California State University, San Marcos
74%
Acceptance rate
1%
Intl. students
$21,286
Tuition/yr
14,500
Enrollment
24:1
Student:Faculty
About California State University, San Marcos
Public CSU north of San Diego, CA. Strong business, engineering, and nursing programs with growing reputation.
California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) is a public university founded in 1989 as the 21st campus of the California State University system. Located on a 340-acre campus in San Marcos, California, it sits approximately 35 miles north of downtown San Diego and 8 miles from the Pacific coast. As of Fall 2024, it enrolls around 15,431 students, the majority of whom are undergraduates.
CSUSM offers 43 bachelor's degree programs, 24 master's degree programs, 8 credential programs, and one joint doctoral program in partnership with UC San Diego. Its four colleges span Business Administration, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Education, Health and Human Services. The university is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, with 51% of undergraduates identifying as Hispanic.
CSUSM is ranked tied for 23rd among universities in the West by U.S. News and World Report (2025–26 edition) and has received recognition for social mobility, placing first nationally in the 2022 Social Mobility Index. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 24:1 and the academic calendar runs on semesters.
World University Rankings
Campus & Location
CA
Suburban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- CSUSM's STEM and Business Administration programs are STEM-designated at the graduate level, meaning eligible international graduates can apply for a 24-month OPT STEM extension on top of the standard 12-month Optional Practical Training, giving Nepali students up to 3 years of US work authorization after graduation.
- Annual international undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees total approximately USD 21,286 (2026–27), placing CSUSM in the more affordable tier of US public universities for international students, particularly compared to flagship UC campuses whose non-resident fees exceed USD 30,000.
- International students at CSUSM are eligible to apply for the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship and limited partial tuition waivers administered through the Global Programs and Services office; however, most federal US financial aid is not available to international students, so Nepali applicants should budget accordingly.
- The university's proximity to San Diego's large technology and biomedical industry corridor offers Nepali students in Computer Science, Nursing, and Business practical internship and post-graduation employment opportunities within a major US metro area.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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