Open University

Open University is an enrollment option for students not currently admitted to CSUF.

Open University: Access to Academic Credit Courses at Cal State Fullerton

What is CSUF Open University?

Open University (OU) at CSUF is an opportunity for non-admitted students to enroll as a guest in the regular university schedule of courses with professor permission and space availability.

You may request to enroll in courses at the undergraduate level (100-400) where you have read course descriptions and can acknowledge you meet the stated prerequisites (or equivalent) of those courses. Some academic departments may ask to see an unofficial transcript for approval.

Graduate level courses (500’s) require additional consultation and approvals before starting the Request for Approval process. Please consult directly with the graduate advisor/program before requesting to add this type of course.

PLAN AHEAD: Do not wait until the semester/term has started. Read through enrollment planning steps ahead of time.

NEW-Registration is through Titan Online: Enrollment through Open University has moved to self-service registration through the CSUF Portal under Manage Classes, but assigning an enrollment appointment for the planned term of enrollment is always first. In Fall and Spring semesters, you must next then request approval to enroll, and once approved, will register online.

Fees for Open University must be paid when you register: All fees are due in full at the time of the registration action. Failure to pay these fees upon registration will result in disenrollment without prior notice. Do not let that happen. Protect your registration. Review all fee and refund policies at OU Fees and Refund Policies.

Students that need to:

complete academic credit courses for professional reasons
complete prerequisites for a graduate degree or professional program
finish credits for degree completion
take a course to transfer to another university

or, are:

experiencing academic disqualification from CSUF
planning to transfer to an undergraduate program at CSUF

Are you a returning CSUF student that previously attended Cal State Fullerton? Visit Bring Back Titans for more information to facilitate your return.

Registration windows vary per semester/term. Please review Instructions to Enroll as well as the semester/term for additional specific dates and details. The first step is to Update a Prior Student Record or Create a New Student Record. This action will assign you an Open University registration appointment/access for a specific semster/term.

*If you receive an error message when updating/creating your student record, try clearing the "cookies/cache" in your browser.

Application Fee	N/A	N/A
Spring 2024	October 2, 2023: First date record creation or update opens for students to assign themselves an enrollment appointment window through the CSUF Portal.	Request for Approval to Enroll and Registration is January 8 through February 5, 2024.
Summer 2024	February 6, 2024: First date record creation or update opens for students to assign themselves an enrollment appointment window through the CSUF Portal.	Registration opens April 2, 2024 and runs through July 5, 2024. Refer to registration timelines for each session of Summer below.
Fall 2023	May 30, 2023: First date record creation or update opens for students to assign themselves an enrollment appointment window through the CSUF Portal.	Request for Approval to Enroll and Registration is August 7 through September 5, 2023.
Winter 2024	September 25, 2023: First date record creation or update opens for students to assign themselves an enrollment appointment window though the CSUF Portal.	Registration opens October 23, 2023 and runs through January 3, 2024---depending on Session A or Session B. Refer to Winter timelines below.