Study Away at Sonoma State via the CSU Visitor Program

Sonoma State is one of the primer public liberal art institutions in Northern California. Our campus offers a very student-focused education with a 17:1 student-faculty ratio with over 40 degree programs including specialized degrees such as Wine Business, Nursing and Environmental Sciences. Students at Sonoma State benefit from hands-on learning opportunities and a strong focus on career preparation. 

Our smaller campus offers a community feel not only within the classroom but across campus with over 100 student organizations.

Located in beautiful Sonoma County, students have access to a vast number of outdoor spaces, such as the coastal redwood forests, vineyards and the Pacific Coast.

The CSU Visitor program provides a pathway for students at any California State University to complete one academic term at Sonoma State. 

This opportunity allows students to experience what life is like in Sonoma County, get to know the Sonoma State campus and community, take advantage of courses or opportunities that might not be available at their home campus all while remaining on-track for graduation. Students will earn in-residence credit that is applicable to their home CSU's degree. 

While participating in the CSU Visitor program, students will pay normal Sonoma State tuition as well as its campus-based fees. As long as a student's home campus confirms a student's coursework they'll take while at Sonoma State applies to their degree, they can use their Financial Aid package for this program. 

Students who have been fully matriculated into a degree program, completed at least one term and earned at least 12 units at their home CSU campus are eligible to study away at Sonoma State. Students enrolled in programs through Extension/Professional and Continuing Education are not eligible.

Students must have a grade point average of at least a 2.0 in all work completed and must also be is in good standing at their home campus. Good standing applies to both academic and disciplinary standing. 

Students participating in the CSU Visitor program must be enrolled full-time while attending Sonoma State.

Applicants need to complete the Application for Intrasystem Visitor Enrollment CSU visitor form, following the instructions under the Procedures section on page 3.

• Fall 2026 - currently accepting applications through Wednesday, August 12, 2026. 

  Late applications may be considered up to the day before the first day of classes, Sunday, August 23, 2026.

• Spring 2027 - Monday, November 9, 2026 through Friday, January 15, 2027.

Applicants should keep in mind that Visiting students can register as soon as 2 weeks after the first day of registration. Your ability to secure the courses you want to take while attending Sonoma State is greatly increased the earlier you apply. While we will work with students to create a schedule they are happy with, we cannot guarantee entry into any class. 

After submitting their application, students will be able to register for Sonoma State courses upon their acceptance into the program. Our in-bound Exchange Student Advisor, Katie O'Brien, will work with each student to register them. Some courses may require permission codes from departments, which can take additional time. 

Living on campus is a great way to maximize your time at Sonoma State! 

We strongly encourage our visiting students to pursue this option as our Housing team makes it easy for students to pursue a one-semester option as opposed to off-campus rental contracts.

Our on-campus accommodations have consistently been ranked within the top 5 for university housing in California. All apartments provide furnished spaces, utilities, Wi-Fi and access to laundry facilities all in one bill. 

To learn more about our housing opportunities and apply to live on-campus, you can visit this website: https://housing.sonoma.edu/why-live-ssu. Applications will be considered up until the start of the semester but the earlier you apply, the better. 

Housing access will be subject to:

• Compliance with all University Housing policies, including enrollment requirements
• Visiting students will be held to the same behavioral, conduct and community standards as all SSU residential students. Participation in the program does not exempt students from any housing policies related to enrollment status, payment deadlines, community living standards or disciplinary procedures. 

Our Global Engagment Office (GEO) supports all in-bound and out-bound students at Sonoma State University. 

Once a student's application has been processed, we'll reach out to you to cover next steps and ensure you have support through the conclusion of your time at Sonoma State.

If you have any questions or need any support regarding our CSU Visitor program, please contact Katie O'Brien, our In-Bound Student Advisor, should you have any questions. 

• [email protected]
• 707-664-2738