Newly Admitted Students
Congratulations!
You belong here. We are thrilled to welcome you to the Gator family! This step-by-step checklist below ↓ will guide you through the next steps to start your future at SF State.
Accept your admission offer now! Accepting your admission offer will secure your place in the program, obtain an SF State e-mail address, and receive enrollment appointments to enroll in courses.
- Log into gateway.sfsu.edu. Under the LaunchPad, click on the Student Center button.
- Once in your Student Center, go to the Admissions section and under the My Applications box, click Accept or Decline and ACCEPT YOUR OFFER!
After accepting their admission offer, students will be automatically assigned an SF State email account. We will send detailed instructions regarding your SF State email account to your personal email address once it has been created. Once enrolled, you will receive critical reminders regarding class registration for the upcoming semester and other important information at that account.
You will also receive instructions for setting up two-factor authentication which will be required to access SF State information resources and helps protect your student account.
Registration for all newly admitted graduate students begin in June 2025 (check enrollment time in your Student Center)
Contact your academic program to see what courses to enroll in for your first semester. The Fall 2025 class schedule is available here: https://webapps.sfsu.edu/public/classservices/classsearch
View important dates on the Registrar’s Website. For more support join one of our upcoming End Registration Frustration workshops.
At the start of every semester, we host a New Graduate Student Orientation for all of our new incoming students. This is a general orientation in which we host a variety of different workshops designed with your success in mind. Fall 2025 orientation will be offered on a hybrid basis on August 11 - August 15.
Your individual department may also be hosting an orientation session. This will be an event more specific to your studies, where you will get to meet members of your cohort/peers in your program and faculty.
We look forward to meeting you!
It is very important that you pay your tuition fees on time. Please review the Bursars website and mark your calendar for important due dates. International funds can be sent using Flywire.
- How Financial Aid Works
- F-1 International Students Financial Assistance
- Receiving and Reviewing your Awards
- Disbursement of Aid
The first disbursement of financial aid will be one week before school starts. Subsequent disbursements occur once a week throughout the semester, and you will only receive a disbursement if there is any remaining aid needed to disburse for that semester.
Learn more on our Funding Your Education page.
Official electronic transcripts must be addressed to SF State Graduate Studies and sent directly from your institution to graddocs@sfsu.edu. Transcripts submitted as attachments directly from the student will be considered unofficial and will not meet official transcript requirements.
Please send official, sealed transcripts to:
Division of Graduate Studies
1600 Holloway Avenue
Administration 254
San Francisco, CA 94132
U.S.A
- Access your SFSU E-mail
- Get your student ID Card/OneCard
- Getting to campus
- Campus Map
- Take a virtual campus tour
Fall 2025 Graduate Student Orientation Schedule
| SESSION | DATE & TIME | ZOOM or LOCATION DETAILS |
| New Graduate Student Orientation Welcome: Kick off your graduate journey at SF State! Congratulations on your admission! Start strong by joining our Virtual New Graduate Student Orientation Welcome session. You’ll hear from the dean of Graduate Studies, discover what’s expected of graduate students, and explore the key resources that will support your success. This is your first step toward thriving at SF State—don’t miss it! |
Monday, August 11 4 - 5 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Life in the US as a new student: Navigating life as a new student in the United States can be both exciting and daunting. Join us for an insightful workshop designed to help you thrive at San Francisco State University. We will cover essential topics, including campus resources, academic support, building a network and cultural adaptation. Learn how to make the most of student services, connect with your peers, and find your way in a new environment. This presentation will provide practical tips and guidance to ensure a smooth transition and a successful academic journey at SFSU. |
Tuesday, August 12 Noon – 1 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Link |
| Graduate Student Expectations Session: Get Ready to Succeed in Graduate School! As a graduate student, you’ll be expected to meet higher academic standards—and we’re here to help you rise to the challenge. Join this webinar to learn about the key policies, procedures, and resources that will support your success throughout your time at SF State. |
Tuesday, August 12 1 – 2 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Second Baccalaureate New Orientation Session: Welcome, Second Baccalaureate Students! The Division of Graduate Studies is excited to welcome our newly admitted Fall 2025 second baccalaureate students! This session will give you a clear overview of your program’s structure, policies, and expectations. Join us to get the information you need to start your academic journey with confidence. |
Tuesday, August 12 3 – 4 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| New Graduate Student Welcome Coffee meet & greet: Come meet graduate studies staff, the dean of Graduate Studies, and your Fall 2025 cohort over coffee and pastries. This is an excellent moment to celebrate your achievment and network. |
Wednesday, August 13 10 – 10:30 a.m. Pacific |
LIB 121
|
| Get to Work with Career & Leadership Development (CLD): Your career journey starts now—don’t wait until graduation! In this session, discover the full range of services offered by SF State’s Career & Leadership Development (CLD) team. From career coaching and job search tools to leadership programs and networking opportunities, CLD is here to support your goals from day one. Let’s get to work! Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about your career. Connect with CLD! |
Wednesday, August 13 10:30 – 11 a.m. Pacific |
LIB 121 |
| Explore SF State: Campus, Library & Global Museum Tour Join our Graduate Student Ambassadors for a guided tour of the SF State campus! You'll visit key spots like the library—where you can get help with research, finding articles, and using academic tools—and explore the Global Museum, a unique teaching museum and cultural resource housed in the Fine Arts Building. Whether you're new to campus or want a refresher, this is a great way to get familiar with your new academic home! |
Wednesday, August 13 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pacific |
LIB 121
|
| Professional Headshots for LinkedIn Make a strong first impression—online and in your career! Drop in for a free professional headshot and update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new graduate student status. No appointment needed—just bring your best smile and let us help you look career-ready! |
Wednesday, August 13 1 p.m. – 3p.m. Pacific |
In Person ADM 254 |
| Get to Work with Career & Leadership Development (CLD): There’s so much more to your career than writing a resume. In this session, learn about all the services that Career and Leadership Development (CLD) has to offer. Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about your career. Check out CLD today! |
Thursday, August 14 10:30 – 11 a.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| SF State Scholars New Undergraduate Student Orientation Session: The Division of Graduate Studies welcomes our newly admitted Fall 2025 SF State Scholars students! In this session, we will review program policies and the transition process as a Scholars student. |
Thursday, August 14 12 – 1 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Tech Tools for Student Success: Academic Technology Resources Get prepared to thrive in remote and hybrid learning environments! This session will introduce you to the key tools and platforms you'll use at SF State, including Canvas, Zoom, and the Syllabus Tool. Learn how to access free software like Microsoft Office 365, MATLAB, SPSS, and (for select majors) Adobe Creative Cloud. Join us to make sure you're fully equipped for your courses from day one! |
Thursday, August 14 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Resources for Graduate Students - Finding Your Support Systems: Starting Graduate school can be so many things– exciting, invigorating, and maybe even a little daunting! Get to know your resources and communities on campus and beyond with this immersive discussion of clubs, programs and services that are offered to you as an incoming graduate student. |
Thursday, August 14 2- 3 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Link Pass code: 020708 |
| Financial Aid & Bursar’s Office Q&A Have questions about paying for grad school? Join this session to learn how SF State’s Financial Aid and Bursar’s Offices support you. We’ll cover tuition payments, financial aid disbursements, refunds, and more—followed by an open Q&A to get your questions answered. Don’t miss this chance to get clear on your finances before the semester begins! |
Thursday, August 14 3- 4 p.m. Pacific |
|
| International Graduate Studies - Fall 2025 Welcome to SF State! Welcome newly admitted students! You will learn about the SF State campus services & resources. |
Friday, August 15 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Pacific |
|
| End Registration Frustration: Join us for a brief Zoom session to learn how to navigate course registration as a newly admitted student. We will cover SF State registration basics, how to choose courses using the bulletin, making payments in the Student Center, & more! |
Friday, August 15 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Mindful Momentum in SFSU Graduate Life: A Student’s Guide to Balance, Wellness, and Academic Success. Grad school at SFSU - at moments, it's intense. Pressure, imposter syndrome, commuter university it's all real. But you can actually thrive! Mindful Momentum is your no-fluff guide to navigating the chaos. Get practical strategies for managing stress, building confidence, and finding balance. |
Friday, August 15 11:00 a.m. - Noon Pacific |
Zoom Link Pass code: 747351 |
| OIP International Student Orientation: The Fall 2024 International Student Orientation is a community-building event tailored for incoming international and exchange students. Attendance is free of charge. |
Tuesday, August 19 (half-day in-person) & Wednesday, August 20 (Virtual) Time TBD |
In-person Annex I virtual (Online synchronous) at Zoom |
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I need help with...
- General SF State Questions
- Accessing my Student Center
- Submitting Official Transcripts
I need help with...
- Choosing my courses
- Understanding my conditional admission
- Other departmental inquiries
