The following describes in detail the program application requirements in the "Program Materials" section of the Cal State Apply application. This section must be completed in order to be eligible for consideration for program admission.
Applicants must complete all of the requirements below. Persons admitted to the M.S. in Counseling, Option in School Counseling program must have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
The supplemental program application is located in the "Program Materials" section in Cal State Apply.
In the "Program Materials" section, please upload copies of your unofficial transcripts. This is for the program application only.
Please note : For the university application, Graduate Admissions requires official transcripts from ALL colleges attended after high school, including transcripts with your most recently completed courses, are required for admission.
Fresno State graduates are not required to submit Fresno State transcripts to the Admissions Office.
How do I submit official transcripts?
Electronic- transcripts sent electronically or as a PDF attachment MUST come directly from the issuing institution. Transcripts emailed by the applicant will not be accepted for admission review.
Have your institution email transcripts to:
Fresno State Admissions OR Fresno State Division of Graduate Studies
Graduate program applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted and a minimum of 3.0 on any post baccalaureate work at Fresno State.
Graduate program applicants who do not meet this requirement but meet the University minimum GPA requirement for graduate admissions (2.5) may be considered for admission at the discretion of the program admission committee based on compelling evidence of academic and professional potential (i.e. recent academic performance, extensive experiential background) as described in the Statement of Purpose.
This is a 2 page (single-space, 12 size font, 1-inch margins) typed statement of your purpose for applying to the program. Focus on your present situation and your short and long-term professional goals. Make sure you address the following areas:
The General Program Recommendation with Letter Upload is required to be submitted by your recommender. Request letters of reference from instructors, supervisors, or other individuals who are in a position to evaluate you in terms of your potential for graduate study in the program. Three recommendations are required.
In the "Recommenations" section, you will provide your recommender contact information. Once you have saved an electronic recommendation, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out.
Please include a professional resume/vitae that highlights your academic background, employment history, professional activities and roles, and other experiences that support your application.
It is recommended that these courses be completed or in progress prior to applying to the program. Please highlight the courses on your unofficial transcripts. These courses cannot be older than 10 years:
To have courses that you have taken at another institution reviewed for substitution, please click on the forms below:
Please email the form, along with the required documents to the Renee Petch, the Graduate Admissions Analyst at
A Certificate of Clearance is an admission requirement for the School Counseling program. Applicants will need to include a copy of their Certificate of Clearance in the application packet.
30 day substitute teaching permits will no longer be accepted in lieu of the Certificate of Clearance.
The California Education Code and Title 5 Regulations specify, in most cases, that applicants for a credential, certificate, or permit to serve in the public schools of California must verify basic skills proficiency before the credential, certificate, or permit will be issued.
Please refer to the BSR FAQ page for additional information
The BSR can be met with any one of the following options:
Please note: Final approval of qualifying college-level coursework to satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement is determined by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
Applicants passing the initial screening may be contacted for faculty interviews.
If you are an International Student the TOEFL is a requirement for admission to Fresno State. Verification of the TOEFL score is provided to the program by the International Admissions Office.
English Language Requirements
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English, must demonstrate competence in English. Those who do not possess a bachelor's degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). (Some campuses require a higher score.) Applicants taking the computer-based TOEFL must present a score of 213 or above. (Some campuses or programs require a higher score.) In the case of graduate admissions, the CSU minimum for the internet (TOEFL iBT) version of the TOEFL is 80.
For questions, please contact Graduate Admissions at 559/278-4073 or
In addition to the above requirements, applicants must include:
In addition to the above requirements, applicants must include:
School Counseling Program Coordinator
Student Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? Visit our FAQ page for additional information.
Student Resources
Fresno State offers many avenues to receive assistance. Visit our Resources page.
