Oregon State University has a holistic admissions process which looks at the following items for each of our applicants, with the goal of identifying and admitting students who have the skills, abilities, and drive to succeed at OSU:

• Your high school grades
• Rigor of coursework, considered in the context of options at your school
• Grades in any college or dual-credit courses
• Information provided in your personal statement on the application
• Your responses to one of our available application essay prompts

Test scores, if submitted, are never the sole or primary reason for an admissions decision; they are always considered in context and as supplemental information.

OSU does not require letters of recommendation except when a student is appealing a denial, but will consider any recommendations provided.

You’ll be asked to tell us whether or not you will supply a test score at the time you apply for admission. This allows us to wait on making an admission decision until we’ve received a score, should you decide to submit, or to proceed once the other materials in your application have been received if you decide to apply test optional.

If you decide to submit an SAT or ACT score you’ve already taken, we prefer that you self-report them on the application, as this saves you time and money.

If you apply test-optional, but you’ve already sent us a test score, or they are included on your transcript, we will remove them from our review process.

We do ask all students who have taken a test to submit it if they decide to enroll.  This is simply for research purposes and cannot affect admission or financial aid. The SAT college code for Oregon State University is 4586. The ACT college code for Oregon State University is 3482.

If you indicated you would not be sending a test score and decide to do so before we’ve made an admission decision, you can let us know in your application portal. You may decide to add a test score during the appeal of a decision.

Oregon State University is committed to making scholarship opportunities available to students who qualify, whether they apply with or without test scores. Like the admissions decision-making process, test scores will not be used to disqualify students from scholarships unless otherwise indicated in our scholarship application system.

Scholarship opportunities are available to students who qualify, whether they apply with or without test scores. Applying test-optional will not be disqualify students from scholarships unless otherwise indicated in our scholarship application system.

Admission to the Honors College is competitive. Selection criteria for an incoming first-year student is based on cumulative unweighted high school GPA and the response to the essay question. SAT or ACT scores are optional but can be used to apply if students do not meet the minimum GPA requirement. The strength of courses taken in high school, as well as personal or academic attributes that will enrich the Honors community, are also considered.

Test scores are not required for admission to any programs at OSU. Your intended major is just for advising purposes and is not considered as part of an admissions decision.

Students who apply test-optional will not be required to provide an additional essay or explanation. OSU only requires students to respond to one of the seven standard essay prompts. The Personal Statement is optional for all applicants.

If you decide to submit an SAT or ACT score you’ve already taken at the time you apply, we prefer that you self-report them on the application. You can add or update test scores in your application portal after you apply as well.  OSU will validate self-reported scores.  Once an admission decision is made and before you enroll, we do ask for official score reports to be provided. This is simply for research purposes and cannot affect admission or financial aid. The SAT college code for Oregon State University is 4586. The ACT college code for Oregon State University is 3482.

We will consider the best composite score from an individual test date. We will not recalculate a new composite score from multiple test dates.

SAT Subject Tests are not required for admission to Oregon State or any of our academic programs. Graduates of non-standard or unaccredited high schools, or home-schooled students may decide to provide SAT subject tests for us to evaluate as part of their file, particularly if they do not have transferrable college credit.

We invite you to reach out to your admission counselor or to contact the Office of Admissions at 541-737-4411 or [email protected] with any questions regarding the application process.