International Students English and Math Requirements
Welcome to San Francisco State University
If at any time you have questions about your first-year courses, especially English composition or math, feel free to contact us.
English composition
International Students are required to sign up for a college level English course during Orientation, unless one of the below is true:
| Test | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| IB English A - Language and Literature HL | 4 |
| IB English A - Literature HL | 4 |
| AP English Language and Composition | 3 |
| AP English Literature and Composition | 3 |
| Transferred class from a college/university that is equivalent to ENG 114 | C or better |
Both international students and domestic students take a first-year written composition course or two their freshman year unless one of the rows in the above table is true. All our composition courses are college-level courses.
If you did not attend a high school taught in English, one of the Composition for Multilingual Students (CMS) courses are recommended. You can find course descriptions for these options in Spanish, Mandarin and English as well as student endorsements in Spanish and Mandarin.
International math
International Students are required to take the First-Year Math Advising before Orientation, unless one of the below is true:
| Test | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| IB Mathematics HL | 4 |
| AP Calculus AB | 3 |
| AP Calculus BC | 3 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Transferred class that counts as B4 from a college/university | C or better |
Please see Standardized External Examinations for a list of AP/IB score equivalencies from previous years.