Photo of international students

On average, each course you take at Oregon will include at least one person from another country, six people from different states, and many people with religious, cultural, and ethnic heritages different from your own. You'll thrive because this diversity pushes you to see the world differently. You'll listen to new ideas, evaluate new concepts, and maybe even change the world because you changed your mind.

Why the UO?

At the University of Oregon, you'll be part of a community of students and faculty members dedicated to academic excellence and making a difference in the world. You'll be asked, "What mountain do you want to climb?" and "How do you want to bring about positive change in the world?" Whether you want to make an impact in a neighborhood, school, legal system, arts organization, or scientific theory, you'll find the resources and inspiration here that you need to succeed.

You'll choose from 270 academic programs, many of which rank number one in Oregon and among the top 20 in the nation. You'll take courses from scholars recognized internationally for high-quality teaching, active research, and dedication to student success.

With a student-teacher ratio of 18:1 and a median class size of 22, you'll get to know faculty members individually and quickly become part of the UO community. You'll have opportunities to conduct original research and gain professional experience. Both will give you an edge, whether your trajectory is toward graduate school or the job market. You'll also gain skills for the global marketplace through 120 study abroad programs in 70 countries around the world.

Other reasons to choose the University of Oregon

Academic excellence at the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is a community of student and faculty scholars committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and research. Among its faculty members and alumni, the UO counts two Nobel prize recipients, 10 Pulitzer Prize winners, 19 Rhodes scholars, 42 Guggenheim fellows, and 129 Fulbright scholars. Andrew Shipley, a 2006 UO alumnus, was completing research in New Zealand funded by a Fulbright fellowship when he received a 2007 Rhodes Scholarship.

The University of Oregon is one of only 62 public and private institutions selected for membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities.

Further evidence of the UO's academic excellence includes the following:

  • Design Intelligence magazine ranks the UO Department of Architecture 11th in the nation.
  • The faculty and curriculum of the UO College of Arts and Sciences rank 15th nationally.
  • U.S. News & World Report ranks the UO's Lundquist College of Business first in Oregon, second in the Northwest, and among the nation's top business schools.
  • The UO College of Education ranks sixth nationally among U.S. public universities and is the only top-tier ranked program in Oregon, according to U.S. News & World Report.
  • The School of Journalism and Communication is listed among the top 25 programs in the country.
  • The UO School of Music and Dance is one of the largest and most comprehensive public schools in the western United States.
  • The UO is nationally acclaimed for work in biomechanics, green chemistry, nanotechnology, computer science, genetics, physics, molecular biology, and many other areas in the sciences.
  • These UO programs rank number one in Oregon and among the top 20 in the nation:
    • comparative literature
    • English
    • finance
    • historic preservation
    • interior architecture
    • international economics
    • landscape architecture
    • mathematics
    • molecular biology
    • neuroscience
    • psychology
    • sports marketing

Learning alongside prominent scholars

Photo of teacher with students

The UO's moderate size allows you to explore a world of academic options and offers opportunities to work personally with distinguished faculty members. Here, you'll be taught by the nation's leading scholars in their fields. You'll work alongside them, assisting in their work and conducting your own original research. Through Freshman Interest Groups, you'll get to know prominent scholars personally from your first days on campus.

Global Thinking

As part of the UO global community, you'll attend class alongside students from every U.S. state, four U.S. territories, and 87 countries around the world. You'll choose from 120 study abroad programs in 70 countries. The Yamada Language Center will offer you resources to study more than 100 languages. Through programs like the UO's new Chinese Flagship Program, you'll gain intercultural skills for the global marketplace. You'll learn to see the world differently and maybe even change the world because you changed your mind.

Inspiring Northwest Location

Photo of mountains in Pacific Northwest

At the UO, you'll find outdoor-based academic programs such as the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology at the coast and Pine Mountain Observatory in central Oregon. You'll have easy access to Oregon's pristine wilderness areas, with the Pacific Ocean to kayak or surf, rivers to run, and the Cascade Mountains to climb, ski, or snowboard.

Eugene, Oregon, is a classic college town with a metropolitan-area population of more than 200,000. You'll find that Eugene is small enough to bike across, but large enough to offer galleries, music venues, and great restaurants to discover. Eugene is called the "world's greatest city of the arts and outdoors" and has more working artists, writers, and musicians per capita than Portland.