Eligible SDCCD students to be granted automatic SDSU admission as part of new agreement

San Diego Community College District headquarters. (File photo by Chris Stone) As part of an agreement announced Thursday, eligible students in the San Diego Community College District will be granted automatic admission to San Diego State University, and the SDCCD will construct a science building at SDSU’s Mission Valley campus. The leaders of the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to allow students from San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges who have transferable degrees to receive automatic admittance to SDSU starting in fall 2026. In addition, SDCCD will develop a “STEM-oriented academic building” at the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District. “This MOU reflects SDSU’s and SDCCD’s shared commitment to transforming higher education in ways that directly benefit our region’s students, workforce and economy,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. “Together, we will expand access to higher education and offer new pathways to transfers and degree completion for students pursuing careers that are in high demand in this region and across the country.” Students eligible for the transfer are those receiving an associate degree for transfer from an SDCCD campus in a specified field, are California State University eligible and meet some minimum requirements. However, nursing and majors that require an audition such as dance, music and theatre are excluded. The agreement between a CSU institution and a large community college is being touted as the first of its kind to focus both on attaining degrees and guaranteeing transfer between the institutions, as well as a shared facility for study. “SDCCD’s mission is to uplift San Diego’s diverse communities through accessible and affordable higher education opportunities,” said SDCCD Chancellor Gregory Smith. “This partnership will expand pathways to economic prosperity for San Diegans while supporting local industries and businesses and strengthening our regional economy. “We are excited to be part of SDSU’s Mission Valley Innovation District, facilitate collaboration between our faculty and provide our students with unprecedented support to achieve their academic goals.” Through the partnership announced Thursday, SDCCD students will also have greater access to courses not offered at the community colleges, but required to meet SDSU major requirements. “This MOU is a major step forward for public higher education collaboration in San Diego,” said William Tong, SDSU provost and senior vice president. “It will allow us to build a physical and strategic bridge between the SDCCD’s colleges and SDSU, creating more opportunities for our community college students to transfer, pursue advanced degrees, gain hands-on research experience and internship opportunities and contribute meaningfully to our region’s innovation economy.” The proposed shared facility will include teaching and research labs, classrooms, faculty and administrative offices and student support spaces, a statement from the institutions read. It would focus on careers “requiring strong preparation in science, technology, engineering and math.” “This partnership represents a student-centered vision for public higher education,” said Susan Topham, vice chancellor at SDCCD. “It reflects our shared commitment to creating more seamless, well-supported transfer pathways, especially in high-demand fields like STEM. “By bringing our institutions together in a shared space at SDSU Mission Valley, we are not just expanding access, we are building the kind of innovative public education environment our students and communities deserve.”