Admissions
CSU GPA Calculator
Cal State recalculates your GPA from your a-g courses after 9th grade and caps the extra points for honors classes. Count up your semester grades below to get your CSU GPA and see whether you meet the minimum.
Count your semester grades in a-g courses. A full-year class is two grades. Pluses and minuses don't matter. Count each college course grade twice, and leave out Credit / No Credit grades.
C or better only. At most 2 count.
C or better only. 8 count in total.
Enter at least one grade to see your CSU GPA.
How the CSU GPA is calculated
- List every a-g course you took after 9th grade, through the end of 12th.
- Count how many As, Bs, Cs, Ds, and Fs you earned, one per semester. Drop the pluses and minuses. Count a college course grade twice.
- Add one point for each semester of approved honors, AP, IB, or college work with a C or better. Stop at 8 semesters, and count no more than 2 from 10th grade.
- Divide the total points by the number of semester grades.
A student with 14 As and 10 Bs has 86 grade points across 24 semesters, a 3.58 unweighted. With 8 honors semesters counted, that is 94 points over 24, a 3.92 CSU GPA.
CSU GPA and UC GPA, side by side
| Cal State | UC | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades counted | After 9th grade, through 12th | Summer after 9th through summer after 11th |
| Honors cap | 8 semesters | 8 semesters |
| From 10th grade | At most 2 | At most 4 |
| Resident minimum | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| Out-of-state minimum | 3.00 | 3.40 |
Applying to both systems? Run your grades through the UC GPA calculator too, and check the UC and CSU filing dates.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate CSU GPA?
Count every semester grade in your a-g courses after 9th grade. An A is 4 points, a B is 3, a C is 2, a D is 1, and an F is 0, with pluses and minuses ignored. Add one point for each semester of approved honors, AP, IB, or college coursework with a C or better, up to 8 semesters and no more than 2 from 10th grade. Divide the total by the number of semester grades.
What GPA do you need for Cal State?
California residents and graduates of California high schools are eligible with an a-g GPA of 2.50 or higher, and may be reviewed on supplemental factors between 2.00 and 2.49. Out-of-state applicants need a 3.00, with supplemental review between 2.47 and 2.99. Impacted campuses and majors set higher cutoffs.
Is the CSU GPA the same as the UC GPA?
No. Both ignore 9th grade and pluses and minuses, and both cap honors points at 8 semesters. But Cal State counts a-g courses through 12th grade and lets only 2 honors semesters from 10th grade count, while UC stops at the summer after 11th grade and allows 4 from 10th.
Do 9th grade grades count for CSU?
Not in the GPA. Cal State calculates the a-g GPA from grades earned after 9th grade. Your 9th grade a-g courses still count toward the 15-course subject requirement if you earned a C or better.
How do college courses count in the CSU GPA?
Each semester grade in a college course counts twice. A B in a one-semester community college class goes in as two Bs. College courses that meet a-g requirements can also earn honors points, within the 8-semester cap.
Does Cal State use SAT or ACT scores?
No. Cal State does not use SAT or ACT scores to decide admission. Eligibility rests on your a-g courses, your a-g GPA, and high school graduation, plus supplemental factors at some campuses.
Method and minimums: California State University, "GPA Calculator" and "Freshman: Admission Requirements" (calstate.edu), read October 6, 2026.
