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California State University - Monterey Bay

Monterey County, United States

  • Cost of Living$ 27,756
  • Tuition Fee From$ 5,723
  • Country Rank#464
  • Batch Strength6,871
  • Global Diversity-
  • Gender Ratio-

Overview

About

California State University - Monterey Bay is a public university located in Seaside, California, USA. It was founded in 1994 as part of the California State University system and is the newest campus in the system. Cal State Monterey Bay has over 7,500 students with an acceptance rate of 53%.  

 

CSUMB offers undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in 40 diverse areas. The university's academic programmes focus on interdisciplinary and applied to learn, with an emphasis on sustainability, social justice, and community engagement. Some of the popular courses opted for by students include: Business, Management, Marketing, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, Humanities, Psychology, and Computer and Information Sciences. All of these courses are offered through its 6 colleges which happen to be:   

  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • College of Business
  • College of Education
  • College of Extended Education and International Programs
  • College of Health Sciences and Human Services
  • College of Science

Ranking

CSUMB is ranked #14 in Regional Universities of the West by US News and World Report of 2024. The university was also placed #6 among Top Public Schools by the same publication. The university appears in the Top Performers List at #2. Additionally, it is consistently ranked among the top colleges in the West and is well-regarded for its strong academic programmes and commitment to undergraduate education. Given below are some of the prominent rankings by Forbes and Times Higher Education for this university:

 

  • #707 - Best Colleges In Nation - College Factual 2024
  • #102 - Best Colleges In California - College Factual 2024
  • #182 - Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions in America - Niche 2024
  • #197 - Best Value Colleges in America - Niche 2024
  • #703 - Best Colleges in America - Niche 2024
  • #332 - Top Public Universities in America - Niche 2024

 

Course-wise Rankings

  • #235 - Best Colleges for Psychology in America - Niche 2024
  • #206 - Best Colleges for Computer Science in America - Niche 2024
  • #907 - For Early Childhood Education - EduRank 2024
  • #917 - For Remote Sensing - EduRank 2024

Year

QS Ranks

US News Ranks

2023

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Facilities

Its main campus is situated on the old military base Fort Ord, which borders the cities of Seaside and Marina. There are 52% of students who live on campus, making the university one of the most residence friendly in California. Students can develop their leadership and personal abilities by participating in one of more than 90 student clubs, including 15 sports clubs. Students can take part in dance, jazz, theatre, and cinema classes at the institute's Global Theatre. The Transportation and Parking Committee (TAPC) handles automobile and mobility-related issues for on-campus students. The university also has several residential halls and a huge library on campus whose information is given below:

 

Residential services - The institution offers housing on several platforms, including the North Quad, Promontory, East Campus, and Residence Halls. The residential halls are a three-story facility that houses first-year students. They have  desks, chairs, beds, mattresses, televisions, high-speed Wi-Fi, and private restrooms provided in these halls. The North Quad is a four-story building which houses second-year students. The rooms here are available in two-bed, one-bathroom or four-bed, two-bathroom configurations. There are also Promontory and East campuses that offer apartment-style housing to upper-class students.

 

Library - The Cal State Monterey Bay Library is the main library on the campus. It is located in the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building. The library's collection includes over 200,000 books, e-books, journals, and multimedia materials, as well as access to numerous online databases and resources. The library's collection focuses on supporting the university's academic programmes and includes materials in a wide range of subject areas, including business, education, humanities, science, social sciences, and the arts.

Notable Alumni

Simonna
Simonna
Lithuanian actress
Jane Kim
Jane Kim
American visual artist
Lydia Jennings
Lydia Jennings
American environmental scientist

Courses

Admission

Acceptance Rate

California State University - Monterey Bay acceptance rate is 92% for international students. The university, therefore, has an open admission policy on the acceptance rate front. However, students should apply before the deadline the university's mentioned grades and scores. 

The school welcomed 51-100% of all applicants in 2023. During the 2021-2022 academic year, it admitted 93% of students. While high acceptance rates often indicate lower entry standards, some midrange acceptance schools maintain rigorous requirements despite their accessibility.

Regarding retention, 81% of full-time students who commenced their studies in Fall 2020 persisted and returned for Fall 2021.

As for graduation rates, 60% of full-time students who began their academic journey in Fall 2015 completed their programmes. However, it is worth noting that the number of first-time students is typically low, as most enrollees are adult learners with prior educational experiences.

 

California State University - Monterey Bay Entry Requirements

For all students choosing to apply here or the returning students opting for postgraduate studies, the admission procedure will be the same. The university has a mandatory application fee payment of USD 70. International students need to have a minimum GPA requirement of 2.45 or higher on a minimum average scale of 4.0. Each applicant must provide the following: 

 

Undergraduate Admission Requirements

  • Official Academic Transcripts of High School
  • Letter (s) of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Proof of financial support
  • Passport
  • Two passport-sized photographs
  • Minimum English Test Scores - TOEFL (83) or IELTS (6.5)

 

Graduate Admission Requirements

  • Official Academic Transcripts of College
  • Letter (s) of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Proof of financial support
  • Passport
  • Two passport-sized photographs
  • CAS statement
  • Minimum English Test Scores - TOEFL (83) or IELTS (6.5)
  • Test scores or GRE/ GMAT if asked by the university
  • Resume or CV showing work experience 

 

California State University - Monterey Bay Fees

The fees for its multidisciplinary courses is given below:

  • Bachelor of Science [B.S] Environmental Studies - Environmental Education - USD 33,100 /Yr
  • Master of Arts [M.A] Elementary Education - $23,760 /Yr
  • Bachelor Nursing - $23,760 /Yr
  • Master of Science [M.S] Marine Science - $23,760 /Yr
  • Bachelor of Science [B.S] Biology - $23,760 /Yr
  • Bachelor of Science [B.S] Kinesiology - $23,760 /Yr 
  • Master of Arts [M.A] Special Education - USD 7,153 /Yr
  • Bachelor of Science [B.S] Computer Science - USD 33,100 /Yr
  • Bachelor of Science [B.S] Sustainable hotel, resort and event management - USD 33,100 /Yr

 

Scholarship

These are the various scholarships offered at California State University - Monterey Bay: 

 

Name Of The Scholarship

Benefits

CSU Trustee Award

$6,000

Richard Leffingwell Scholarship

$3,000

Jim Sanders Scholarship

$2,500

 

No matter what programme you're studying, East Carolina University and various organisations such as UniScholars offer numerous scholarship opportunities. With these scholarships, international students can significantly reduce the financial burden of studying abroad. You can apply for scholarships to attend East Carolina University in Greenville through UniScholars.

Finances

Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds to obtain a visa. While some students may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the California State University - Monterey Bay. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!

Accommodation

There are several student housing options available for students planning to attend the California State University - Monterey Bay. You may select from a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, en-suites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.

 

UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from a wide range of available student accommodations near the university, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are more inexpensive and student-friendly.

Cost of Living

Seaside is an ocean-side hamlet on California's Central Coast, roughly 115 miles south of San Francisco, that overlooks the picturesque Monterey Bay. This magnificent city houses the well-known California State University - Monterey Bay. The accessible location of Seaside allows students to enjoy all of the advantages that the Monterey Peninsula boasts, these advantages include wine tasting whale watching and everything in between. Students can also divulge in the plentiful outdoors, educational opportunities, convenient shopping, delicious dining, accommodations and outstanding views of the Monterey Bay. When it comes to living here, the costs might depend on the factors mentioned below:  


 

Particulars

Cost (Monthly)

Off-Campus Accommodation 

$1,542 

On-Campus Accommodation

$1,262

Transportation

$112

Food Cost

$371

Utility Cost

$187

Entertainment

$92

Groceries

$59

Clothes

$150

Health Insurance

$80

Total Cost of Living with Off Campus Accommodation 

$2,593 

Total Cost of Living with On Campus Accommodation 

$2,313

Annual Cost of Living

$27,756

FAQs