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California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, California

23,245 Students on Campus
San Luis Obispo Location
48,000 Metro Population
23,245 Students on Campus
San Luis Obispo Location
48,000 Metro Population

About This Campus

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO), is a nationally recognized public university on California’s Central Coast. Guided by the motto “Learn by Doing,” Cal Poly combines rigorous academics with hands-on experience across six colleges: Agriculture, Architecture, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Science and Mathematics, and Business. Students apply knowledge through projects like building solar vehicles, managing a working ranch, and launching startups. Surrounded by rolling hills and minutes from the Pacific Ocean, Cal Poly offers endless outdoor opportunities like hiking, surfing, kayaking, and more. With over 400 clubs, cultural groups, and volunteer programs, the university fosters a vibrant community spirit. Blending innovation, natural beauty, and experiential learning, Cal Poly SLO offers visiting students an inspiring and unforgettable California experience.

Cal Poly has been named the “Best in the West” by US News & World Report for 30 years!

Hands-on classes and industry-connected projects help students gain career-related experience before graduation.

Our campus is the second largest in California at 9,178-acres set in sunny, coastal San Luis Obispo.

Helpful Information

Cal Poly SLO is a nationally ranked public university and has a competitive admissions process. NSE students receive priority registration, which is helpful because classes are impacted. It is recommended that students have flexibility in course selections.

The university is moving from the quarter system to the semester system in the upcoming academic year 2026 - 2027.

Most first- and second-year students live on campus, creating a vibrant and welcoming community. The campus culture is friendly, active, and academically focused. Off-campus housing is available and commuting is easy by bike or bus. Parking on campus is limited.

Location Information

Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo (SLO), a scenic city of about 48,000 on California’s Central Coast, midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Known for its friendly, college-town atmosphere, SLO offers a lively downtown just a mile from campus, featuring weekly farmers’ markets, live music, art walks, and film festivals amid historic Spanish architecture. The region’s natural beauty provides endless outdoor recreation opportunities like surfing, hiking, or biking. Cal Poly’s 9,000-acre campus doubles as a living laboratory, with agricultural fields, experimental forests, and its own vineyard and winery. Sustainability is central to campus life and the surrounding area, reflected in LEED-certified buildings, renewable energy projects, and environmental research initiatives.

Academics

REGISTRATION:
TERM DATES:

Fall Start Date: 08/24/2026 - Fall End Date: 12/18/2026

Spring Start Date: 01/25/2027 - Spring End Date: 05/21/2027

CLOSED PROGRAMS:

Art & Design. Computer Science/Software Engineering.

RESTRICTED/LIMITED PROGRAMS:

Audition or portfolio may be required for admission to music and theater. Architecture applicants must have fourth-year status, come from a 5- year Architecture program (not a 4+2 program), and submit a portfolio review prior to placement.

OTHER ACADEMIC INFORMATION:

All majors are impacted. Some upper-division courses are restricted to degree seeking students in those majors. NSE students need to request permission numbers from departments to bypass prerequisites. Starting this process early with transcripts and syllabi is important. Enrollment in courses is not guaranteed even if the prerequisite is met at the home campus.

NOTABLE ACADEMICS PROGRAMS:
  • Animal Science — Cal Poly's Animal Science Department is a national leader of undergraduate training in animal nutrition and reproductive physiology. It is one of the four largest programs in the nation. It offers students the opportunity to apply the principles of animal biology, molecular biology and other life sciences to a variety of species including farm animals, exotic animals, laboratory animals, as well as their own pets. The department boasts one of the most comprehensive hands-on, Learn by Doing programs in the United States, as students work with several species of animals on a regular basis. Find out more at https://animalscience.calpoly.edu/
  • Business — Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) is a transformational leader in experiential business education. Leveraging current technology and Cal Poly’s signature Learn by Doing approach, faculty integrate industry experience and research into real-world business education. Find out more at https://www.calpoly.edu/orfalea-college-of-business
  • City and Regional Planning — The Department of City & Regional Planning at Cal Poly is part of the nationally recognized College of Architecture and Environmental Design, which comprises five academic departments. Its curriculum places studio-based planning laboratories at the heart of learning, and the program emphasizes strengths in urban design, transportation, land use and environmental planning, and community sustainability.
  • Engineering — Cal Poly’s College of Engineering (CENG) is an internationally-recognized, top-ranked, undergraduate engineering college. The CENG is known as a leader in engineering education because of its Learn by Doing, hands-on approach. With 6,000 engineering students, 13 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs, the college is one of the West’s largest engineering colleges. Find out more at https://www.calpoly.edu/college-of-engineering
  • Liberal Arts — Cal Poly’s College of Liberal Arts (CLA) offers 18 undergraduate majors and more than 40 minors across the humanities, social sciences, communications and performing arts. Grounded in Cal Poly’s signature “Learn by Doing” pedagogy and supported by a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 19:1, CLA provides hands-on learning through project-based labs, service learning, internships and interdisciplinary experiences.
UNIQUE ACADEMICS PROGRAMS:
  • Aerospace Engineering — From exploring space in the PolySat lab to inventing the future of transportation in our Protoype Vehicles Laboratory, much of your time will be spent engaged in hands-on learning. Industry partnerships throughout California, including nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base, allow you to make connections and utilize real-world technologies. You are able to develop expertise in solving complex problems and the capability to drive innovation in the areas of aeronautics and astronautics. Find out more at https://www.calpoly.edu/major/aerospace-engineering
  • Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering — The BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department prepares you to develop solutions to some of the world’s most pressing agricultural problems including food production, water management, renewable energy and more. Find out more at https://brae.calpoly.edu/
  • Dairy Science — he Cal Poly Dairy Science Program is one of the best in the nation, housing its own dairy herd and also home to the Dairy Products Technology Center and the Cal Poly Creamery. Find out more at https://animalscience.calpoly.edu/dairy-science-0
  • Experience Industry Management — EIM students gain expertise in a wide range of exciting areas, including Community Services Management, Event Planning, Outdoor, Adventure and Resource Recreation, Sport Management, and Tourism Planning and Management. We are the 1st program of its kind in the nation and at the forefront of what's next in Experience Industry Management. Find out more at https://eim.calpoly.edu/
OPTIONS:

Honors Access: Yes

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS OPEN TO NSE STUDENTS:

Conditions

GPA AND OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:
EXCHANGE PREFERENCES:
  • Full Year Exchange: Accepted
  • Single Term Exchange: Accepted
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (Visa Students):
  • Does your campus accept International Students (those already in the U.S. on a student visa)? Will accept on Home or Away
CANADIAN EXCHANGE:
Learn More
  • Receive from Canada: Will Accept Away/Home Pay
  • Accept international students studying in Canada on a visa? - Yes

Tuition/Finance

Figures per Semester are current as of 11/25/2025
TUITION:
  • Campus Budget
  • Fees are subject to change without notice
  • Home Tuition Payment: Available
  • Away Tuition Payment: Available
    Estimated cost: $3465
MAXIMUM CREDIT HOURS PER SEMESTER:
  • Home Payment: 22
  • Host Payment: 22
MISCELLANEOUS FEES:
Purpose
Amount
Period
Plan
Status
Parking Fee
$741
Year
Away & Home
Optional
Orientation Fee
$200
Year
Away & Home
Optional
Housing Fee
$500
Year
Away & Home
Optional
Financial Aid for NSE Students. Regardless of Payment Plan, financial aid is awarded by and disbursed from your home campus.

Room/Meals

Figures per Semester are current as of 11/25/2025
ON-CAMPUS HOUSING PER SEMESER:
  • Is on-campus housing available? Yes
  • Is on-campus living required? No
  • Number of reserved housing spaces: 10
  • Average Room Cost (per term): $5340
  • On-Campus Housing
Off-CAMPUS HOUSING:
NOTES ABOUT ON-CAMPUS HOUSING:

NSE students typically live in apartments (Cerro Vista). Students are required to complete their housing contract and pay their first installment payment in spring for the upcoming fall or academic year housing.

MEAL PLANS:
  • Are meal plans available on campus? Yes
  • Is a meal plan purchase required for on-campus, non-apartment residence halls? No
  • Average Meal Plan Cost (per term): $0
  • Campus Meal Plans
NOTES ABOUT MEAL PLANS:

Varied tiers of campus dining plans available.

Fees are subject to change without notice.

Chance of Acceptance

Priority Placements for Academic Year 26/27

If this is your top choice campus...

Home Tuition Payment Plan

Limited

This campus usually accepts less than 50% of students that request it. Be prepared to be placed at an alternative choice. If applying to a site with a 'limited' chance of placement, we suggest that you list a minimum of 3-5 campuses on your application, with one to two sites that have an OPEN or EXCELLENT chance of acceptance.

Away Tuition Payment Plan

Excellent

This campus accepts most (75%+) applicants. You may want to consider adding alternate choice campuses marked as OPEN or EXCELLENT to ensure placement.

If this is your alternate choice campus...

Home Tuition Payment Plan

Most Competitive

This campus is one of the most requested and accepts fewer than 25% of applicants. You may apply to only one campus marked most competitive, and it must be listed as the first choice on their application. If you apply to this campus, we suggest you list a minimum of 3-5 alternate campuses, with one to two campuses that have an OPEN or EXCELLENT chance of acceptance.

Away Tuition Payment Plan

Good

This campus accepts many (50-74%) applicants. You definitely want to consider adding alternate choice campuses marked as OPEN or EXCELLENT to ensure placement.

Resources

CAMPUS SOCIAL MEDIA: