California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed Senate Bill 640 (SB 640) into law, paving the way for a groundbreaking direct admissions program at Cal State universities. This new legislation is designed to simplify the daunting college application process and significantly increase enrollment across the state’s public university system by automatically offering spots to eligible high school seniors. The program, which builds on a successful pilot in Riverside County, mirrors similar initiatives in other states and is set to revolutionize access to higher education in California, taking effect for fall 2027 admissions.
California Governor Gavin Newsom. (Getty Images)
How Direct Admissions Will Work
With SB 640, qualified California high school students will no longer need to navigate complex application forms. Instead, they will automatically receive acceptance letters to Cal State campuses that have available space, with admission decisions based purely on their academic performance. This streamlined approach aims to remove significant hurdles that often deter students from pursuing higher education.
State Senator Christopher Cabaldon, a key proponent of the bill, emphasized that this direct admission model “removes the applications hurdle that stops some students from going to college, and relieves the fear that they won’t get in anywhere.” The overarching goal of this legislation is to counteract recent declines in enrollment observed across several Cal State campuses.
Positive Outcomes from Pilot Programs and Broader Implications
The success of this approach is not without precedent. A pilot program implemented last year in Riverside County extended admission offers to 17,000 students for the fall 2025 term. Senator Cabaldon reported that an impressive 13,200 of these students completed the necessary steps to enroll, highlighting the program’s effectiveness in boosting first-time undergraduate attendance.
Further supporting this model, a 2022 academic study on Idaho’s similar direct admissions program revealed a 4% to 8% increase in enrollment at participating institutions. It also showed a notable 8% to 15% rise in in-state enrollment, though its impact on Pell Grant-eligible students was less pronounced. A more recent 2023 study focusing on the Common App’s direct admissions initiative indicated a positive trend, with increased application rates among Black, Latinx, multiracial, first-generation, and low-income student groups. With this new law, California joins a growing list of states, including North Carolina, Minnesota, and Hawai’i, that have embraced direct admissions to enhance college access.
Breaking Down Barriers to Higher Education
The complexities surrounding college applications, transfers, and financial aid have long been identified as major deterrents for prospective students. Shun Robertson, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Policy at the University of North Carolina, noted that eliminating these obstacles has been a “high priority” for educational institutions nationwide.
SB 640 is slated to become effective for students applying for Cal State campuses starting in fall 2027. This landmark legislation represents a significant stride in California’s ongoing commitment to broadening college access and simplifying the admissions process across its esteemed public higher education system.