Counseling Application Procedures

Complete CSUDH MS Counseling Program Application at Cal State Apply. The University application requires a $70 non-refundable application fee.

Submit official transcripts directly from all institutions where you enrolled in any undergraduate coursework (and post-graduate if applicable), with the exception of transcripts from CSUDH, which are not needed.

Transcripts should be sent to the CSUDH Office of Admissions & Records at admissions@csudh.edu

CSUDH will accept electronic transcripts via the following services:
• Parchment
• Docufide
• Naviance
• National Student Clearing House
• eScript-Safe
• Military Services
• Credential Solutions

If your institution provides certified electronic transcripts through another service, please have those transcripts sent directly from your institution to admissions@csudh.edu.

Within the Cal State Apply application, you will also upload unofficial transcripts of all coursework.

Your bachelor’s degree must be from a regionally accredited university and posted no later than the Spring term prior to Fall admission. All undergraduate majors are welcome to apply and there are no prerequisite courses required for admission.

Please include the names and emails of three professionals who can evaluate your potential for graduate study as a counselor. Appropriate references include professors and supervisors/employers who have served in a supervisory capacity with you (as opposed to personal sources such as family, friends, colleagues, or clergy). Your referrers will then be contacted directly by the Liaison-CSU Apply system to request letters of recommendation on your behalf.

To give your referrers sufficient time to submit your letters, be sure to submit your letter request well in advance of the deadline. The CSU Apply application portal will close on the Feb. 1 deadline, after which time letters will not be able to be accepted.

Letters must be written specifically for the Counseling program within one year prior to the application deadline. Please note that letters that refer to another graduate program, are older than one year, or are not provided by those in the requested referrer positions will not be considered. For this reason, it is recommended that your referrers do not use the “reuse” letter feature within Cal State Apply.

Submit a 4-5 page double spaced statement of purpose to include:

1. Personal experiences that have contributed to your decision to become a counselor
2. Your personal strengths
3. Areas you have identified for growth
4. The types of activities you would like to provide or engage in with students once you become a counselor
5. A critical issue in counseling that you plan to research as a student and eventually integrate in your future counseling work

Please use headers specifying each section, and double space your statement using 12-point font. Your writing must be original and free from plagiarism. Statements indicating AI assistance will not be considered favorably in the review process. 

A minimum of a 3.0 grade point average for ALL undergraduate and graduate coursework is required. If you do NOT meet this requirement, then it is strongly recommended that you provide verification of a minimum combined score of 300 on the Verbal and Quantitative Tests of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE - Revised).

All applicants must provide evidence of either a Certificate of Clearance, a Valid California teaching credential, or a Current Substitute Teaching Permit. For information on how to obtain a Certificate of Clearance go to the CTC website: Fingerprint Information and the COE Directions for Applying for a Clearance

Livescan forms are available from the COE Student Services Center or online from CTC.

In your application, please upload a copy of one of the options below:

• Certificate of Clearance
• Valid Teaching Credential or Substitute Teaching Permit
• Receipt of Certificate of Clearance Application (to show it is in process)

If you have not yet applied for the Certificate of Clearance, your application will be considered incomplete.

The California Education Code §44340 & §44341 require that all individuals receive fingerprint clearance from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Commission. This must be met as a condition of admission.

All applicants must submit verification of a current TB clearance. TB clearances are valid for 4 years.

All complete applications will be given careful consideration by the admissions committee. From there, a final round of applicants will be selected to participate in a small group in-person interview. Applicants selected for interviews will be emailed in early February (priority admission) or early March (regular admission) with an interview date. Invited applicants are expected to attend the on-campus interview as it is a required component of the application.