Graduate Student Experience Program (GSEP)
Invest in YOU! Comprehensive Support. Unique Opportunities. Real Results.
The Graduate Student Experience Program (GSEP) provides graduate students with the support and resources needed for graduate success at San Diego State University. The benefits include a variety of personal, research, professional, co-curricular events and activities including full access to the Graduate Student Writing Center. All resources offered through the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity are based on the unique needs and high demands of the SDSU graduate student community.
What are the benefits of the Graduate Student Experience Program (GSEP)?
As a registered participant, you will gain access to other activities and services offered through the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity including:
- Unlimited access to one-on-one consultation and writing workshops at the Graduate Student Writing Center
- Unlimited free printing service, including access to TWO wide-format poster prints per semester
- Access to research and scholarly resources
- Professional Development Academy
- San Diego Experience and Additional Free Campus Life Experiences
- Graduate Intramural Sports Leagues
GSEP Fee Details
The Graduate Student Experience Fee is $300 per academic year. This includes fall, spring and summer semesters.
This fee applies to all second year and above graduate students who have chosen not to opt-out of the program. To opt out, complete the GSEP Opt-out form by July 31, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. PST.
SDSU Global Campus students, SDSU Imperial Valley students, and students enrolled in fully online programs are NOT eligible for the GSEP fee. Students who are planning on taking a Leave of Absence MUST OPT-OUT of the GSEP fee by the deadline.
Dates of Communication
Second-year and above graduate students will receive email (@sdsu.edu student emails) and text notifications to opt-out of GSEP. Below are the detailed methods and dates of communication about the GSEP fee:
- First Notification on April 28, 2025: Via @sdsu.edu Student Email
- Second Notification on May 5, 2025: Via @sdsu.edu Student Email
- Third Notification on May 12, 2025: Via @sdsu.edu Student Email
- Fourth Notification on May 26, 2025: Via @sdsu.edu Student Email
- Fifth Notification on June 9, 2025: Posted in the Graduate Students' Homeroom on Canvas
- Sixth Notification on June 9, 2025: Via text message
Please note: the GSEP fee is NOT refundable after the deadline of July 31, 2025. Please see below for the GSEP Payment Terms and Conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students who decide to participate in the GSEP will see the Graduate Experience Program fee posted to their my.SDSU financial account tile and will be due by September 20, 2025.
As the GSEP fee posts alongside your tuition and fees, it is eligible to be covered by financial aid. To learn more about how the GSEP will impact your financial aid in particular, please visit the Student Financial Center. Our financial aid specialists would be glad to walk through all coverage options with you.
Graduate students are also eligible for scholarships, and are encouraged to apply.
Following the opt-out deadline of July 31, 2025 and because some of the programming becomes available to program participants beginning in Summer 2025, the Graduate Student Experience Fee is non-refundable past that point.
If you wish to opt-out of the program, complete the GSEP Opt-out form by July 31, 2025 4:00 at p.m. PST. It is the student’s responsibility to opt-out if they do not wish to participate.
Students who opt-out of the GSEP fee will receive an immediate email confirming their disenrollment in the program.
To ensure equitable access to services for all graduate students, those who opt out of GSEP will receive limited access to certain resources. This includes a maximum of two appointments per month at the Graduate Student Writing Center, 50 pages of free printing per semester (excluding poster printing), and no priority access to Graduate Life and Diversity events or workshops.
Yes, if you would like to opt back in, please contact us [email protected].
The Graduate Student Experience Program (GSEP) Fee supports and provides resources needed for graduate success at SDSU. I understant that if I do not opt-out of the Graduate Student Experience Fee (GSEP) by July 31, 2025, I will be charged $300 for the academic year and that it will not be refunded, even if I do not use any of the services provided.
If you have questions about the Graduate Student Experience Program, please contact the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity at [email protected] or 619-594-2718.
