First-Year Domestic Students

The University of Oregon defines a first-year applicant as a student who has not attempted any college coursework after high school graduation or after earning a GED. You are still a first-year if you completed college-level coursework while enrolled in high school, such as AP, IB, AICE, dual enrollment, or college-in-the-high-school courses.

To apply as a first-year, your proof of graduation must come from a valid, regionally accredited high school. See regional accreditors.

English/Language Arts | 4 years

• All four years should be in preparatory composition and literature with an emphasis on and frequent practice in writing expository prose.

Mathematics | 3 years

• Take at least three years of high school math. The third year could be satisfied by any math course with a primary focus on concepts in algebra, calculus, data science, discrete mathematics, geometry, mathematical analysis, probability, or statistics.

• We encourage you to take a fourth math course in your senior year of high school.

• If you intend to study a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) major or another field for which calculus is required, seriously consider taking pre-calculus and, if possible, calculus in high school.

Science | 3 years

• Must include a year each in two fields of college-preparatory science such as biology, chemistry, physics, or earth and physical science.

• One year of laboratory science is recommended.

Social studies | 3 years

• Complete three years of social studies from such areas as global studies, history, or social studies electives.

Second language | 2 years

• Complete 2 years of study of the same world language.

• The UO offers several options. See second language requirement.

The University of Oregon admission requirement is defined by the completion of an acceptable second language, including American Sign Language (ASL), through:

• Coursework in high school or college (years completed in junior high or middle school can be used if it is listed on a high school transcript); or

• The demonstration of knowledge and/or proficiency in a second language.

If admitted by exception, two quarters or two semesters of a college-level second language will be required prior to degree completion to make up for the admission deficiency.

The requirement applies to all admitted freshmen and transfer students who graduated from high school in or after 1997. New freshmen and transfer students who graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency program prior to 1997 are exempt from the second language requirement.

High School and College Credit Options

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency by one of these methods:

1. Two years of the same second language in high school (at a regionally accredited high school) with a grade of C- or better, P (pass), or S (satisfactory); or

2. A grade of C- or better in the third year of high school-level second language study (at a regionally accredited high school); or

3. Two college terms of the same second language with a grade of C- or better, P (pass), or S (satisfactory); or

4. Proficiency test (for example, BYU Foreign Language Assessment); or

5. One of the alternate options listed below.

Alternate Proficiency-based Assessment Options

• Pass the Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP 4S) test with a score of at least novice-high.

• Demonstrate proficiency of at least novice-high on the ACTFL scale in American Sign Language (ASL).

• Pass ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview with a score of at least novice-high.

• Satisfactory performance (grade of pass at 101 and 102 course level) on a Brigham Young Foreign Language Assessment.

• Score of 2 or higher on an Advanced Placement Foreign Language Test.

• Score of 4 or higher on an International Baccalaureate Standard Level Foreign Language Exam.

• Score of 40 or higher on a CLEP Foreign Language Exam.

• Satisfactory performance on a college second-language departmental challenge exam.

• Education satisfactorily completed through seventh grade in school or country where English was not the language of instruction.

• Satisfactory performance on additional tests (such as SLIP) administered according to accepted district policy, with the approval of the UO course approval working group.

• Demonstrated proficiency in an American Indian language can meet all or part of the second language requirement, as certified by the governing body of any federally recognized tribe.

Exceptions to this requirement are only considered for students graduating from high schools unable to offer two years of any second language. If admitted by exception, two terms of a college-level second language will be required before graduation.

More information is available by contacting the Office of Admissions.

This is your academic record of all coursework that you’ve completed in high school. We’ll use this information to review your application and consider you for scholarships. We cannot review your application until you have provided your self-reported transcript. See more about self-reported records Link to Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS)

• If you use the Common Application, you may enter the required information in the Courses and Grades section.

• If you use the Oregon Application, you’ll receive a link to a STARS login to provide your information after submitting your application.

• If you choose to use STARS, you may use the EasyImport tool to upload a transcript and an AI tool will populate the self-reported record. Be sure to double-check for accuracy before submitting an AI-generated STAR.

The University of Oregon has a test-optional policy, but many students still provide SAT/ACT scores. Wondering whether to submit your scores? See our Test Optional FAQs

• If you decide to submit test scores, have them sent directly from the testing service if possible. We also accept scores reported on official high school transcripts.

• The UO’s school code number for the SAT Reasoning Test is 4846; UO’s code for the ACT is 3498.

You’ll be asked about your career interests and what you want to major in. We welcome students who are still exploring their academic interests, and we have great advisors to help you choose a path when at the UO.

Your application includes an essay that helps us learn more about you. Write an essay of 650 words or less in which you share information that we cannot find elsewhere on your application. Any topic you choose is welcome. Some ideas:

• Your future ambitions and goals

• A special talent, extracurricular activity, or unusual interest that sets you apart from your peers

• A significant experience that influenced your life

If you are applying to the UO's Robert D. Clark Honors College, you are required to submit an honors college essay. On the Common Application, the Honors College essay prompt will appear immediately below the honors question on your screen when you answer “yes” to apply.

Important: The UO general essay topic cannot be used to fulfill the Clark Honors College essay. You must provide two separate essays.

As you prepare your honors college essay, consider that faculty and staff are looking to see how you think and how your mind works. The best essays:

• Demonstrate effective storytelling

• Include thoughtful analysis

• Synthesize themes in a meaningful way

• Give a sense of your personality and unique perspective

Tips for the Clark Honors essay:

Limit your response to a maximum of 500 words.

Curiosity and breadth of interests are defining characteristics of Clark Honors College students. We value originality and want to learn more about your unique journey and the nature and breadth of your intellectual curiosity.

Tell us about an area that showcases your curiosity and intellectual engagement with the world. Your chosen focus can range from artistic and cultural to scientific and athletic or anywhere in between. Thoughtfully provide examples of how you’ve explored this area and why it matters to you and your future goals.

As you’ve explored what it will be like to be a student at Oregon, you’ve probably learned that no two Ducks are alike. Tell us what makes you you and how that connects to our campus community. We’re interested in your thoughts and experiences recognizing differences and supporting equity and inclusion. Choose one of the two essay options below to guide you in sharing these thoughts. You can learn more about belonging at Oregon by visiting the Student Communities page.

Maximum statement length is 500 words. This statement is not required.

• What have you learned from a social justice issue that inspires you, and how will you apply these lessons to drive change?

• The University of Oregon values difference, and we take pride in our diverse community. Please explain how you will share your experiences, values, and interests with our community. In what ways can you imagine offering your support to others?

UO only accepts transcripts from regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation is a voluntary, peer-reviewed system of self-regulation used in the United States to evaluate schools, colleges, and universities against established standards. Several accrediting bodies oversee this process, each primarily serving one of six geographic regions. These organizations conduct accreditation reviews and maintain the accreditation status of most public and nonprofit private institutions in their regions.

Regionally accredited schools are generally nonprofit and academically focused. Nationally accredited schools are more often for-profit institutions offering vocational, career, or technical programs.

The following are the regional accrediting organizations for primary and secondary schools in the United States

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools: Accrediting educational institutions in the mid-Atlantic region as well as some international regions (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, as well as schools for American children in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East). Search for high schools. Search for colleges.

• New England Association of Schools and Colleges: Accrediting educational institutions in the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Search for high schools. Search for colleges.

• Cognia: Accrediting educational institutions in the Northwest, Southern, and North Central states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming). Search for high schools.

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges: Accrediting educational institutions in primarily the West (California, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Asia, and other parts of the world). Search for high schools.

To be considered for admission to the UO, you must meet our standard admission requirements. Your application will undergo our comprehensive admission process. If you do not meet the standard admission requirements, explore the options for alternative admission.

The UO accepts the Common Application for freshman admission only. You can still use the UO application, but if you're applying to at least one other Common Application school, using the Common Application has the potential to reduce the time you spend filling out applications.

Apply by the November 1 Early Action (or early notification) deadline, and you will receive a decision—Accepted, Denied, or Deferred to Regular Decision—on January 5. Apply by the regular January 15 deadline, and you’ll receive a decision by April 1. No matter when you apply, you will have until May 1 to make your decision.

No, but we will review any that you submit. If your GPA is 3.2 or below, letters of recommendation are advised.

The admissions personal statement/essay is required. A special circumstances statement is not required, but may be submitted to explain any obstacles in your life that hindered your academic performance in high school.

Choosing a college is about finding a place where you can thrive academically and feel a genuine sense of belonging. While visiting campus isn’t required, a campus visit brings that experience to life and helps you connect with your future community and imagine your life at the UO. Come for a full day visit, register for a student-led tour or explore on your own with our self-guided app.

We don’t conduct formal interviews in the Office of Admissions, but you are welcome to meet with an admissions counselor for specific questions or issues that you prefer to address one-on-one.

First, explore the options for additional admission types. When applying, we encourage you to include a personal statement explaining any circumstances that hindered your academic performance.

The UO application process is test-optional. If you do take the tests, we welcome their submission. Note that SAT or ACT tests are considered equally—neither is preferred over the other. Also, we do not require essay scores from either test, and will not use them or SAT Subject Test results, even if you submit them.

Yes, the UO grants college credit for AP and IB exam scores that meet the university's requirements. You must obtain an official score report from the AP or IB administrators and have it sent directly to the UO.

Read the requirements for homeschooled applicants. Read the requirements for students from nonaccredited high schools. Read the requirements for applicants with a GED degree.

Yes, on a case-by-case basis. If you have been admitted for a specific term but wish to postpone when you begin college, the University of Oregon considers deferral requests for students offered freshman admission. To request a deferral of up to one academic year, visit our Defer or Take a Gap Year page and follow the steps listed there. The deferral option is not appropriate for students who plan to start college elsewhere and then transfer to Oregon, or for freshmen admitted from our waitlist. Don't know much about gap years in general? Read this helpful information from National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

First-year students will have access to the My Housing portal approximately four days after you receive your admission decision. While your access is being set up, we encourage you to explore communities, halls, room types, and meal plans. To register, you will need either your UO ID (begins with 95 and was sent via email) or Duck ID (the first part of your UO email account) once that is established. To view the full calendar of housing deadlines, visit University Housing.

No. Early Action (EA) is not binding. It simply means that if you apply by November 1 for admission, you will receive a response from the Office of Admissions on January 5. You still have until May 1 to make your decision. Schools that have binding commitments tied to applications are typically referred to as Early Decision (ED). We do not have an ED program at Oregon because we want you to have the full time available to you to reach your decision.

Yes. Eligible incoming freshmen are automatically considered for many scholarships. However, many other scholarships have separate applications and we encourage you to visit the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for the latest eligibility criteria and deadlines.

In addition to applying for scholarships, file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 1 Priority Consideration Deadline. UO’s school code is 003223.

Dreamer students including students who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) as well as other undocumented students who are ineligible to submit a FAFSA by the UO’s priority filing deadline, March 1 should apply for Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA). Be sure to list the UO as a recipient (school code 003223).

During UO’s mandatory orientation, you’ll learn about degree requirements, meet with your advisor, and register for classes. For students entering in the fall, there are orientation sessions in July and August called IntroDUCKtion. You’ll receive information on Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) and class registration toward the end of your senior year. Students admitted for Winter, Spring, or Summer terms sign up for Mid-Year IntroDUCKtion.

The Tuition Equity law (Oregon House Bill 2787) provides that undocumented students who meet certain criteria are exempt from nonresident tuition and fees. Find out more about tuition equity.

Normal annual rainfall is 46 inches, which is about the same as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York (not combined!). In Eugene, the rain is concentrated between the months of October and April. Eugenians never let a little rain get in the way of enjoying the beautiful campus and fun! It’s common to see people riding bikes and running outside throughout the year. Eugene's climate, with an average temperature of 53 degrees, is one of the city's attractive features. Mild winters, long growing seasons, sunny and dry summers, and few drastic weather changes are characteristic.