% |
| 2022 | 126 | 119 | 94% | 13 | 80 | 60 | 75% |
| 2021 | 115 | 105 | 91% | 20 | 117 | 90 | 77% |
Area: Interdisciplinary Studies. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
Liberal Studies at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJSU | 90 | 81% | 50% |
| SDSU | 1,054 | 62% | 83% |
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 Liberal Studies acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 81% (73 of 90) of first-time freshman applicants to Liberal Studies, compared with 79% for all majors.
What is the SJSU Liberal Studies transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 50% (28 of 56) of transfer applicants to Liberal Studies.
Is Liberal Studies easier to get into at SJSU or SDSU?
In fall 2025, SJSU admitted 81% of freshman Liberal Studies applicants and SDSU admitted 62%.
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 CSU counts every application submitted, including ones later withdrawn, left incomplete or not meeting minimum eligibility, so admit rates among complete applications are somewhat higher.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.