- What courses fulfill the composition and math transfer admission requirements?
- Do I need to prove proficiency in a second language to be admitted?
- How will the UO calculate my GPA from another institution? What if I attended multiple colleges/universities in the past?
- How will my application to the UO be considered?
- What if I have an AAOT degree or an ASOT in Business? Will this improve my chances of admission?
- What if I do not meet the minimum transfer requirements?
- Does the UO require an essay, a personal statement, or letters of recommendation?
- Is an interview or campus visit necessary?
- Will college credits from other institutions be accepted at the UO?
- Is there a limit to the number of credits the UO will accept from another institution?
- Will I lose credits if I transfer from a semester system to a quarter system?
- Will my transfer work meet any of the UO requirements to earn a bachelor's degree?
- What are core education requirements?
- When will I receive an official evaluation of my transfer credits?
- Can I defer admission?
- Can I live on campus as a transfer student? What options are available?
- Can AP test scores be used to fulfill the composition and math transfer admission requirements?
- If I "placed out of" or was not required to take a writing or math course at my previous college(s), must I still meet these admission requirements for the UO?
1. What courses fulfill the composition and math transfer admission requirements?
For composition, a qualifying course must be rooted in expository writing and composition at the college level. At most colleges, the required freshman-level composition course typically meets our admission requirement. In Oregon, the course titled Composition I (Writing 121Z) fulfills this admission requirement. We recommend confirming through our that the course you’ve taken/plan to take transfers in as a writing subject area (we cannot accept transfer courses that articulate as English or creative writing to satisfy this requirement for admission).
For math, a qualifying course must be at the college level (100 level or above) and is typically rooted in precalculus at minimum. In Oregon, there are three common math courses that will satisfy this requirement: Math 105Z, Math 111Z, and STAT 243Z. We recommend confirming through our that the course you’ve taken/plan to take transfers in as a MTH or STAT subject area (we cannot accept transfer courses that articulate as PSY, BUS or other subject areas to satisfy this requirement for admission). We recommend that students who plan to earn a bachelor of science have a solid foundation in math prior to transferring to ensure a timely degree completion.
2. Do I need to prove proficiency in a second language to be admitted?
Yes, and we have a variety of ways to demonstrate this. You can learn more about all the ways to meet this requirement at our Second Language proficiency page. It’s also important to note that each of these options are exclusive, and you can’t combine high school work with college coursework or exams to fulfill this requirement for admission. We require official transcripts or exam scores to verify that this requirement has been satisfied, so be sure to request an official high school transcript if you plan to meet the requirement with high school coursework. If we are able to offer you admission without satisfying this requirement, please know that you will be required to complete two college terms of a second language in order to complete your degree at UO.
If you graduated from high school before 1997, or if you took the GED before 1997, you are exempt from this requirement and can indicate this on your application.
3. How will the UO calculate my GPA from another institution? What if I attended multiple colleges/universities in the past?
To determine your GPA for admission, we will include all attempted credits for which you received an A, B, C, D, or F, even repeated courses. Incompletes and withdrawals are not considered in the transfer GPA.
It’s important to note that the GPA we calculate may vary from the GPA you see on your college transcript and this variation is most often because of our inclusion of repeated courses/grades. We calculate one cumulative transfer GPA across all institutions you have attended for the purposes of admission to the University of Oregon, and this GPA is also what is considered for entry into our pre-majors (like business and architecture) that have additional requirements.
4. How will my application to the UO be considered?
If you have completed 35 or fewer transferable quarter credits (23 semester credits), your admission will be based on both your high school and your college work. You must meet admission requirements for both freshmen and transfer students. If you have completed 36 or more quarter credits (24 of which must be graded), your admission will be based only on your college-level course work.
Our evaluation of transfer applications is largely focused on determining if students meet our minimum admission requirements through cumulative GPA and coursework, though we also consider additional factors including special circumstances statements, application materials, grade trends, and academic potential for success.
5. What if I have an AAOT degree or an ASOT in Business? Will this improve my chances of admission?
Yes. If you transfer to the UO with an Associate of Arts – Oregon Transfer degree or an Associate of Science – Oregon Transfer degree in Business, you will have satisfied the writing and areas of inquiry portions of the university's core education requirements. In addition, the UO recognizes these degrees from all accredited Oregon community colleges, and students who have earned one of these two specific degrees will be admissible with a minimum cumulative transfer GPA of 2.00. This does not apply to students holding an AA, AS, or AAS degree earned at a community college, and the AAOT or ASOT must be completed before enrolling at the UO.
6. What if I do not meet the minimum transfer requirements?
Our minimum admission requirements for transfer students are designed to help us assess whether students have the skills to succeed at the university level (as we want each student that we admit to be successful and ultimately graduate with their degree). Composition and writing at the college level remain a significant indicator for success, and writing is the foundation of every degree that we offer (which is why we weigh this requirement heavily). Math and second language proficiency are also important, and both of these subject areas are directly linked to degree requirements for the bachelor of science and the bachelor of arts, respectively. We evaluate applications holistically, and while it is possible to be admitted without having completed math or demonstrating second language proficiency (if other factors of your application are strong), it may mean that you are less prepared and will have to take additional coursework while at the UO.
Our minimum requirements are truly minimums for consideration in most cases (and while additional recommendations or application materials can be helpful, they will not waive or override our minimum GPA and course requirements). For applicants who do not meet our minimum requirements, we ask that you provide a personal statement (either included in the Special Circumstances portion of your application or uploaded in your UO application status portal) to share how/why you do not meet this requirement, and we will consider this information as part of our evaluation. To maximize your chances of admission, we recommend completing these courses before you apply and ensuring you have a cumulative GPA at or above our minimum requirement.
7. Does the UO require an essay, a personal statement, or letters of recommendation?
These are not required for transfer applicants, and your evaluation for admission will not be impacted if you choose to leave this section of your application blank. We encourage transfers to share any relevant information or context if your academic performance was affected by special circumstances like serious illness or documented disability, or to otherwise provide us with information that we would not otherwise gather from your application materials. We also do not require letters of recommendation, though you are welcome to submit these materials for consideration with your application.
8. Is an interview or campus visit necessary?
Visiting campus is not necessary, but it's one of the best ways to determine if the UO is the right fit for you. on a student-led tour or explore on your own with our self-guided app. We also have a robust to give you a large-scale feel of a campus visit.
We don’t conduct formal interviews in the Office of Íæż½ã½ã, but you are welcome to meet with an admissions counselor for specific questions or issues that you prefer to address one-on-one.
9. Will college credits from other institutions be accepted at the UO?
The UO accepts college-level academic course work only from regionally accredited two- or four-year colleges or universities. We will evaluate credits from colleges outside the United States on an individual basis. We accept credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and some kinds of credit by examination if those examinations are administered by another college. To grant transfer credit, we require official transcripts. Explore the transfer credit webpage for more information, or use our to see how your existing credits will transfer.
10. Is there a limit to the number of credits the UO will accept from another institution?
There is no maximum number of credits that can be transferred from a regionally accredited four-year college or university.
Up to 124 credits from an accredited community or junior college may be applied to a bachelor's degree. Credits earned at a community or junior college are transferred as lower-division credits and cannot be used to satisfy the UO upper-division graduation requirements. If you have more than 124 credits, we will accept all of your course work but not the credits. Up to 12 credits of vocational, technical, physical education, and music performance courses may be transferred, and up to 48 credits will be accepted for professional courses such as veterinary medicine or nursing.
11. Will I lose credits if I transfer from a semester system to a quarter system?
No. We grant 1.5 quarter credits for each semester credit, and we will do the conversion of transfer credits during the admission process. Students transferring from a school on the semester system will not lose credits; the credits will just be expressed in a different way. One semester course is generally equivalent to one quarter course. Occasionally, two semester courses, taken in sequence may be equal to three quarter courses.
12. Will my transfer work meet any of the UO requirements to earn a bachelor's degree?
There are three kinds of requirements for a degree from the UO: core education requirements (courses taken by every student regardless of major), major requirements (courses required by individual departments), and electives. Learn more about our .
An official evaluation of your transfer credits tells you which courses we have accepted and which courses will count toward your core education requirements. The official evaluation of your transfer credits will be completed once you have applied for admission and submitted official college transcripts. You’ll be able to review your articulated transfer credits in DuckWeb once they have been processed, and you’ll receive an email notification when this is complete.
13. What are core education requirements?
Core education requirements promote educational breadth; they include courses in expository writing, mathematics or foreign language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and multicultural studies. To earn a bachelor of arts (BA) or a bachelor of science (BS) degree, you must complete the core education requirements as described in the .
14. When will I receive an official evaluation of my transfer credits?
Your transfer credits are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar as they arrive, so long as you have submitted an active application for admission. The Office of the Registrar will email you each time transfer work is evaluated. You can then view your transfer credits and course equivalents using the by selecting "Íæż½ã½ã Menu" and then "View Transfer Evaluation Report." You can also view how your credits will apply to your degree program by selecting "Íæż½ã½ã Menu" and then "View Degree Audit."
15. Can I defer admission?
The University of Oregon admits students for a specific term, and there is no deferral option for incoming students. If you’ve been offered admission (but wish to attend in the future), we recommend you first decline your offer of admission for that term by completing the Intent to Register form in your , and then resubmit a new application for the term you wish to enroll when it becomes available. Your application fee is good for one academic year (beginning fall term through summer term), and if you wish to be considered for a term within the same academic year, simply contact the Office of Íæż½ã½ã to ask that your application be moved for reconsideration.
16. Can I live on campus as a transfer student? What options are available?
Absolutely! Living on campus is a fantastic way to get acclimated to being a Duck, and it means you are always a short walk away from classes, food, resources, and fun. We have also launched a new , focused on supporting and connecting transfer students with each other and campus services to help you be successful. Transfers are not required to live in this community, though spaces on-campus are limited for continuing and incoming transfer students, so we recommend registering for housing as soon as possible. launches on December 1, and you can register as soon as you have been admitted to the University of Oregon.
Transfers are not required to live on campus, and we have resources to help you find the best fit for you. have several options a short distance from campus, and these apartments offer an array of amenities (like on-site childcare) for students with children and families (though this is not a requirement). The University of Oregon also maintains a few tools to help you explore the wide variety of options in the greater Eugene/Springfield area. Our official is only open to the UO community, and is a great place to help you connect with current and upcoming vacancies, roommate searches, and to help you plan and be successful on your search for the perfect place. We also offer an as an additional tool to help you review an array of listings and other resources for finding housing and connecting with property management groups.
17. Can AP test scores be used to fulfill the composition and math transfer admission requirements?
Yes. For composition, an AP score of 3 or higher on the "English: Language and Composition" exam will satisfy this requirement, and you’ll earn applicable college credit based on the score you earned. For math, an AP score of 3 or higher on the AP calculus, AP precalculus, or AP statistics exams will satisfy this requirement, and you’ll earn applicable college credit based on the score you earned. These are listed in our Transfer Equivalency system under The College Board for your reference and are distinguished by exam score earned (with higher scores earning the most credit).
18. If I "placed out of" or was not required to take a writing or math course at my previous college(s), must I still meet these admission requirements for the UO?
Yes. All transfer applicants must meet our composition and math requirements for admission regardless of their previous institution’s policies on placement. Some students meet our requirements without knowing it (most often through AP scores, Dual Enrollment in high school, or if you matriculated with a higher level course), so we recommend reviewing to ensure you know what to expect during the transfer process. If a course you’ve taken/plan to take transfers in as a WR or MTH/STAT subject area, we will accept it as meeting the requirement for transfer admission.