OpenFieldEstablished in 1901 and set amidst 9,000 acres of picturesque rolling hills and vineyards near the Pacific Ocean, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is the premier polytechnic institution of the California State University system. Educating over 22,000 students, Cal Poly is acclaimed for graduating immediate industry leaders in engineering, aerospace, computer science, and viticulture. The College of Engineering is one of the largest and highest-ranked undergraduate engineering colleges in the nation, maintaining close partnerships with Apple, Google, Boeing, NASA JPL, and Tesla.
Review checked academic pathways and funding options below:
Prestige scholarship program recruiting high-achieving first-generation and underrepresented engineering and STEM students, providing four years of financial support and cohort mentorship.
Two-year applied master’s program combining laboratory systems design, interactive computer graphics, machine learning algorithms, and industry-sponsored software capstones.
Four-year degree at the birthplace of the CubeSat standard, featuring hands-on orbital mechanics, cleanroom satellite integration, supersonic wind tunnels, and rocketry propulsion testing.
NAAB-accredited five-year professional architecture degree combining physical design studios, digital parametric fabrication, structural engineering, and sustainable urbanism.
One-year post-baccalaureate fellowship managing the design, environmental thermal-vacuum testing, and launch integration of student-built CubeSats launched into low Earth orbit.
Summer viticulture internship managing 16 acres of commercial estate vines, measuring soil moisture tension with neutron probes, and performing chemical fermentation monitoring.
Three-week applied certification hosted at the California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI) covering ethical network infiltration, PLC exploitation, and incident response.
Tuition fees and student contributions vary across degree levels and residency status. Verified opportunity records list typical costs between $11,500/year (California resident) or $26,000/year (non-resident/international) and departmental funding packages.
Distinguished researchers and laboratory heads at California Polytechnic State University:
Professor Emeritus of Aerospace Engineering & Co-Inventor of the CubeSat · CubeSat Standards, Small Satellite Systems, Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics
Forbes Professor of Computer Engineering · Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, Interactive Games & Simulation
Associate Professor of Viticulture and Enology · Grapevine Rootstock Physiology, Vineyard Nutrient Cycling, Drought Adaptation
Facts reflect official California Polytechnic State University documentation reviewed 2026-10-15. Degree admissions, scholarship awards, and employment positions are subject to formal university review. OpenField does not charge students application fees.
Reviewed 2026-10-15 · Editorial standards · Report an issue