Camarillo, CA · Public · Every figure is for a student starting in fall 2027. We work each one out again whenever we update the site.
How to pay for California State University-Channel Islands
What a year costs here, what brings it down, and what a SmartTuition plan could save a family like yours.
Paying for four years here
Four years here, after grants
$70,841
A SmartTuition plan could save a family like this about $4,700.
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester, using your own numbers.
Build your SmartTuition plan for California State University-Channel Islands, $99 →Best once your award letter arrives. No letter yet? Get the monthly email.
A family of four with good credit and $500 a month for college. How we worked these out ↓
A year at California State University-Channel Islands
| Full price, in state | $29,761 |
| Full price, out of state | $37,038 |
| After grants, at your income | $16,344 |
At this income, 19 of California's other 64 colleges cost less after grants, and 45 cost more. See them all →
What can bring it down
Merit scholarships. In state: The President's Scholars Program is for first-time freshmen who live in California, with a GPA of at least 3.75. Students apply through the campus portal, and the scholarship renews for up to four years (and 2 more below).
California State University-Channel Islands's promise. Channel Islands Tuition Promise: tuition and mandatory fees covered for a student with a Pell Grant and a Student Aid Index of 5,000 or less (10,000 or less from fall 2027). The conditions ↓
Pay less for college
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester.
At California State University-Channel Islands, our scenarios for California households with good parent credit show a SmartTuition plan saving a median of about $6,300 over four years. How we worked this out ↓
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What California State University-Channel Islands says it awards for grades and test scores.
In state: the President's Scholars Program is for first-time freshmen who live in California, with a GPA of at least 3.75. Students apply through the campus portal, and the scholarship renews for up to four years.
Cal State Channel Islands gives scholarships to undergraduates by financial need, academic merit, or both. They are private funds that do not have to be repaid.
Out of state: students from the exchange states pay 150% of the standard resident tuition. Only the majors the university lists are eligible, and the rate is not open to a second bachelor's degree, a credential or a graduate program.
Published guarantees you may qualify for
We do not assume you qualify for any of these, and our plans never bank on them. Check each against your own situation with the aid office.
Channel Islands Tuition Promise: tuition and mandatory fees covered for a student with a Pell Grant and a Student Aid Index of 5,000 or less (10,000 or less from fall 2027)
Covers tuition, fees.
- Only for a student who is awarded a Federal Pell Grant and has a Student Aid Index of 5,000 or less; a student newly admitted from fall 2027 needs 10,000 or less. The student is newly admitted to a first bachelor's degree and files the FAFSA by the March 2 priority deadline.
- The student enrolls full time (12 or more units a semester) and confirms enrollment by May 1 for fall entry or November 20 for spring entry. No separate application is needed.
- It lasts up to four years for a first-year student and two years for a transfer student, with continuous full-time enrollment. It does not cover housing and dining, books and supplies, transportation and parking, health insurance, personal expenses, or program fees.
“The Channel Islands Tuition Promise ensures that eligible California residents will have their tuition and mandatory fees fully covered through grants, scholarships, and other non-loan financial aid. It's here for students who’ve worked hard to get to this point — and for families who want college to be within reach. It will provide support for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students with continuous full-time enrollment. Our goal is simple: if you’re ready to pursue your future at CSUCI, we’re ready to help reduce financial barriers. Get MORE INFORMATION Who is eligible for Channel Islands Tuition Promise? This guarantee is open to California residents who will join CSUCI as first-year or transfer Dolphins in Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027 or Spring 2028. If you complete your FAFSA, demonstrate financial need through your Student Aid Index (SAI) and income level, and enroll full-time, you may qualify to have your tuition and mandatory fees fully covered for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students. What costs are covered by the Channel Islands Tuition Promise? The Channel Islands Tuition Promise covers gaps in tuition and mandatory campus fees after your financial aid is applied, ensuring that eligible students can attend CSUCI without paying out of pocket for their basic tuition charges. Tuition and mandatory fees are covered through grants and scholarships from federal, state, and CSUCI sources—no loans are used to meet this commitment. What’s not included? These are standard education expenses that vary by student and are not covered by the guarantee: Housing and dining Books, supplies, and course materials Any differential or professional program fees (if applicable) Transportation and parking Health Insurance Personal expenses Students may qualify for additional financial aid to help cover these expenses, depending on their FAFSA results. How do I qualify for the Channel Islands Tuition Promise? Step 1: Apply to CSUCI by the priority admission deadline Step 2: Complete the FAFSA or CADAA by March 2 Step 3: Receive your aid package and guarantee confirmation Step 4: Secure your spot at Cal State Channel Islands by May 1 (Fall) or November 20 (Spring) Automatic Consideration You do not need to apply separately for the Channel Islands Tuition Promise. You will automatically be assessed based on the information on your admissions and financial aid applications. Program Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for the Tuition Promise program, students must meet all of the following criteria: Be a newly admitted student enrolling for the Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027 or Spring 2028 terms Be a California resident or otherwise qualify for in-state tuition Be an undergraduate student pursuing their first bachelor’s degree Be enrolled full time (12 or more units per semester) Submit a FAFSA Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 5,000 or less, as determined by the FAFSA or CADAA. Beginning in Fall 2027, newly admitted students must have an SAI of 10,000 or less. Be awarded a Federal Pell Grant”
How we worked these out
The family
A family of four with good parent credit and $500 a month to put toward college, and the savings you pick. In state, the grants are what California State University-Channel Islands reports families at that income got, on average. Your own will differ, and a family with no aid pays close to the full price. Out of state, there are no grants: the price is before any scholarship from the college.
What a SmartTuition plan saves
The difference, over four years, between a SmartTuition plan and the standard approach: savings first, then loans for the rest. It counts loan interest and the federal tax credit.
The $6,300 in the “Pay less for college” box near the top of this page is the median saving in California State University-Channel Islands's own scenarios. Each scenario is a household that lives in California, with an income from $45,000 to $200,000 and savings of none, $40,000 or $100,000 in a 529. We price California State University-Channel Islands at the aid it reports for that income.
Every scenario has parents with good credit and $500 a month toward college. The card above uses the same two. A scenario where the parents would borrow more than $65,000 is left out.
The prices by income
- They describe students who got aid.
- “Over $110,000” has no upper limit, so it averages families just over $110,000 with far wealthier ones. A family at $115,000 should expect to pay less than it shows.
- Each range is reported on its own, so the prices do not always rise with income.
Where the prices come from
Where the prices come from: California State University-Channel Islands's own 2026-27 tuition, fees, housing, food and books, from its website, carried forward to 2027 at 3.0% a year. The grants are the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (2025-26 figures), carried forward the same way. Each price after grants is the cost less those grants. The out-of-state figure uses the published out-of-state tuition instead. The average price after grants counts the students who get federal aid. Your own figure will be different.
California State University-Channel Islands's own budget for 2026-27 is $33,388. It also counts costs the university doesn't bill for, such as travel and personal spending. We leave those out.
SmartTuition.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by California State University-Channel Islands. Aid policies change; check current terms with the college's aid office.
Nearby at your income
- California State University-Chico$16,209 a year
- California State University-Bakersfield$16,256 a year
- California State University-Channel Islands$16,344 a year
- University of California, Irvine$16,408 a year
- University of California, Santa Barbara$17,013 a year
What each college charges, less the average grant for your income. Every California college →