To be granted classified status, students must have a 3.0 GPA for all work taken as a conditionally classified student and in any courses required by the program for admission to its program. Once the requirements for classified status have been met, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the program and then of the program to notify Graduate Evaluation Services, Research and Graduate Studies by filing the Request for Classification form. To meet the minimum requirements for classified status, the student must fulfill the following (individual programs may have more stringent standards):

1. A 3.0 GPA or higher in all work taken after completion of a bachelor’s degree.
2. Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Score at or above the 50th percentile on one of the three subject areas of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Some programs may waive the GRE requirement if student’s undergraduate cumulative GPA is 3.0 or higher*.
4. Pass the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam (UDWPE). Students who have fulfilled the Upper Division Writing Exam at another CSU campus may submit official notification of a passing score. Some programs may fulfill this requirement with an alternate examination.

*Normally, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) should be taken prior to registration for graduate work at CSUN. Undergraduates should take the examination during the last semester of their senior year. Applications for the GRE may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Applications for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), which is required of business degree majors, are available at the GMAT website.