Fall 2027 Proposed Impaction Changes

At San José State University (SJSU), proposed updates to our impaction policies for all undergraduate applicants were approved and will begin Fall 2027. These changes apply to both first-time, first-year students and upper-division transfer students and are intended to expand access for students to selected academic programs. 

Specifically, SJSU is moving away from a fully impacted campus status to a status of limited program impaction - this means that many of our academic programs will not consider additional admission criteria above CSU eligibility requirements. There will continue to be a select number of programs in each class level that will be subject to additional criteria in our admission selection review.

For the lists of programs in each admission selection category, please see our FAQs below or the Fall 2027 Undergraduate List of Majors [pdf].

Potential benefits of proposed changes:

• Expanded access for First-time, First-year (FTFY) and Upper Division Transfer applicants.
• Reduced time to admission decision time for majors that no longer have additional admission criteria in place.

Next Steps:

• A request for expedited consideration of these proposed impaction changes was submitted to the California State University Chancellor’s Office effective Fall 2027.
• Approval from the Chancellor’s Office was received in early November 2026.

If you have questions, please contact Andrew Wright, Sr. Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at andrew.m.wright@sjsu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

*Please note this section may be updated as additional questions or comments come in during the approval and implementation process.

What happens to program-specific supplemental coursework requirements for transfer applicants?

There will be no change to the program-specific coursework requirements at the transfer level. Only majors that remain impacted will require program-specific supplemental coursework.

What is the admission criteria if I apply to a program that is not on the list of those with additional admission criteria?

For programs that no longer have program based admission criteria, applicants that meet the CSU Eligibility Requirements will be admitted. Please consult our undergraduate admissions web site for the CSU Eligibility Requirements related to your class level.

What if I am admitted to a major that does not have additional admission criteria and want to change my major after admission?

Change of major requests into a major with additional admission criteria are not available to admitted students prior to their first term of enrollment and are never guaranteed. It is always best to choose the major on your application that most closely matches your educational and career goals.

Will the proposed changes to admissions policies impact graduate students?

The proposed changes to admissions policies affect undergraduate admission only and will not impact graduate admissions.

Which programs will admit applicants who meet CSU Eligibility Requirements?

The programs below will no longer consider additional admission criteria above CSU eligibility requirements when reviewing applicants for admission.