Below are the formal names of the CSU campuses:
California State University, Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands*
California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt**
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University Maritime Academy*
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona**
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San José State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo**
California State University San Marcos*
Sonoma State University
California State University, Stanislaus
California State University, Office of the Chancellor
*Please note Channel Islands, Maritime and San Marcos do not have a comma in their formal names.
**Please note the order of Polytechnic and State when referring to Humboldt, Pomona and San Luis Obispo.
Campus Abbreviations and Alternate Variations
After the first mention of a campus, you can use the short form or the initials for variation, if applicable.
Updated Jan. 25, 2022.
| Bakersfield | CSU Bakersfield | CSUB |
| Channel Islands | CSU Channel Islands | CI |
| Chico | Chico State
| – |
| Dominguez Hills | CSU Dominguez Hills | CSUDH |
| East Bay | Cal State East Bay | CSUEB |
| Fresno | Fresno State | – |
| Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | CSUF
|
| Humboldt | Cal Poly Humboldt
| –
|
| Long Beach | Cal State Long Beach | CSULB |
| Los Angeles | Cal State LA | –
|
|
Maritime Academy* | Cal Maritime | – |
| Monterey Bay | CSU Monterey Bay | CSUMB |
Northridge
| CSUN
| CSUN |
| Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona | CPP |
| Sacramento | Sacramento State | – |
| San Bernardino | Cal State San Bernardino | CSUSB |
| San Diego | San Diego State | SDSU
|
| San Francisco | San Francisco State | SFSU |
| San José | San José State | SJSU |
| San Luis Obispo | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | – |
| San Marcos | CSU San Marcos | CSUSM |
| Sonoma | Sonoma State | SSU |
| Stanislaus | Stanislaus State | – |
*Please note Maritime Academy must only be used if it appears in an alphabetical list with other campus city/location names. If the campus name appears on its own use Cal Maritime or the full formal name. Never use CSUM initials for this campus.
Exceptions
• When listing multiple campuses, using the location name will suffice after "CSU campuses of". For example: "The CSU campuses of Bakersfield, Maritime, San Diego and San Luis Obispo were recognized..."
• When it is obvious that the writer is referring to campuses in the system, using the location name only will suffice. For example: "The enrollments at Long Beach and San José have increased."
When referring to the California State University (CSU) generally or the CSU system, please do not use:
- California State
- Cal State
- Cal State University
- Cal State U
- CS
- California-State-University
- California State University at (location name)
- For example: "The California State University at Bakersfield is..."