You may apply online at our website: http://www.calu.edu/academics. You may also e-mail our office at gradschool@calu.edu or call the office at 724-938-4187.  If you do not have access to a computer, then you may request a paper application and it will be mailed to you.

If you are anticipating applying for financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form should be filled out simultaneously and California University should be designated to receive your information.  The best option is to complete the web-based version of the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov, known as FAFSA on the Web. It includes step-by-step instructions for completing the online FAFSA as well as preapplication worksheets. You can obtain a PIN to electronically sign the form by visiting www.pin.ed.gov. If you have technical questions about using FAFSA on the Web, call 1-800-4-FED-AID.

You may pay the $25 application fee by credit card when you submit the application online. Hard copy applications can be requested by e-mailing the Graduate School at gradschool@calu.edu or by calling 724-938-4187.  Applications should be forwarded, with the $25 application fee, to:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
California University of Pennsylvania
250 University Ave.
California, PA 15419-1394

At the same time, the granting institution of your degrees should send official sealed transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate work to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. It is not necessary to send a transcript of work completed at California University.

Application deadlines vary by program and students are advised to apply for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and Research as early as possible. Consult www.calu.edu/prospective and/or the Graduate School office (724-938-4187) for the deadline of the semester and specific graduate program you wish to attend. Many programs have “rolling” admissions (beyond those deadlines). To be sure your application gets full consideration, it should be completed by the deadline date.

Some of the graduate programs described in this catalog lead directly to specialized certification. Other programs may require licensing examinations. Individual program coordinators should be consulted for in-depth information regarding certification and licensure.

There are three sources* of additional information about graduate programs that you can contact by telephone or e-mail to schedule an appointment:

• The graduate studies coordinator of the department offering that program
• The assistant director of graduate recruitment and admissions
• The chair of the department

*VISIT www.calu.edu/prospective FOR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THESE SOURCES

For specific program requirements, visit our website, www.calu.edu/prospective, or contact the Graduate School at gradschool@calu.edu or call 724-938-4187. 

1. Complete application and pay application fee following the guidelines listed above.
2. Applicants must present official sealed transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. The bachelor's degree must be awarded from a college or university that is accredited by the National Commission on Accreditation or the appropriate regional accrediting agency.
3. Some departments require additional documentation such as letters of recommendation, references, and/or other supporting material.  Applicants for admission to certain graduate programs may be required to take specified entrance exams (Praxis, GRE, MAT).
4. In some programs, applicants who have less than a 3.00 undergraduate GPA may seek conditional admission based on the criteria established by each program. Visit the program website or contact the program coordinator for more information.

Note: Admission to a program does not carry with it admission to candidacy for the degree. See the statement on candidacy requirements in the next section of this catalog.

The University offers certification or certificate programs that require additional experience and credits beyond the master’s degree. Those additional experiences develop appropriate competencies in specific areas of specialization. They are in the fields of  the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility and Autism Spectrum Disorders certificates, and certification in K-12 Principal, Elementary Education, Mentally and Physically Handicapped Education, School Counseling, School Psychology, and Reading. For further information, see the individual graduate program information in this catalog.

Although most graduate students at California University are enrolled in degree programs, there are opportunities to take some graduate classes as a non-degree student, either for personal or professional growth or for certification, without becoming an applicant for a University graduate degree.

If you wish to take graduate courses at California University but do not wish to enroll in a formal certification or degree program, you will nevertheless have to apply for admission to the University (and pay the normal application fee as well as send copies of your official transcripts). Your acceptance will be based on the amount and quality of your preparation as determined by the academic department in which you will be taking courses.

Upon admission as a non-degree student, you will be permitted to take 6 credits. Completion of these courses does not automatically and in itself lead to admission to a degree or certification program. Applicants interested in further exploration must reapply (fee waived).

Graduate students from other universities (sometimes known as "visiting students") may take courses at California University and must go through the normal application process. They are responsible for knowing and adhering to the transfer policies of their home institutions.

Once all application materials are received by the School of Graduate Studies and Research, materials are sent to the program coordinator for a final admission decision.  The applicant is informed of the decision by letter to his/her home mailing address.

An admission decision is valid for one academic year (two semesters and one summer term, i.e., the semester/term the student applied for and the following two semesters/terms). If a student does not register for classes during that time, the acceptance is no longer valid and the applicant must reapply for admission, repay the application fee and resubmit all materials.

California University welcomes applications from students from countries other than the United States. Individuals who desire to study on campus must obtainF-1 non-immigrant status prior to enrollment or possess other legal status that enables them to pursue studies and maintain their status through the entirety of their studies.All international students who apply for graduate studies must meet the same entrance requirements as all other students. For admission, the following documents must be submitted:

1. A completed international application and non-refundable $25 application fee. (all international application requests must be sent to Jessica Spence, spence@calu.edu or 724-938-4187).
2. In addition to general admission requirements for degree programs, international students for whom English is a second language must submit a certified English translation of all official transcripts from post-secondary schools outside the United States to California University of Pennsylvania's School of Graduate Studies and Research.
3. International students must also arrange to have photocopies of their post-secondary diploma(s) submitted to one of the following organizations for a document-by-document evaluation.

Josef Silney & Associates Inc.
International Education Consultants
7101 SW 102 Ave.
Miami, FL 33173
305-273-1616
FAX 305-273-1338
info@jsilney.com
www.jsilney.com

or

*After review of official credentials, departments may subsequently request that the student obtain a course-by-course evaluation.

Financial Requirements

All international students must provide evidence of sufficient funding for one year of graduate school as part of the admissions process before the international student advisor will issue a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student (also referred to as an I-20).

Evidence of sufficient funding in the form of acceptable notarized affidavits, bank statements, etc. must verify/demonstrate that the student requesting admission possesses financial resources totaling a minimum baseline amount of $26,907.80 for one year of study (graduate tuition, fees, housing/meal, books/supplies) to meet the financial admission requirement. Other cost factors may either increase or decrease this total amount (see below). This requirement is not repeated for a second or more year of study but it is the student’s responsibility to meet university costs and all other expenses throughout the entirety of their education to remain eligible for their I-20 for study.

PLEASE NOTE: Federal regulations for F-1 students do not permit paid off-campus work. Note as well that on-campus work opportunities are very limited. A limited amount of financial aid is available to international students, chiefly in the form of graduate assistantships requiring a certain amount of work at the University; but students must be certain of adequate funds for their academic and living expenses before enrolling. International students must be enrolled for at least one semester before a graduate assistantship may be granted. International students should contact the Dean of the Graduate School regarding graduate assistantships.

Tuition

• Non-Pennsylvanian Resident Tuition Cost is $11,232 ($5,616 per semester) for a nine (9) credit load. The additional cost per credit for 10 to 15 credits is $624 per credit.

Fees

• Total fees cost is $3,465.80 ($1,723.90 per semester).

Housing/Meals

• The cost for on-campus housing/meals is $10,442 ($5,221 per semester). This cost provides you and a roommate with a 2 bedroom/2 bath, double occupancy suite in a campus residence hall and a 14 meal per week dining plan. Any on campus living contract requires that a meal plan be purchased. Costs may be adjusted accordingly for a student who provides evidence of a reduced cost for off-campus housing/meals arrangements.

Books/Supplies

• The cost for books and supplies is $1,768 ($884 per semester). This is an estimated cost that can vary greatly from semester-to-semester.

Other Costs

• Each dependent(s) accompanying the student must be declared, and funding must be sufficient and verified to support each ($6,000 per year for a spouse; $3,000 per year for each child).

• Applicants must also provide proof of adequate health insurance coverage in the U.S. Note that the University health insurance plan is not available to graduate students.

Federal regulations require that an F-1 visa student carry a minimum nine (9) credit full-time course load (very limited circumstances permit a part-time load under approval of the international student advisor).

Final admission is contingent upon clearance from the education authorities of the home country and from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

For more information, contact theGraduate Schoolat 724-938-4187.

Students holding undergraduate degrees from a Canadian college or university need only submit their official transcripts directly to the Graduate School. If they are similar to the materials from the United States model, they will be evaluated locally. If not, students will be required to comply with the above international student policy.

International students should contact the dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research regarding graduate assistantships and the Financial Aid Office regarding other financial options.

All international students must subscribe to the University's medical insurance plan.

International students are not eligible for graduate assistantships their first semester.