California Lutheran University

Established in 1959, California Lutheran University is private university. Campus is 290 acres in size with 3,144 students enrolled overall. University is in suburban area. It makes use of an academic calendar with semesters. Cal Lutheran is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The cost of tuition and fees is USD 20,055 – USD 53,650. 

California Lutheran University admissions has acceptance rate of about 76% which means university is not that selective and is highly welcoming to students. Students should have SAT score between 1150 - 1320 or an ACT score of 26 - 30. GPA is important academic consideration for California Lutheran University admissions officers. Applicants' high school class rank and, if available, letters of recommendation are taken into account by California Lutheran University admissions staff.

Admission criteria for California Lutheran University vary according to particular program selected by student. But basic criteria for UG students is high school transcripts and UG degree for graduate students respectively. Other criteria include proof financial resources to afford program. Each programme has its own requirements. Students must contact the university programme department for specific criteria.

According to a B.A graduate the California Lutheran University has a beautiful campus and has a reat liberal religious community as well. They are also a dry campus; no drinking on campus, regardless of age. In addition, they require you to reside on campus until senior year. This is excellent in regards to developing a community, but in many respects, often resulted in immaturity of graduates who have never risked paying their own way, or learned limits of drinking without what feels like parental oversight. The university is known for small class sizes, and targeted support throughout your chosen education course. 

Dean’s Candidate is student who has been selected for many reasons.  Admission committee has identified you as student who can contribute to Cal Lutheran community both in academics and personally. Students' selection as Dean’s Candidate will be taken into consideration during formal application review process. When you are ready to apply, select "I'm a Dean's Candidate" on Member Questions section of your Common Application.

Yes, California Lutheran University offer on campus housing but options differ based on year of students’ education. CLU offer 2 types of accommodations- Standard Residence Halls and Apartment-Style Residence Halls. Cal Lutheran’s Housing Costs for 2026-27 are mentioned below-

Accommodation

Semester Cost

(in USD)

Yearly Cost

(in USD)

Standard (4-students/suite)

Pederson, Thompson, Mt. Clef, Old West and New West

4,790

9,580

Kramer, Morgan

6,945

13,890

Grace Hall/ Trinity Hall

7,795

15,590

Trinity Hall Studio

8,185

16,370

University Houses

7,875

15,750

Yes, there are different meal plans available for the students at Cal Lutheran University. Students can check the different meal plans that are flexible and in accordance with their budget.

Mandetory Meal Plans for Students Living in Standard Residence Halls

USD 4,290 per semester
USD 8,580 year total

There are about 37,000+ alumni at California Lutheran University. In the table mentioned below students can see some of the most famous alumni who graduates from California Lutheran University- 

Alumni 

Profession 

Jason Dolley  

American Actor and Musician  

Davi Aranda  

American Football Coach 

Bianca A. Santos 

Actor 

Carley Schroeder 

Actor and U.S. Army Officer 

Tom Herman  

American Football Coach 

Mike Borzello 

Italian-American professional baseball coach 

Jason Smith  

Australian Basketball Player 

A few of the top alumni industries at Cal Lutheran University include Business Development, Healthcare Services, Education, Finance, Operations, Information Technology, Community and Social Services, etc.

Some of the top companies in which California Lutheran University graduates get placed are-

• Amgen
• Bank of America
• Northrop Grumman
• PennyMac
• Amazon
• Los Angeles Rams
• Walt Disney Company

To apply at California Lutheran University applicants need to follow few easy steps. 

• Create an account and register on the Comon Application Website.
• Complete your apllication and the essay
• Request Recommendation. The email address of the recommender's is required.
• Submit the application fee.
• Standardized Test Scores (Optional)
• Transcripts
• Final Review & Submit

GMAT or GRE is not necessary but may be asked by California Lutheran University to help with an admissions decision. English proficiency test scores are also necessary, but the minimal score varies depending on the course. 

CLU admission requirements for Indian students differ for UG and PG students. General requirements include-

• Submission of application through Common App for UG international applicants
• High school coursework proof
• SAT or ACT optional but not required
• English proficiency proof
• Submission of application through online university portal for international PG applicants
• Transcripts or UG degree required
• 2 LOR
• SOP

Indian students can get scholarships in 2 categories- automatic consideration and separate application. 

Automatic Consideration- Indian student are directly considered for financial aids without need for separate application-

• Global Scholars Program- Students from Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Latin America are eligible for aid under Global Scholars Program. Transfer students can get up to USD 25,000, while first year students can get up to USD 30,000. These aids are renewable and can be availed during years of enrollment. 

Application Required- Few scholarships require separate applications such as-

• International Grant- Students have to sjow financial needs through international financial aid application. Amount of aid is determined based on results of application. Amount of the financial grant stays same throughout student's course of study at Cal Lutheran. 

• Cal Lutheran Donor Scholarships- 300+ scholarships offered by Cal Lutheran's benefactors can be availed by students. Students need to fill up application form to become eligible for this. 

Yes California Lutheran University offers various academic, presidential and alumni scholarships. But students need to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards in order to be eligible for any form of scholarship. On campus job is also a great way of covering expenses at the university but the students must maintain a 2.0 GPA for the same. The scholarships can be accessed through separate applications for undergraduate and graduate scholarships seekers respectively. 

Along with tuition fee, Indian students must also take care of other expenses at California Lutheran University. In table mentioned below, students can see cost of tuition along with health insurance, meal plans, books and supplies, etc-

Category 

Cost 

UG tuition fee

USD 53,650

Housing fee 

USD 18,230  

Meal plan 

USD 8,020 - USD 8,650 

Books and supplies 

USD 702 

Travel costs 

USD 1,386

The 1st year tuition fee of various courses which are taught at California Lutheran University is different. The table mentioned below shows the tuition fee for UG and PG courses at CLU for Indian students-

The housing cost of different halls, suites and rooms differ from each other. For all programes USD 400 refundable damage deposit needs to be paid. From the table given below, students can check the housing cost for undergraduate and graduate students. 

Cost of living for UG:

Cost of living for PG 

For 15-Week Graduate Programe

For 8 Week Graduate Programe

MS in CS program is PG program that provides detailed professional training in many Computer Science subjects such as database design, computer network and security, informatics, embedded systems, AI and computer vision.

It prepare students for employment in industry, academia and govt by providing sophisticated conceptual tools and a strong practical component. Students who complete the programme will be well prepared for a job in an area where highly trained men and women are in high demand.

The abundance of "hands-on" opportunities for students is a significant component of the MSCS programme at CLU. Courses are deliberately intended to blend fundamental theory study with sound practice, applying technologies to real-world problems.

CLU famous courses are- Business Management, Marketing, Psychology, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Social Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences, Physical Sciences, etc. These programs are professional and have their own requirements, deadlines and eligibility criteria. Indian students must apply before deadline to get scholarship opportunities and other advantages.