Undergraduate Admission

Requirements & Process

Returning to school is convenient at Golden Gate University. The following are the requirements to get started in a degree or certificate program.

Admission Requirements

Criteria

To be considered for full admission for any undergraduate program:

Applicants seeking to transfer with 12 or more semester units must:

  • Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) or better*. The GPA includes all grades received, including those for classes that have been repeated.
  • Satisfy the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirement.
  • Submit official transcripts of all accredited‡ college coursework.
  • Submit an application.

Applicants seeking to transfer with fewer than 12 semester units will be considered for admission in certain cases. Such applicants must:

  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (B) for all academic high school work. Note: any college coursework completed is considered when making an admission decision.
  • Satisfy the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirement.
  • Submit official transcripts of all accredited‡ college coursework.
  • Provide results from the General Education Development (GED) examination or the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) for those who have not completed high (secondary) school.
  • Submit an application.

Domestic students seeking to transfer with fewer than 12 semester units must submit:

  • A resume/CV showing three or more years of professional experience or military service. (Note: not required for Degrees+|Outlier program applicants.)
  • A statement of purpose stating why Golden Gate University is the right institution to meet the applicant’s personal and professional goals; in some cases, participate in an interview (by telephone, video conference, or in person) with the dean. (Note: required for all Degrees+|Outlier program applicants.)
An applicant whose GPA is slightly below 2.0 may still be conditionally admitted but must submit a resume/CV and personal statement demonstrating how they can be successful in an advanced university degree program to be considered.Applicants may be admitted with “subject to documentation” status based on the submission of unofficial transcripts. See Subject to Documentation status for more information.Coursework completed in the U.S. must be from “regionally” accredited institutions to be eligible for transfer.
You should provide the following documents:

  • Admission Application Form and Fee: The completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee ($55 for domestic degree applicants; $40 for domestic certificate applicants) should be sent to the Office of Enrollment Services.

  • Official Academic Transcripts: If you have 24 semester units (36 quarter units) or more of transferable credit, you need only provide college transcripts. If you have fewer than 24 semester units of transfer credit, you must provide transcripts of all high school (secondary school) and previous college work. Students who did not complete high (secondary) school must provide results from the General Educational Development (GED) examination or the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE). Non-native speakers of English must satisfy criteria for the English Language Proficiency Requirement. All official transcripts must be sent to the Office of Enrollment Services. These official transcripts must be sealed by the sending organization. Tip: GGU can make your admissions process easier! We will order and pay for your transcripts to be sent directly to our admissions team.

  • Test Scores: GGU does not require entrance exams (ACT/SAT) for undergraduate applicants. If your first (native) language is not English, you must meet the English language proficiency for admissions. Click here for a list of ways to meet this requirement. If you have earned credit via AP, CLEP or DSST exams prior to your application to GGU, you should request official copies of the test scores. Test score reports must be sent directly from the College Board (collegeboard.org) or Prometric (getcollegecredit.com) to the Office of Enrollment Services.

  • Personal Statement (optional): In cases where the academic history of an applicant does not meet the minimum admission requirements, it is recommended that a written personal evaluation be included. The statement should give a realistic appraisal of any academic work since graduation from high school. Note any inconsistencies in the academic record and the reasons for them. In addition, include a plan to affirm a commitment to academic success while attending Golden Gate University. You are encouraged to be as forthright and open as possible, and should feel free to discuss any adversity that may have influenced your current values toward education and your professional goals. Be aware that both the quality of the writing and the thoughtfulness of the statement will be evaluated.

High school graduates may earn up to 30 units (one academic year) of credit for advanced placement college-level courses completed in high school when validated by grades of 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Examinations of the College Board. Advanced placement is also offered to students who have earned the International Baccalaureate Diploma when validated by scores of 5, 6, or 7 on the I.B. Higher Level examination.

Undergraduate degree programs applicants must choose a program of study. Applicants will not be admitted as "undecided". Golden Gate University does not offer double major degrees. Students who wish multiple concentrations should refer to the policy below.

Two or more concentrations may be taken in the undergraduate degree programs. In addition to the course requirements for the concentrations, you must also complete the course work for all the lower division courses, the liberal studies courses, and the business core courses, plus any additional degree requirements. All of the coursework for multiple concentrations must be completed prior to graduation. Additional concentrations may not be added after graduation from the BAM. Your diploma will list all of the concentrations that you have successfully completed in total by graduation.


To apply for undergraduate programs, students should submit an admission application and a $40 application fee for US applicants to the Office of Enrollment Services.

Certificate Program Admissions

Requirements for Admission to a GGU Certificate Program:
  • To apply for certificate programs, students should submit an admission application and fee.
  • An official transcript documenting that the student has been awarded the equivalent of a high school diploma from an approved institution is required. Students with 12 transferable semester units or 18 quarter units or more from a regionally accredited college or university must submit complete official transcripts detailing this coursework.
  • Certificate students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. An official test score report or other proof of fulfillment of GGU’s English Language Proficiency Admission Requirement is required for all applicants whose native language is not English.
  • Many certificate courses have prerequisite course requirements that must also be satisfied. Prerequisites may be satisfied through transfer of equivalent coursework from external institutions or by taking the courses at GGU. It is not guaranteed that every course required for a given certificate will be offered every term.
  • Admitted certificate program students are required to maintain applicable academic progress standards, including grade-point average. See Academic Standing Standards for more information.
  • All courses required for a graduate certificate program must be completed at Golden Gate University. No transfer credit is granted. Courses earned at GGU in a certificate program may also be used toward a degree program at the university.
  • The certificate will be awarded at the end of the trimester in which the student successfully completes all of the coursework and submits a Certificate of Completion Request form to the Office of Records and Registration.
  • Certificate programs may be ineligible for Title IV federal financial aid. Check with your enrollment counselor to confirm eligibility for each program.

Open Enrollment Admission

The Open Enrollment Program is intended for students enrolling in courses for the purposes of continuing education and personal enrichment or students who have applied for admission to a program of study and, as yet, have not been notified of their admission status. Students in the latter category may register in Open Enrollment for a maximum of twelve (12) undergraduate units or nine (9) graduate units prior to admission.

To register for graduate courses in open enrollment status, you must have an earned bachelor's degree; to take undergraduate courses, you must have earned a high school diploma or GED. Open enrollment does not require submission of GMAT scores.

Open enrollment is not available to international students in Student Visa/ Scholar Visa status who have applied for, but have not received, admission to the university, unless they are in valid immigration status at another college-level institution, have written authorization from that institution to enroll in classes at Golden Gate University and have met GGU's academic and TOEFL requirements.

Non-native speakers of English must meet the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements.

Students registered in open enrollment status are not eligible for financial aid.

Open Enrollment students are required to have each course approved by an advisor prior to registering each term. Permission to register for individual courses is based on prior academic performance and preparation in appropriate prerequisites.

Students registered in open enrollment status are not eligible to earn certificates or degrees. However, after gaining admission to a program, courses completed in open enrollment status are applicable to degree and certificate programs on a limited basis. A maximum of nine units of coursework completed in Open Enrollment status may be used toward meeting requirements for a graduate degree or certificate program and a maximum of 12 units may be used toward meeting the requirements of an undergraduate degree or certificate program.

Open Enrollment students are subject to the same Academic Progress and Grade Standards as degree or certificate students.

Admission Process

The Office of Enrollment Services, in consultation with the appropriate faculty, reviews all documents received, including official academic records from other institutions, standardized test scores, personal statement, professional resumes, letters of recommendation, personal interviews, and any other relevant information.

  • Applicants whose academic preparation does not meet the university admission criteria, but who show potential for academic achievement, may be offered conditional or exceptional admission with the approval of the appropriate academic department.
  • Applicants who have been denied admission may not register for classes, and must wait a minimum of one year before applying again at the same academic level.
  • Once submitted, all application materials become the property of the university and cannot be returned.

An application may remain in pending status for up to one calendar year from the date on which it was received in the Office of Enrollment Services. If the file is not completed within that year, the application will expire and the documents associated with that application will be destroyed. Admission is valid for the term for which you were admitted, and the two subsequent terms. If you do not enroll during that time period (approximately one year), the offer of admission is cancelled and the documents associated with that application will be destroyed. Re-applying after that time will require a new application, application fee, and the submission of all transcripts and other required credentials.

Degree students wishing to change their degree objective or area of concentration must file a "Change of Degree Program/Major" and submit it to the Office of Records and Registration or. Students on academic probation may apply for a change of program. If the dean of the school in which the new program is housed determines that your qualifications meet the requirements of the new program, the application will be forwarded to the Committee for Admissions and Academic Probation (CAAP) for review. Applicants who want to change their degree program prior to an admission decision should submit the request to the Office of Enrollment Services. There is no charge for this process.

Contact your enrollment counselor at 1-415-442-7800 to find out about the status of your application.

Certificate students who wish to enter a degree program should submit the appropriate admission application and all required supporting documents and fees. If admitted to a degree program, students will be required to fulfill the degree requirements to that program in effect at the time of admission. In addition to prior school records and test scores, performance in certificate course work at Golden Gate is used as a criterion for admission to degree programs.

Applicants to undergraduate and graduate studies may enroll as open enrollment students while the admission application is pending final admissions decision. All rules applicable to Open Enrollment must be followed. Applicants should be familiar with open enrollment application and policies.

Open enrollment is a registration program, but does not constitute admission to the university. Students who wish to change from open enrollment to a degree or certificate program should apply for admission online or request a mailed application.