Cal State San Bernardino still accepting applications for pilot program giving eligible Riverside County students immediate admission

A pilot program allowed qualifying high school seniors who meet (A-G requirements) to be offered immediate admission to 10 CSU campuses.

According to Dr. Deanna Keuilian, the Director of Secondary Curriculum at PSUSD, the program was decisioned to make college more accessible for Coachella Valley students.

"This program, we hope, will increase the college going rate, but also just the opportunity to apply" said Keuilian.

Eligible public high school students in Riverside County were offered direct admission to several California State University schools, including Cal State San Bernardino, for the fall 2025 semester, before they even applied. In addition to San Bernardino, the CSUs campuses included in this pilot are Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Humboldt, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, San Francisco, San Marcos, and Sonoma.

Keuilian said organizers worked tirelessly to make sure that every single eligible student was on the list and notified.

"There were several times that we checked the list over," said Dr. Keuilian. "The list arrived to the districts, and the school districts had an opportunity to review the list, because there were potentially students that weren't identified as meeting those minimum qualifications. So we were able to identify those students and add them back to the list."
Dr. Keuilian also advises parents to double check their kids' eligibility in case they missed the notification.

"It is possible that students were off the list, and it could be because families opted their students out of a data exchange," explained Keuilian. "That doesn't mean that they're not eligible. If you believe your student should have received an invitation from Cal State to apply, please do reach out to your local high school and talk with them."

December 2nd was the main deadline for the general application, but Cal State San Bernardino is accepting submissions through December 16th.

The California State University system partnered with Riverside County to launch its first-ever direct admission pilot this year. A brochure was mailed to students' home addresses to let them know they were eligible.

Seniors were able to log into CaliforniaColleges.edu to choose their preferred CSU campuses, and receive their official acceptance letters.

Dr. Keuilian says the program was a massive success.

"We thought year one went really well," said Keuilian. "The timelines were tight. We were trying to ensure that students got their codes in time."

She says they are hoping to make this program an annual addition.

"We hope to continue this offering and this opportunity for all of our families in the valley," said Keuilian. "And so current freshmen, sophomores, juniors, please work hard, keep your GPA up, take the necessary coursework, so you too can get the invitation for a code and apply to CSU next year."

School officials also encourage students to apply for financial aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) with the California deadline typically set for March 2.

Students and families can visit the CSU and Riverside County Office of Education Partnership website for more information.