San Diego State University draws record applications
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SDSU has seen increases in applications as enrollment also grows. Photo: Bing Guan/Bloomberg/Getty Images
More people than ever are trying to go to San Diego State University.
Why it matters: The Cal State school received a record-breaking number of applications for the fall 2025 semester even as tuition keeps climbing.
By the numbers: More than 118,800 students have already applied to undergraduate and graduate programs across SDSU's campuses.
- More than 95,000 applicants are first-year students looking to attend the San Diego campus.
- About 36% of prospective freshmen were admitted there last year.
Zoom in: Freshmen applications have shot up over the last six years, growing about 40% between 2020 and 2024 at the San Diego campus.
- Freshmen enrollment grew by 36%, or more than 1,700 students.
- SDSU hit record enrollment at 39,373 students last fall at its local and Imperial Valley campuses.
The intrigue: The university is planning to build seven new dorm towers for nearly 4,500 students as demand for on-campus housing grows.
The latest: Applications are still open for SDSU Imperial Valley, SDSU Global Campus and most SDSU graduate programs, so the university expects the total to surpass 123,000.
Between the lines: This is the first year SDSU saw a significant boost in transfer applicants through the CSU Transfer Success Pathway program that launched in 2023, according to Stefan Hyman, associate vice president for enrollment management.
- The program offers dual admission for eligible first-time, first-year students enrolling in California community colleges who commit to transferring to a CSU campus within three years.
- SDSU also recently renewed two compact agreements with Hoover High School and the Sweetwater Union High School District, which guarantees admission to qualified students.
What they're saying: "SDSU has momentum," Hyman told Axios via email.
- He noted the university's recent rankings from U.S. News & World Report and Forbes, rising graduation rates, and the national exposure from Aztec sports like the men's basketball team's NCAA March Madness runs.
What to watch: SDSU plans to continue to grow its student body, but it's somewhat dependent on state funding, which supports the relatively affordable tuition for in-state students.