California Institute of Integral Studies

About California Institute of Integral Studies

California Institute of Integral Studies is an active, independently accredited university headquartered at 1453 Mission Street in San Francisco. WSCUC lists the location as its active main campus, identifies the institution as nonprofit with no related sponsoring entity, and records authorized degrees from the bachelor's level through research and professional doctorates. CIIS was founded in 1968 by Haridas and Bina Chaudhuri. Its historical roots lie in efforts to bring Asian philosophies into conversation with Western intellectual and psychological traditions. The university's defining idea is integral education. In practice, CIIS describes this as study that crosses disciplinary boundaries and attends to intellectual, emotional, creative, somatic, relational, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of learning. Its institutional commitments also emphasize multiple ways of knowing, diversity, social and ecological justice, community, and sustainability. Applicants should regard these commitments as a substantive part of the educational model, not simply a campus theme. CIIS is specialized and predominantly graduate-oriented. Its current catalog includes bachelor's completion degrees alongside master's, MFA, Ph.D., and Psy.D. pathways. Many offerings are fully online or hybrid, while a smaller group—especially several clinical and counseling programs—uses on-campus instruction in San Francisco. Fully online programs have no in-person requirement; hybrid programs combine remote study with occasional in-person sessions. Because formats and professional outcomes differ significantly, students should compare individual program pages rather than assume that university-wide descriptions apply uniformly.

CIIS is accepting applications for Spring and Fall 2027. The published graduate priority deadline is October 1, 2026, for Spring 2027. For Fall 2027, the undergraduate and graduate priority deadlines are February 15, 2027. Start terms vary: many programs begin only in fall, while selected graduate programs also accept spring entrants. Applicants should confirm the relevant program page because CIIS states that each program has distinct application requirements. The general expectation is a 3.0 GPA in prior coursework. A GPA below 3.0 does not automatically prevent admission; applicants between 2.0 and 3.0 must provide a GPA statement. Master's applicants generally need a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Ph.D. applicants generally need both bachelor's and master's degrees, although the Clinical Psychology doctorate has separate regular- and advanced-standing rules. Program-specific prerequisites, statements, interviews, portfolios, or other materials may apply. Undergraduate admission is transfer-based. Applicants need at least 54 transferable semester units from an accredited college, and CIIS caps the total transfer at 84 units. Applicants with 54 to 59 units must also submit evidence of high-school completion or a GED. Certain low-grade, physical-education, remedial, and duplicated coursework does not transfer. International applicants should use the university's dedicated international-admission guidance for credential and immigration requirements. Online applicants must also check whether CIIS is authorized to enroll students in their location, while applicants to licensure-oriented degrees should verify professional recognition in the jurisdiction where they intend to practice.

CIIS organizes its academic work around undergraduate studies, consciousness and transformation, professional psychology and health, and professional certificate programs. The portfolio is notably concentrated in fields that connect human development, mental health, culture, spirituality, creativity, and social change. Current examples include counseling psychology, clinical psychology, East-West Psychology, anthropology and social change, integrative health studies, human sexuality, transformative studies, interdisciplinary arts and writing, and philosophy, cosmology, and consciousness. These examples reflect the official program list; the unrelated generic program tags stored in the database should not be used as a guide to CIIS offerings. Undergraduate study is designed for transfer students completing a degree online. CIIS lists a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies and B.S. degrees in Psychology and Psychedelic Studies. Admission requires at least 54 semester units of transferable college credit, so these are not conventional four-year, first-year-entry programs. Graduate options span master's, MFA, Ph.D., and Psy.D. study. Some programs are research-oriented, while counseling and clinical pathways incorporate professional preparation, practicum, internship, or licensure-related requirements. Delivery format is an important academic distinction. Fully online degrees have no in-person requirement, hybrid degrees use online coursework plus periodic face-to-face sessions or intensives, and on-campus programs meet in San Francisco. Current on-campus offerings include Clinical Psychology and several Counseling Psychology pathways; many consciousness, spirituality, humanities, and research-psychology programs are online or hybrid. Students considering a regulated profession should verify whether the curriculum satisfies licensing rules where they plan to practice. CIIS states that its programs align with California requirements, while other states and countries may differ.

Key Highlights

• Active WSCUC-accredited main campus with no related sponsoring entity
• Private nonprofit institution founded in 1968
• Specialized, predominantly graduate-oriented university
• Degree delivery includes fully online, hybrid, and San Francisco campus formats

Student Life & Environment

Student life at CIIS differs from the experience at a residential undergraduate college. The San Francisco campus is non-residential, and much of the university's community includes graduate students, working adults, commuters, online learners, and hybrid cohorts. CIIS does not provide university housing. Enrolled students instead receive access to internal community platforms where peers share housing opportunities, roommate searches, and sublets. Student Affairs also connects students with local resources involving housing, food, transportation, health insurance, and financial stability. Academic and personal support includes career development, health and wellness resources, disability services, and student-success programming. The university's community and belonging work emphasizes dialogue across backgrounds, anti-racism practice, and social engagement. Public programs, arts activities, events, and the university's community counseling centers provide additional points of contact beyond formal classes. Participation will naturally vary by delivery format, so an online student's experience may center more on cohort interaction and virtual programming than campus events. Career Services supports both students and alumni through workshops, resources, individual coaching, and advising. Some programs also build community engagement, field placement, clinical practice, or applied projects into their curricula. Prospective students should ask their chosen department how often its cohort meets, whether intensives require travel, what student organizations or events are accessible remotely, and what placement support is available for their particular professional goal.

Location & Surroundings

CIIS is headquartered at 1453 Mission Street in San Francisco's South of Market area. The setting places students near the city's arts, cultural, nonprofit, activist, health, and professional communities. The university presents the Bay Area as an extension of the classroom: some students work with local community groups, practitioners, artists, writers, or performers through coursework and applied learning. Its counseling centers and public programs also connect institutional activity with the wider region. The campus is accessible through the Bay Area's public-transportation network, and the surrounding area offers access to museums, public art, restaurants, festivals, and distinct neighborhoods. Regional parks, the bay, coastal areas, and redwood landscapes add outdoor options beyond the urban core. These location benefits are most relevant to on-campus and hybrid students; fully online students may have no requirement to visit San Francisco. Because CIIS is non-residential, students attending in person must arrange their own accommodation and budget independently for San Francisco living costs. Hybrid applicants should identify the location, duration, and frequency of every required intensive before estimating travel and lodging expenses.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, CIIS lists undergraduate tuition at $1,028 per unit, with a package price of $12,319 per semester for 12–18 units. Master's tuition is $1,449 per unit, and doctoral tuition is $1,674 per unit. Program-specific charges can apply to practicum, internship, examinations, dissertation work, and other requirements. Published institutional fees include registration, technology, student wellness, and student union charges. Tuition is subject to change, so students should build estimates from the required units and sequence for their specific degree rather than multiply a generic annual figure. CIIS offers institutional and federal aid to eligible undergraduate students, including grants, scholarships, and loans. Graduate aid may include loans, scholarships, fellowships, and assistantship opportunities. International students can seek institutional assistance, but federal-aid eligibility differs by status. CIIS also warns that federal graduate-loan rules change for new borrowers beginning July 1, 2026; affected students should request an individualized aid estimate rather than rely on older borrowing assumptions. A deferred-payment plan is available for a fee. Career preparation is closely tied to the chosen field. Counseling and clinical programs may involve practicum, internship, and jurisdiction-specific licensure planning, while research and interdisciplinary degrees can lead toward academia, advocacy, nonprofit work, policy, creative practice, health and wellness, or independent professional work. Career Services provides coaching, advising, workshops, and resources to students and alumni. CIIS does not publish sufficiently comparable current salary or placement data across all programs on the cited pages, so applicants should request program-level completion, licensure, and employment outcomes before borrowing.