California Polytech. State U.-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · “Cal Poly, Cal Poly-SLO”
- STEM Institute
- Public
- Suburban campus
- Temperate climate
Known for: Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Animal Sciences, Architecture
A public science and technology institute in San Luis Obispo, CA. About 31 of every 100 applicants get in. It gives merit scholarships to international students, not need-based aid.
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- English: TOEFL 80 · IELTS 6.5 · Duolingo 115
- Regular Decision deadline: Nov 30
- After the average intl award
- Not published by the school
- Full price before aid: ≈$57k/yr
- Admit rate
- 31%
- of applicants get in
- Undergrads
- 21,996
- 0.7% international
- Next deadline
- Nov 30
- Regular Decision
Plus shows 1 more fact about this school ↓
Getting in
About 31% of applicants are admitted. It is test-optional, so you do not have to send SAT or ACT scores, though strong ones still help.
- Test policy
- Test-optional, for international students too
- Admit rate for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Regular Decision
- Nov 30
- TOEFL iBT minimum
- 80
- minimum 80 (TOEFL iBT), taken within 2 years
- IELTS minimum
- 6.5
- Duolingo (DET) minimum
- 115
- DET accepted; minimum 115
- SAT or ACT can replace the English test
- Yes
Cost & aid
Full price is about $57k a year before aid. The school does not publish what internationals pay after aid.
- Tuition & fees $35k
- Room & board $19k
- Other fees $4k
- Cost after the average intl award
- Not published by the school
- Aid for internationals
- Merit
Asking for aid
They decide whether to admit you without looking at your ability to pay, so asking for financial aid does not lower your chances.- Part of the admission decision (need-aware)
Covers all proven need
If they admit you, they cover the full gap between what your family can pay and the total cost, usually with grants you do not repay.- Not published by the school
- Internationals who get aid
- Not published by the school
- Biggest merit scholarship for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Average award for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Yearly aid budget for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Application fee
- No waiver offered
- Plan for the $70 fee.
- Local living costs
- 98.5 (New York = 100)
- Expect big-city daily costs.
What Plus shows for this school
Majors with the STEM work extension
How many majors let you work in the US for up to 3 years after graduating.
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Work & visa
OPT lets graduates work in the US for a year after graduation, and STEM majors can add two more years.
- Study
- OPT 1 year
- STEM OPT +2 years
- Majors with the STEM work extension
- CPT internships
- Yes
- Work off campus in your field while you study
- On-campus jobs
- Yes
- Earn while enrolled, no extra visa needed
- Adviser for international students
- Yes
- Immigration and visa support on campus
- Undergraduate research
- Yes
- Co-op built into the curriculum
- No
- IB or A-level credit recognised
- Yes
- Your diploma can earn course credit
- Visa compliance record
- No known SEVIS issues on record
Life & outcomes
96% of first-year students return for a second year. 86% graduate within six years. Graduates start around $72k a year. About 0.7% of undergraduates are international.
- Median starting salary
- $72,358
- All graduates, all majors. Your field will vary.
- Undergraduates
- 21,996
- International undergraduates
- 158
- Share that is international
- 0.7%
Similar universities
- California Polytech. State U.-PomonaPomona, CA · No aid for internationals
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-DaytonaDaytona Beach, FL · Need-based and merit aid
- University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, MA · #213 US News · Merit aid
- Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta, GA · #32 US News · No aid for internationals
- Boise State UniversityBoise, ID · Merit aid
- University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT · #151 US News · Need-based and merit aid
Where this comes from
22% of this school's fields are individually verified. Last checked Jul 2, 2026. Figures are for guidance, so always confirm on the school's official pages before you rely on them.
Data sources
- Main source
- College Scorecard (06/2026 release); Intl-aid/CoL batch (2026-06): Numbeo CoL Index; need-blind list per Wikipedia+aggregators; B5/D3 batch (2026-07): co-op per institutional programs; I-20 industry-norm default; SEVIS none-known default; CDS 2025-2026: AppFee/Deadlines/OtherFees (https://content-calpoly-edu.s3.amazonaws.com/ir/1/images/CDS); English-req/test-policy: official intl-admissions pages (2026-07); IntlMisc (countries/SHIP/funnel/outcomes): official intl/ISSS/career pages (2026-07); Programs: NCES College Navigator; FeeWaiver: official admissions (2026-07); STEM-OPT %: DHS STEM List 2024 (6-digit) × Scorecard programs (4-digit CIP, split families adj.) [Jul 1, 2026]; AppFee verified Jul 1, 2026 (official); Deadlines verified Jul 2, 2026 (official)
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