California State Universities: Courses, Fees, Eligibility, Scholarships

Updated on - Dec 10, 2025

Stanford University California (#3), Caltech California (#10), UCLA California (#46), and the University of Southern California (#146) are among the top universities in California. Popular courses at California State Universities are MBA, MS Computer Science and MS Data Science. The minimum eligibility criteria for admission into the top universities in California are 75% in a UG degree. English Language tests like IELTS (6.5-7.5) and TOEFL (80-100) are required for Indian students. The Annual Fee range at universities in California is USD 20,046-85,755 (INR 18-77.1 Lakhs).

Table of Contents

Top Rated Universities in California
Document Required for Admission to California State Universities
Cost of Living in California
Tips to Manage the Budget in California
US Study Visa Requirements
FAQs

Top Rated Universities in California

The table below highlights top ranked California colleges and popular courses opted by Indian students in them.

QS World University Rankings 2026	Colleges	Course	Fees in USD	Fees in INR	Eligibility	English Language Test	Scholarships	Acceptance Rate
#3	Stanford University California	MBA	USD 85,755	INR 77.1 Lakhs	UG degree	IELTS 7, TOEFL 90	Stanford University Scholarships	4%
#10	California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)	MS Computer Science	USD 68,001	INR 61 Lakhs	85% in UG degree	IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 100	Caltech Scholarships	3%
#=17	University of California Berkley	MS Computer Science	USD 20,046	INR 18 Lakhs	75% in UG degree	IELTS 7, TOEFL 90	UC Berkeley Scholarships	11.7%
#46	University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)	MS Computer Science	USD 36,297	INR 32.6 Lakhs	4-year UG degree with scholarship	IELTS 7, TOEFL 87	UCLA Scholarships	9%
#66	University of California San Diego	MS Data Science	USD 24,057	INR 21.6 Lakhs	75% in any UG degree, but an engineering or science background is preferred	IELTS 7, TOEFL 85, PTE 65, Duolingo 120	UC San Diego Scholarships	25%
#=114	University of California Davis	MS Computer Science	USD 30,691	INR 27.5 Lakhs	75% in UG degree and proficiency in Computer science, operating and software areas	IELTS 7, TOEFL 80	UC Davis Scholarships	42%
#146	University of Southern California	MS Computer Science	USD 80,594	INR 72.3 Lakhs	UG degree in computer science or a closely related field	IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 90, PTE 61	University of Southern California Scholarships	10%
#179	University of California Santa Barbara	MSc Computer Science	USD 39,526	INR 35.4 Lakhs	75% in UG degree	IELTS 7, TOEFL 100, Duolingo 130	UC Santa Barbara Scholarships	28%
#293	University of California Irvine	MS Computer Science	USD 34,316	INR 30.8 Lakhs	75% in a UG degree related to computing or a UG degree in another field with experience in computing	IELTS 7, TOEFL 80	UC Irvine Scholarships	38.7%
#=440	University of California Riverside	MS Computer Engineering	USD 36,000	INR 32.3 Lakhs	75% in a UG degree	IELTS 7, TOEFL 80	UC Riverside Scholarships	70%
#458	University of California Santa Cruz	MS Computer Science and Engineering	USD 83,898	INR 75.3 Lakhs	75% in a UG degree related to computing or programming	IELTS 7, TOEFL 89	UC Santa Cruz Scholarships	61%

Also Check: How to Apply to US Universities (A Guide to Indian Students)

Document Required for Admission to California State Universities

Indian students need to submit the following documents to get admission to the best universities in California.

Transcripts of UG degree and other qualifications
3 Letter of Recommendations (College or Workplace)
Resume (stating educational qualifications, professional experience and extracurricular activities)
English Language Tests scorecard (IELTS / TOEFL)
SOP (stating why you are interested in taking admission to the university)

Also Check: How to write an SOP

Cost of Living in California

The table below mentions the cost of living in California for an Indian student.

Expenses	In USD per month	In INR per month
Rent	USD 426-3,200	INR 38,000-2.8 Lakhs
Food	USD 344-429	INR 31,000-38,500
Bus Pass	USD 63-100	INR 5,600-9,000
Utilities	USD 170-550	INR 15,000-49,400
Leisure and Sports	USD 15-60	INR 1,300-5,400
Total	USD 1,018-4,339	INR 91,500-3.9 Lakhs

Also Check: Accommodation in California

Tips to Manage the Budget in California

To reduce the Life expenses in California, a student can follow some tips as stated below.

Buy groceries in bulk and cook at home
Use a Metro Pass or a bus pass for travelling
Buy used products through Facebook groups
Check for the free stuff calendar (Free candies and pizza on Halloween, Free colours and food on Holi)
Earn while studying
Walk to campus
Book flight tickets in advance and use credit cards to avail discounts on them

Also Check: Scholarships for Indians in USA

US Study Visa Requirements

The necessary documents required for an Indian student to apply for a US Study Visa are mentioned below.

Valid Indian Passport
Academic Certificates (10th, 12th and UG certificates)
Proof of Financial Support (Scholarship Letter, Financial aid, Bank statement)
English Language proficiency test scores (IELTS / TOEFL)
Proof of return to India after completion of the degree (Home title, Rent agreement)
Passport-sized photographs

Also Check: US Study Visa Requirements

California is a well-known state in the USA, with many universities ranked globally, like Stanford University California, and Caltech California, making it a hub for education. Acceptance rate in the top ranked California colleges is low (3-42%), making it highly competitive, hence, if students want to ensure their admission, they should apply to more than one university.

FAQs

Ques. Is Rent in California less than in New York City?

Ans. Rent in California (USD 420-3,200 / INR 38,000-2.8 Lakhs) is low compared to that of New York City (USD 2,000-5,900 / INR 1.7-5.3 Lakhs).

Ques. What are THE World University Rankings 2026 of California State Universities?

Ans. The THE World University Rankings 2026 for California State Universities are mentioned below in the table.

Universities	Stanford University	CALTECH	UC Berkeley	UCLA	UC San Diego
THE World University Rankings 2026	#=5	#7	#9	#18	#47

Ques. For how much time is a US Study Visa valid?

Ans. A US study Visa is valid for 60 months (5 years), and is generally tied to your duration of course in the USA.

Ques. What is the speciality of California City?

Ans. California is well known for its tech companies like Google, Apple and others. It is also called Silicon Valley due to the concentration of tech companies and a lot of job opportunities.

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Ranking	College Info	Top Courses	Fees & Cost of Living
#4/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Stanford University, Stanford 7.2(Based on 4 User Reviews)California, USA4%Acceptance Rate	MBA Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: GMAT738TOEFL5.5PTE68 View 154 Other Programs	Tuition: $64.1K/Yr Living: $34.3K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#6/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 8.3(Based on 3 User Reviews)California, USA3%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 1 year Exams Accepted: Duolingo120TOEFL100 View 55 Other Programs	Tuition: $64.1K/Yr Living: $21K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#8/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-Berkeley, Berkeley 7.3(Based on 11 User Reviews)California, USA11.7%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: IELTS7 View 84 Other Programs	Tuition: $20.6K/Yr Living: $7.8K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#19/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-Los Angeles, Los Angeles 7.3(Based on 11 User Reviews)California, USA9%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: GMAT703IELTS7 View 73 Other Programs	Tuition: $37K/Yr Living: $27.4K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
Partner Colleges A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management Riverside, California $92.5K 1st Year Fees M.B.A Apply Now 5.0 Best In Academic California State University-Fresno Fresno, California $11.2K 1st Year Fees M.S Civil Engineering Apply Now 8.0 Best In Social Life California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California $17.1K 1st Year Fees MS Computer Science Apply Now 6.9 Best In Faculty California State University-Northridge Northridge, California $20.1K 1st Year Fees B.S Business Administration Management Apply Now 7.6 Best In Social Life San Jose State University San Jose, California $10.5K 1st Year Fees MS Computer Science Apply Now 8.5 Best In Infrastructure University of California-Riverside Riverside, California $92.5K 1st Year Fees M.B.A Apply Now California State University - Stanislaus Turlock, California $6.7K 1st Year Fees M.B.A Apply Now California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, California $8.4K 1st Year Fees M.S Computer Science Apply Now 7.3 Best In Academic California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, California $9.9K 1st Year Fees M.B.A Apply Now 9.2 Best In Academic California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California $6.7K 1st Year Fees MS Computer Science Apply Now
#35/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-San Diego, San Diego 6.0(Based on 9 User Reviews)California, USA	MS Data Science Course duration: 18 months Exams Accepted: Duolingo120IELTS7PTE65 View 58 Other Programs	Tuition: $42.4K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#50/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-Davis, Davis 9.0(Based on 9 User Reviews)California, USA42%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 1 year Exams Accepted: TOEFL80 View 148 Other Programs	Tuition: $47.2K/Yr Living: $16.1K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#64/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	University of Southern California, Los Angeles 7.7(Based on 37 User Reviews)California, USA10%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: TOEFL90PTE61 View 272 Other Programs	Tuition: $32.4K/Yr Living: $22.4K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#76/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara 8.2(Based on 6 User Reviews)California, USA28%Acceptance Rate	M.Sc Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo120TOEFL4.0 View 96 Other Programs	Tuition: $15.7K/Yr Living: $15.2K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#128/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-Irvine, Irvine 6.8(Based on 7 User Reviews)California, USA38.7%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Science Course duration: 15 months Exams Accepted: Duolingo115TOEFL80 View 104 Other Programs	Tuition: $42.5K/Yr Living: $16.7K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#147/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco California, USA15%Acceptance Rate	M.B.A Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo120TOEFL92 View 28 Other Programs	Tuition: $35.2K/Yr Check Admission Requirements

#249/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	UC-SantaCruz, Santa Cruz 8.0(Based on 5 User Reviews)California, USA61%Acceptance Rate	M.S Computer Science and Engineering Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: TOEFL4.5 View 79 Other Programs	Tuition: $33.1K/Yr Living: $16.1K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#266/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	University of California-Riverside, Riverside 8.7(Based on 3 User Reviews)California, USA70%Acceptance Rate	MS Computer Engineering Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: IELTS7 View 130 Other Programs	Tuition: $22.4K/Yr Living: $15.5K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#295/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Claremont McKenna College, Claremont 8.0(Based on 1 User Reviews)California, USA9%Acceptance Rate	B.A/B.S Mathematical Sciences Course duration: 4 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo120IELTS7.5 View 18 Other Programs	Tuition: $64.1K/Yr Living: $16.2K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#337/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Pepperdine University, Malibu California, USA50%Acceptance Rate	M.B.A Finance Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: GMAT500IELTS6.5PTE54 View 54 Other Programs	Tuition: $65.1K/Yr Living: $14.9K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#338/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Pomona College, Claremont California, USA9%Acceptance Rate	B.A Liberal Arts Course duration: 4 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo130IELTS7 View 35 Other Programs	Tuition: $61.9K/Yr Living: $16.1K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#351/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Loma Linda University, Loma Linda California, USA38%Acceptance Rate	M.S Nutrition and Dietetics (Post Didactic Program in Dietetics) Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo105IELTS6.5PTE60 View 31 Other Programs	Tuition: $38.6K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#368/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	Santa Clara University, Santa Clara 8.7(Based on 11 User Reviews)California, USA44%Acceptance Rate	M.S Computer Science and Engineering Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo110IELTS6.5 View 52 Other Programs	Tuition: $52.7K/Yr Living: $14.5K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#375/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 7.8(Based on 3 User Reviews)California, USA29.8%Acceptance Rate	M.S Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: Duolingo115IELTS6.5 View 85 Other Programs	Tuition: $28.3K/Yr Living: $13.1K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#377/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	University of California, Merced 6.8(Based on 1 User Reviews)California, USA73%Acceptance Rate	M.S Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Course duration: 2 years Exams Accepted: TOEFL4.5 View 28 Other Programs	Tuition: $44.6K/Yr Living: $16.8K/Yr Check Admission Requirements
#384/824 Collegedunia Study Abroad Ranking 2026(Overall) Check Other Rankings	University of San Francisco, San Francisco 8.3(Based on 9 User Reviews)California, USA51%Acceptance Rate	MS Data Science Course duration: 1 year Exams Accepted: Duolingo115TOEFL90PTE61 View 77 Other Programs	Tuition: $48.1K/Yr Living: $14.3K/Yr Check Admission Requirements