California Science and Technology University

What California Science and Technology University does

California Science and Technology University (CSTU) is a private postsecondary educational institution founded in 2016 and headquartered at 1601 McCarthy Boulevard in Milpitas, California, within the Silicon Valley region. The institution operates as an accredited higher education provider (ACCSC; California BPPE-approved) offering a portfolio of five programs: a Master of Science in Computer Systems and Engineering (MSCSE), a Master of Business Administration with a Data Science concentration (MBA), a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems and Engineering (BSCSE), a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), and an Emerging Technology Training Program (ETTP) certificate. The MSCSE and MBA programs carry STEM OPT designation, making them eligible for 24-month post-graduation work authorization for international students.

The institution's go-to-market is sales-led and direct, primarily through its website-based online application portal, with additional referral inflow via partnerships with regional workforce development agencies (NOVA and Work2Future). Revenue is generated through per-credit tuition across degree and certificate programs plus ancillary fees; specific tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed but are referenced in internal 'Schedule of Charges' documents. The technology stack is a standard educational platform comprising separate applicant, student, faculty, and staff login portals, an eCareer Center job board, and an online library resource layer, with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML systems.

CSTU primarily serves international applicants seeking STEM education in the United States, supported by in-house visa services and English proficiency verification. Faculty buildout is ongoing, with active adjunct hiring in TensorFlow/deep learning and business analytics, suggesting continued curriculum investment. The institution operates in a highly regulated environment, filing annual performance reports with BPPE and student outcomes reports with ACCSC, and must track graduate placement for up to six months post-completion. Ownership is private and founder-operated, with no disclosed parent company, external investment, or venture or private equity backing.

Name

California Science and Technology University

Legal name

California Science and Technology University

Website

https://cstu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

California Science and Technology University is a private, ACCSC-accredited postsecondary institution in Milpitas, California, offering STEM-designated master's and bachelor's degrees plus an emerging-technology certificate program to primarily international students via direct online enrollment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Technology & Computer Science Universities (EDAHALAH), Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Higher education
• STEM degree programs
• International student services
• Computer science education
• Business administration degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Milpitas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Degree Program Tuition: Revenue generated from tuition fees for Master's degree programs (MSCSE, MBA) and Bachelor's degree programs (BSCSE, BSBA). Programs have defined credit hour requirements (30 semester units for Master's, 120 semester units for Bachelor's).
2. Certificate Program Tuition: Revenue from Emerging Technology Training Program (ETTP) certificate program - a 12 semester unit, 8-month program covering AI, DevOps, Big Data, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, FinTech areas.
3. Additional Fees and Services: Revenue from additional fees including student services, and potential fees related to visa services and English proficiency verification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

California Science and Technology University (CSTU) is a private postsecondary institution in Milpitas, California that delivers degree and certificate programs in computer systems engineering and business administration. It offers two master's programs (MSCSE and MBA), two bachelor's programs (BSCSE and BSBA), and a short-duration Emerging Technology Training Program (ETTP) certificate covering AI, DevOps, Big Data, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and FinTech. The university primarily serves international students, providing visa support, English proficiency verification, and STEM OPT-eligible coursework with career placement services.

Product overview

California Science and Technology University (CSTU) is a higher education institution offering a portfolio of degree programs and certificate training. The product portfolio consists of two master's degree programs (MSCSE in computer systems/engineering and MBA in data science/business administration), two bachelor's degree programs (BSCSE and BSBA), and a certificate program (ETTP). CSTU also provides student support services including an eCareer Center for job placement assistance, online library resources, and academic advising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Science in Computer Systems and Engineering (MSCSE)

Quantifiable outcome

• STEM OPT eligible programs for international students

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record.

• NOVA (Northern Virginia Workforce Development Agency)OthersNOVA is a nonprofit, federally-funded employment and training agency that provides customer-focused workforce development services to Northern Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County businesses and residents including Cupertino, Los Altos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale.
• Work2Future (Silicon Valley Workforce Investment Network)OthersWork2Future operates three One-Stop Career Centers in San Jose, Campbell and South County areas. Provides workshops, job listings and career advising programs. Serves Campbell, Gilroy, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Saratoga, and all unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Golden Gate University: Private nonprofit university in San Francisco focused on business, technology, and professional programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, with a strong working-adult and international student population. Comparable by size, program mix (business + tech), and target learner.
• National University: Private, nonprofit university headquartered in San Diego with multiple California campuses and a strong online presence; offers tech and business programs at bachelor's and master's levels and serves a similar adult/non-traditional learner profile. Closest comparable to CSTU by structure (private, multi-program, working-adult focus), though it is larger and regionally accredited.
• University of Silicon Valley (formerly Cogswell Polytechnical College): Small private institution in San Jose historically focused on tech, game development, and digital arts degrees. Direct small-scale, tech-focused, Bay Area private peer competing for similar applicants and price points.

Regional players

• De Anza College: Large public community college in Cupertino serving the heart of Silicon Valley with computer science and business transfer pathways. Competes with CSTU for international students seeking affordable Bay Area credentials, but as a public option with different accreditation and lower price.
• Foothill College: Public community college in Los Altos Hills serving Silicon Valley residents with tech, computer science, and business programs plus transfer pathways to four-year schools. Competes for the same international STEM applicant pool at materially lower tuition.

Broad incumbents

• UC Berkeley: Premier public research university with elite computer science, engineering, and business programs and a Berkeley Extension serving working professionals. Anchors the high end of the Silicon Valley STEM credential market that CSTU competes against for international applicants.
• Carnegie Mellon — Silicon Valley Campus: Bay Area extension of Carnegie Mellon offering software engineering and technology management graduate programs. Competes with CSTU for international STEM Master's applicants seeking Silicon Valley-based study and tech employer placement.
• Northeastern University — Silicon Valley Campus: Satellite campus of Northeastern University offering tech and analytics graduate programs with co-op placement in Bay Area employers. Competes with CSTU for career-oriented international Master's students in STEM.
• Santa Clara University: Prestigious private Jesuit university in Santa Clara with well-regarded engineering and business schools. Competes for international STEM students willing to pay a premium for a recognized Silicon Valley credential.
• San Jose State University: Large public university in downtown San Jose with deep computer science, business, and engineering programs. Competes with CSTU for the same Silicon Valley international STEM student pool but with vastly stronger brand, regional accreditation, and lower in-state tuition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Science and Technology University