Newsom Signs Bill to Automatically Admit California Students to State Universities

The legislation aims to boost enrollment in the 23-campus Cal State system by allowing students with good grades to skip the application process.

A California State University–Fullerton symbol in Anaheim, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2002. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

In-state high school students who qualify to attend California state universities can skip the application process and will be automatically admitted to the schools under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 6.

Senate Bill 640, by Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (D-Yolo), aims to increase admissions at the state’s 23 campuses in the California State University system, which is the largest four-year public university system in the United States.

“We should make it as seamless for our students to go from 12^th grade to the next stage of their education as it was for them to go [from] sixth grade to seventh grade,” Cabaldon said in a statement on Sept. 10, when the bill passed the Legislature. “Direct admission removes the applications hurdle that stops some students from going to college, and relieves the fear that they won’t get in anywhere.”

The legislation, which goes into effect for the 2026-2027 academic year, would allow students with sufficient grades and coursework to qualify for admission. The students would receive a letter signed by the chancellor telling them that they’re accepted at a list of campuses with enrollment capacity.

Cabaldon claims education research shows getting this type of acceptance letter can push students to attend a four-year college when they otherwise would not.

In June, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, also signed legislation offering direct admission at nine of the state’s 11 public, four-year university campuses.

Idaho has a similar system, which has boosted undergraduate enrollments by 4-8 percent and in-state enrollments by 8-15 percent, according to Cabaldon.

Idaho’s system allows students with qualifying test scores and a grade point average of at least 3.0 to be pre-admitted into all eight of the state’s colleges. Students with a GPA between 2.25 and 2.99 are pre-admitted to six colleges, and students with GPA under 2.25 are pre-admitted into four colleges.

Cabaldon said he is seeking to give more opportunity for Californians and reverse enrollment declines at many of the state’s campuses. Two of the campuses that have seen the biggest drops in enrollment are California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo and the Sonoma campus, which had to drastically cut its programs this year before getting $45 million in a state bailout.

Cal State enrollment trended upward from 2014 to 2021, peaking at about 390,000 students, but declined in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, according to a report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office. It has recovered but remains about 13,000 below the 2021 peak.

Newsom did not publish comments about his decision to sign the legislation.

The bill was supported by the American Association of University Women in California, Fresno Unified School District, Los Angeles Community College District, L.A. Unified School District, the United Way of California, and other organizations.