Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
Oregon State admits about 8 in 10 applicants (79%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 45% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$65 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 75%, women at 79%.
Where applicants live
Oregon applicants were admitted at 84%, applicants from other states at 78%, and international applicants at 36%.
All applicants in the same class: 79%
Of those admitted, 35% from Oregon enrolled, against 12% from other states and 11% from abroad.
Counted by where applicants lived when they applied, which can differ from who qualifies for in-state tuition. A group's rate reflects who applies from there as well as how the college chooses.
Yield
19% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
292 admitted from the wait list
Applying early
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 15
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How Oregon State reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 50% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores are required. 10% of first-years sent an SAT and 4% an ACT. Of the 53% whose high school reported a rank, 28% were in the top tenth. Requires 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science, and 3 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Considered | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Considered | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
82% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 79% of first-year applicants
5,596 applied · 4,595 admitted · 2,805 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall, winter, spring, and summer.
At least 24 credits completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.3
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by August 25
- Winter entry: apply by December 8
- Spring entry: apply by March 3
- Summer entry: apply by June 21
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Recommended
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Priority date: February 1. Applying by then can matter for scholarships, programs, or housing.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 3 weeks if admitted later.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 3 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Social studies | 3 |
| Total | 15* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
Recent change: Started considering recommendations in fall 2024; Started considering work experience in fall 2024; Started requiring an essay in fall 2024.
Recent change: Requires the SAT or ACT again, for students entering in fall 2027.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.70
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.013%
- 3.75–3.9937%
- 3.50–3.7425%
- 3.25–3.4916%
- 3.00–3.247%
- below 3.02%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–3.99.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 13.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 37.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 25.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 7.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 2.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
28% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 58% in the top quarter, of the 53% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1270 on the SAT, 100 points above the median for colleges that report scores. It requires SAT or ACT scores again from students entering in fall 2027.
Required
Send SAT or ACT scores: they're required to be considered. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
These scores are from the class that entered in fall 2024, before the change.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Oregon State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)