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 began Monday, June 8, 2026; check enrollment time in your Student Center. You may contact your graduate program for advice on which courses to enroll in for your first semester. The Fall 2026 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 2026 orientation will be offered on August 10-14.
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 2026 Graduate Student Orientation Schedule
| SESSION | DATE & TIME | ZOOM or LOCATION DETAILS |
| Funding Your Graduate Journey: How To Find Scholarships, Jobs & Professional Opportunities Looking for ways to help pay for graduate school? This workshop will introduce you to the many funding and career resources available at SF State. Learn how to find scholarships through Academic Works, explore jobs and internships on Handshake, and discover how the Division of Graduate Studies & Career Development can support your academic and professional goals. Hosted by Graduate Student Ambassador, Erica. | August 10 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | Zoom Registration Link |
| New Graduate Student Orientation Welcome: Congratulations on your acceptance to San Francisco State University! Your journey to an advanced degree begins now. The Division of Graduate Studies welcomes you to attend our Virtual New Student Orientation Welcome webinar. This is a great opportunity to gain an understanding of the higher expectations of graduate students, learn about campus resources, and meet the Division of Graduate Studies. |
Monday, August 10 4 – 5 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Academic Technology & IT Student Resources: Get ready for a successful semester by learning about the technology and digital tools you'll use at SF State. This session covers essential academic technology, online learning platforms, and IT resources to help you connect with your courses, instructors, and classmates. |
Tuesday, August 11 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Mental Health and Conflict Resolution in Grad School: Join Graduate Student Ambassador Cody in a discussion about building coping skills for graduate school stressors, from time management to breathing exercises! | Tuesday August 11, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Zoom Registration Link |
| Second Baccalaureate Orientation Welcome: Welcome to SFSU! Join the Division of Graduate Studies for a virtual orientation designed for newly admitted Fall 2026 second baccalaureate students. We'll review program policies, show you how to navigate your second baccalaureate program, and answer your questions to help you start the semester with confidence. |
Tuesday, August 11 3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| New Graduate Student Welcome Coffee & Meet-and-Greet: Start your graduate journey by connecting with fellow new students over complimentary coffee and pastries. Meet the Division of Graduate Studies team, build new connections with your graduate cohort, and kick off the semester in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. |
Wednesday, August 12 10 – 10:30 a.m. Pacific |
Library 121
|
| 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! |
Wednesday, August 12 10:30 – 11 a.m. Pacific |
Library 121 |
| Campus, Library & Global Museum Tour with Graduate Student Ambassadors: Explore your new campus with our Graduate Student Ambassadors! Discover key campus landmarks, visit the J. Paul Leonard Library and Global Museum, learn about essential student resources, and get to know the SF State community as you prepare for your first semester. |
Wednesday, August 12 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pacific |
Library 121
|
| Professional Headshots for LinkedIn: Put your best foot forward with a free professional headshot. Stop by to update your LinkedIn profile, showcase your new graduate student status, and strengthen your professional presence as you begin your graduate journey. |
Wednesday, August 12 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Pacific |
In Person ADM 254 |
| Making the Most of Your New Life at SF State: Every international student has a few stories they wish someone had prepared them for. Join Thalita, one of our Graduate Student Ambassadors, for an honest conversation about navigating your first semester, discovering campus resources, and making the most of your new life at SF State. | Thursday, August 13 | 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Zoom Registration Link |
| SF State Scholars New Undergraduate Student Orientation Session: The Division of Graduate Studies welcomes our newly admitted Fall 2026 SF State Scholars students! In this session, we will review program policies and the transition process as a Scholars student. |
Thursday, August 13 11 – 11:45 a.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
| Financial Aid & Bursar's Office Q&A: Have questions about paying for graduate school? Join representatives from the Financial Aid and Bursar's Offices for an overview of financial aid, billing, payment options, and important deadlines, followed by a Q&A session. |
Thursday, August 13 3 – 4 p.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 14 10- 11 a.m. Pacific |
Zoom Registration Link |
CONNECT
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
