MIST Admissions

MIST Program Application Details

Fall 2026 Applications are open!

Please contact mist@csumb.edu to inquire about early start options.

Fall 2026 Cohort Application Deadlines

March 15th, 2026 - Recommended application deadline. Applications will still be accepted up until our final deadline.

May 31st, 2026 - Final Fall 2026 application deadline.

Application Process for Fall 2026

Step 1

Complete and submit an application form at Cal State Apply and pay the application fee to CSUMB.

In the Apply Online tab, select Graduate Admission Applications.
Select Fall 2026 as the application term.
For "Major/Program objective" select the program track you are applying for
- MS Instructional Science and Technology (Blended/Hybrid)
- MS Instructional Science and Technology (Online)
- IST Certificate (Blended Hybrid) or IST Certificate (Online)
Complete and submit the application.

After gaining access to the MIST program graduate application, you will upload the documents required for admission to the MIST program. These are as follows:

Current resume/CV
Email addresses for up to two (2) letters of reference
Statement of purpose (750 words)
All college transcripts (copies are acceptable) uploaded to your MIST application
All original official college transcripts sent to the following address:

Graduate Admissions
100 Campus Center, Bldg. 47
Seaside, CA 93955

TOEFL Examination and course-by-course Foreign Credential Evaluation may be required if you have international coursework or English is not your native language.

Step 2

After your Cal State Apply application has been submitted, you will receive an email from CSUMB with information on how to access your CSUMB username, CSUMB.edu dashboard and MIST program application. This process may take up to 5 business days.

Step 3

After being admitted, you will need to confirm your enrollment by paying a $100 enrollment confirmation fee in your CSUMB student account. This fee is applied to your tuition.

Questions

For questions regarding admission to the program, contact the Student Services Coordinator, Ryan Eller at (831) 582-4790 or email mist@csumb.edu

Information About Required Documents

Transcripts

One official transcript from all higher education institutions attended must be mailed to the Office of Admissions at the address listed above. (We recommend that you request an additional copy to be mailed directly to you. Leave the envelope unopened until you have confirmation that Admissions has received your official transcripts).
One transcript (unofficial are acceptable) from all higher education institutions attended must be also be uploaded to the Cal State Apply Application
A GPA of 3.0 is expected for the most recent 60 units of college-level work attempted. GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 may be considered with substantial alternative demonstration of ability to succeed in the program.
If you are a domestic applicant, all foreign transcripts from schools outside the United States must be sent, at the applicant's expense, to a foreign credential evaluation service. You will also need to submit a copy of your original and translated transcripts to admissions.

Statement of Purpose

Include a 750 word Statement of Purpose (statement of educational and professional goals) that demonstrates your writing ability and interest in the program.

Letters of Reference

Email addresses for up to two letters of reference uploaded to your MIST graduate application. Letters should come from individuals familiar with your professional or academic work. Please inform your references to fill out the recommendation form here.

Alternatively, copies of your letters of recommendation can be sent to us directly at mist@csumb.edu or uploaded to your Cal State Apply application.

Information for International Students

Please note, our program does not qualify to provide students an F-1 student visa. As such, international students should only consider our program if they plan to study fully online.

Foreign Credit and TOEFL

If you have international coursework and/or English is not your native language, please consult the CSU Monterey Bay International Student Admission Requirements. It is possible that you will also need to show proof of English Proficiency and provide the university with a Foreign Credential Evaluation. Please read below for more information about the requirements for showing English Proficiency and Foreign Credential Evaluation.

Domestic applicants who have studied outside the U.S. must also submit official course-by-course, including U.S. degree equivalency and GPA, foreign credit evaluations for each non-U.S. college/university attended and, if applicable, official word-for-word, line-by-line English translations. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) for approved organizations that provide foreign credit evaluation services.