University of Oregon

Public · Moderately Selective · OR

Photo: Rick Obst (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationOR · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads20,497

Student:faculty19:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate58.2%

6-yr grad rate71.7%

Drop-out rate13.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$16k

Out-of-state tuition$45k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity39.3%

Gender diversity56.2%

International1.1%

Identity—

Overview

The University of Oregon in Eugene is the state's flagship liberal-arts-and-research university, with a distinctly Pacific Northwest identity that is outdoorsy, politically progressive, and deeply shaped by its ties to Nike and to track and field. Phil Knight, Nike's co-founder, is a UO alumnus and the university's most significant donor, and that relationship has funded academic and athletic facilities well beyond what a public university of Oregon's size would typically have access to, from science labs to stadium renovations.

Academics

Journalism, advertising, sports business, and environmental fields are standout programs, and the university's proximity to Nike's headquarters and its co-founder's philanthropy give students in business, design, and sports-related fields unusual access to industry connections and facilities, including the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, a major science research initiative built with Knight funding. The Robert D. Clark Honors College, one of the oldest public honors colleges in the country, offers a smaller, seminar-based liberal arts track within the larger university.

Campus & student life

Eugene is a mid-size, bike-friendly city built around the university, and Hayward Field on campus makes UO a genuine center of American track and field, it hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and regularly draws major national and international meets, earning Eugene the nickname "Tracktown USA." Environmental consciousness and outdoor recreation, from hiking to cycling, run through student culture broadly, not just among athletes, and football Saturdays at Autzen Stadium are a genuine cultural event even though track carries more of the university's national identity.

Getting in

Admission is holistic and has grown more competitive as UO's national visibility has risen; the university draws a large out-of-state and international applicant pool, particularly from California, and values students who show genuine interest in its specific academic strengths, journalism, environmental studies, or the Clark Honors College, rather than treating it as a generic public option.

After graduation

Graduates in journalism, advertising, and sports business find real pipelines into Nike, sports marketing agencies, and West Coast media companies, and the university's Nike-linked donor network gives certain programs facilities and connections well beyond what a school of its size would typically have. Clark Honors College graduates often go on to competitive graduate programs, aided by the smaller cohort's close faculty relationships.

Worth knowing

The Nike connection is not incidental branding: it has funded major facilities, including the Knight Campus science building and Hayward Field's reconstruction, and shapes real career pathways in sports business, design, and marketing that are unusually strong for a public university. The Clark Honors College is also worth knowing about as a distinct, smaller-school option within a large research university.

uoregon.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate88.3%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1130–1360 · ACT 23–30

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 15

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Financial aid formsMar 1

Early Action at Oregon is non-binding and receives equal admission consideration to Regular Decision; there is no Early Decision option.

Interviews: Oregon does not conduct formal admissions interviews, though applicants may request to meet with an admissions counselor about specific questions.

Supplemental essays (1)

Clark Honors College Essay
Curiosity and breadth of interests are defining characteristics of Clark Honors College students. What's something you believed in that you changed your mind about and what made you change it? Be thoughtful and provide concrete examples to support your response.
500 words · Required · Required only for Clark Honors College applicants, in addition to the standard personal statement (Oregon Application or Common App essay), which cannot substitute for this prompt.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗