U of Oregon (#103Tie)

Once you are familiar with the UO's standard admission requirements, it's time to jump in the ring and apply online. For freshmen entering in the fall, the admission application—as well as the nonrefundable $65 application fee—is due January 15. Below you'll find information about what happens after you apply. Need more details? The freshman checklist provides a month-by-month guide to the application process.

When making an admission decision we consider the following criteria:

• strength of academic course work
• grades earned
• grade trend
• standardized test scores
• senior-year course load
• motivation as demonstrated in the application essay
• extracurricular activities including community service and the need to work to assist your family
• ability to enhance the diversity of the university
• academic potential
• special talents

Extracurricular activities will not compensate for low grades or weak course schedules. We offer tentative admission based on your sixth or seventh semester transcripts and your planned senior schedule. Final admission is granted only after we have received transcripts verifying successful completion of all admission requirements and your graduation.

More than 65 percent of UO students receive financial aid, scholarships, or both. File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online and list the University of Oregon (school code 003223) so we'll receive your information. Submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 to meet the UO’s priority deadline of March 1.

We award merit-based scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $110,000. Applying for most UO awards is automatic provided you meet the January 15 admission application deadline. However, Stamps,Presidential, and Diversity Excellence Scholarships require supplemental applications and selection is competitive. Up-to-date scholarship information, criteria, and award amounts are available from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

In April of your senior year we’ll send you a detailed financial aid offer that shows how you can pay for school with your personal assets, part-time work, loans, grants, and scholarships.

Living on campus is not required, but we highly recommend it. As soon as you are admitted to the UO (and not before) you'll be able to apply for housing and sign your housing contract online. Space is limited, so apply as soon as possible.

In the spring, after you’ve been admitted to the UO and paid your deposit, you’ll receive an invitation to register online for IntroDUCKtion and select your first UO classes.

IntroDUCKtion: Two-day student and family IntroDUCKtion sessions allow you to get to know the campus, meet other students, talk with faculty advisers, and register for your fall term courses. IntroDUCKtion sessions are held in July.

First-Year Programs: One way to get a solid start your first term, fulfill general education requirements, and explore a possible major is to enroll in a freshman interest group (FIG). In a FIG, you’ll take a college connections seminar limited to 25 students and two general education courses linked by a theme that interests you. One-third of our FIGs are residential. In those, you live close (but not too close) to the other students in your FIG.

• How will my application to the UO be considered?
• When will I receive news about my admission to the UO?
• Do I need to submit letters of recommendation?
• What’s the difference between the application personal statement/essay and a special circumstances statement?
• Is an interview or campus visit necessary?
• What if I do not meet the UO's admission requirements?
• What’s the minimum SAT Reasoning Test or ACT score required for admission? Do I need to take SAT Subject Tests exams?
• Does the UO give college credit for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam scores?
• If I was homeschooled, attended an unaccredited high school, or earned a GED, how can I gain admission to the UO?
• Can I defer admission?
• How do I apply for on-campus housing?
• Is the November 1 Early Action deadline binding?
• Are scholarships available from the UO?
• When do I register for my first classes?
• What is tuition equity? How do I become eligible?
• How much does it rain in Eugene?

• How will my application to the UO be considered?
  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.
• When will I receive news about my admission to the UO?
  Apply by the November 1 Early Action (or early notification) deadline, and you’ll hear from us by December 15. Apply before the regular January 15 deadline, and you’ll receive our decision by April. No matter when you apply, you will have until May 1 to make your decision.
• Do I need to submit letters of recommendation?
  No, but we will review any that you submit. If your GPA is 3.00 or below, letters of recommendation are advised.
• What’s the difference between the application personal statement/essay and a special circumstances statement?
  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.
• Is an interview or campus visit necessary?
  No, but visiting campus is the best way to determine if the UO is the right fit for you and to get a sense of the campus atmosphere. Delivered by current students, campus tours are held five times a day Monday through Friday and once on Saturday. Group-style information sessions, which focus on many common questions and issues, are held directly after the tours. We recommend allotting at least a half-day for the visit, especially if you’d also like to meet advisers or faculty members in specific departments. Portland-based information sessions are available at the White Stag Block. More information on visiting the Eugene campus or Portland center is available on the Campus Visits webpage. 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. We take pre-arranged appointments as well as drop-ins.
• What if I do not meet the UO's admission requirements?
  First, explore the options for alternative admission. Even if you don’t meet the admission requirements, we encourage you to apply and to include a personal statement explaining any circumstances that hindered your academic performance.
• What’s the minimum SAT Reasoning Test or ACT score required for admission? Do I need to take SAT Subject Tests exams?
  You must submit your scores from either the SAT or ACT (with optional writing component) exams. If your high school GPA is 3.00 or above, there is no minimum score. If your GPA is below 3.00, use our alternate admissions chart to find the minimum score needed to be considered for admission. We prefer to receive your test scores directly from the testing center. If your high school includes test scores on its transcripts, that is sufficient for your application, but please indicate on the special circumstances statement that we should look for your scores on your transcript. SAT Subject Test scores are only required if you graduated from an unaccredited high schoolor were homeschooled.
• [url=]Does the UO give college credit for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam scores?[/url]
  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.
• If I was homeschooled, attended an unaccredited high school, or earned a GED, how can I gain admission to the UO?
  Read the requirements for homeschooled applicants. Read the requirements for students fromnonaccredited high schools. Read the requirements for applicants with a GED degree.

• Can I defer admission?
  No. If you do not enroll at the university for the term in which you were admitted, you must submit a new application with updated transcripts to reapply for a different term. Your application fee is good for one academic year (fall through summer terms).
• How do I apply for on-campus housing?
  As soon as you are admitted to the UO (and not before) you'll be able to apply for housing and sign your housing contract online. Space is limited, so apply as soon as possible. More information is available from University Housing.
• Is the November 1 Early Action deadline binding? No. Early Action means that if you apply by November 1 for admission, you will receive a response from the Office of Admissions by December 15. You still have until May 1 to make your decision.
• Are scholarships available from the UO?
  Yes. Eligible incoming freshmen will be considered for many scholarships including the Summit or Apex and general university scholarships. Financial need may be a factor. To ensure your consideration for all available UO scholarships, you are encouraged to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list the UO (school code 003223). More scholarship information, including specific criteria and award amounts, is available from theOffice of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.
  The following scholarships require a separate application: Presidential, Stamps, and Diversity Excellence.
• When do I register for my first classes?
  During 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),Freshman Seminars, and class registration toward the end of your senior year. Students admitted for winter, spring, or summer terms sign up for Mid-Year IntroDUCKtion.
• What is tuition equity? How do I become eligible?
  The tuition equity law provides that students who meet certain criteria are exempt from nonresident tuition and fees. Read more.
• How much does it rain in Eugene?
  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 are accustomed to the rain, and 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.