How to Apply to Mathematics at the University of Oregon: Standard, Pure Mathematics and Secondary Teaching Tracks, Applying to the University with No Separate Admission for Math and Registering the Major with a Department Advisor, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Oregon (UO) offers undergraduate mathematics through the Department of Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences (natural sciences). Here is what you need to know, based on the department, the Office of Admissions and the catalog, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is not covered here; this site has a separate article on it, and business, architecture, music and other programs with separate admission requirements are not covered either. UO runs on quarters, with degree requirements in credits and a minimum of 180 credits for a bachelor’s degree.

1. Degrees and areas

• Degrees and tracks: the catalog page is titled “Mathematics (BA/BS)” and gives four-year plans for both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in each of the three tracks, six plans in all (180 credits in each). The BA plans include a second-language sequence (the “BA language requirement”). The department says all three tracks lead to the same math degree, with different course sequences.
• Three tracks: the department lists the Standard Track (the most flexible, suited to most students and pairing well with other STEM majors), the Pure Mathematics Track (the deepest dive, more proof-based, best for students considering graduate school in mathematics) and the Secondary Teaching Track (for those who plan to teach math at middle school level or higher, with a focus on geometry, algebra, statistics and calculus). The catalog overview describes the three as applied mathematics, pure mathematics and secondary teaching, which is not quite the department’s “standard” wording; go by the requirements of each track.
• Common requirements: the department says all three tracks include calculus, bridge, fundamentals and computer programming requirements. A year of calculus is required: the standard sequence MATH 251–253 (mathematical and physical applications), or MATH 246–247–253 (life science applications, equivalent for math majors); MATH 241–242 is calculus for business majors and does not satisfy the major. Bridge: MATH 307 (introduction to proof) and four Math Labs (MATH 201–206, two credits each), or MATH 231–232 (discrete mathematics) and two Math Labs. Fundamentals: a two-term upper-division proof-based sequence – MATH 316–317 (analysis), 347–348 (number theory) or 444–445 (abstract algebra; the catalog’s standard track also lists 391–392). Programming: CS 122, CS 210 or another CS course approved by a math advisor.
• Standard track (catalog, 60 credits of listed courses): MATH 253Z, 281–282 (several-variable calculus), 341–342 (linear algebra), CS 122 or 210, bridge courses (12 credits), a fundamentals sequence (8 credits), and four upper-division electives (including at least one two-term sequence) from a list covering analysis, statistical methods, number theory, numerical analysis, abstract algebra, geometry, complex variables, topology, cryptography, stochastic processes and more.
• Grade and credit rules: upper-division courses used for the major must be taken for letter grades, and only one D (D+, D or D–) may count toward the upper-division requirement; at least 12 credits of upper-division math must be taken in residence at UO. MATH 425 (Statistical Methods I) cannot be used for the math major or minor.
• Other options: a math minor; an accelerated master’s program (a bachelor’s in four years and a master’s in one more); departmental honors are in section 8.

2. How admission to the major works: apply to the University, no separate admission for math

• At application: the first-year page says the application asks about your career interests and what you want to major in, and welcomes students who are still exploring. Programs with separate requirements are listed apart: the admissions “departmental deadlines” page names the Clark Honors College, architecture, business, interior architecture, music and product design; they review applications separately and give a separate decision, and applicants not admitted to the program are changed to “exploring” (undeclared). Mathematics is not on that list.
• Registering the major: the department says applying to a math major or minor is a simple process of meeting with an advisor in the department, who will ask what math courses you have taken, which major option you want, what courses you plan to take and perhaps your career interests, and then registers you via the online major-add system. It also advises discussing when courses are offered, since many are year-long sequences that start only in the fall and a few are taught only every two years. A grade requirement or cap on places is not stated in the pages read.
• Advising after entry: the department says students still exploring majors in the College, or needing advising during IntroDUCKtion, should first meet an advisor in Tykeson Hall; students with declared majors seek advice from department faculty.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school math: the admissions office requires a C– or better in 15 college-preparatory courses, including 3 years of math: the third year can be any course with a primary focus on algebra, calculus, data science, discrete mathematics, geometry, mathematical analysis, probability or statistics; a fourth math course in senior year is encouraged. Students planning a STEM major or any field requiring calculus are told to seriously consider precalculus and, if possible, calculus in high school. The other requirements are 4 years of English, 3 of science, 3 of social studies and 2 of the same world language (with several ways to satisfy it, described on the second-language page).
• ALEKS math placement: the Testing Center says all students are strongly encouraged to take it, and it is required if you consider a major in the sciences, social sciences, architecture or business. About 30 questions, 60–90 minutes, taken online at home; students get free access for one year and may take it up to five times (spending at least an hour in the Prep and Learning module before a retake), with a small fee after the year. Students transferring math credits may not need it. The department notes a placement exam policy for prerequisite overrides for MATH 105Z, 106, 107, 111Z, 112Z, 241, 251 and STAT 243Z.
• AP/IB credit: the admissions office says UO grants credit for AP and IB scores that meet its requirements, sent officially by the AP or IB administrator. Which calculus scores earn which MATH courses is not stated in the pages read; please use the Registrar’s Transfer Equivalency system.
• Honors entry: the Clark Honors College has its own application with the same application deadlines as UO (Early Action 1 November, Regular Decision 15 January) and a separate honors essay of up to 500 words. The department’s own honors for graduation are in section 8.
• Math competitions: how competitions are viewed in admission is not stated in the admissions or department pages read.

4. Deadlines and application materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Opening and deadlines: the admissions office says first-year applications for fall open on 1 August of the previous year (for example 1 August 2026 for fall 2027). Early Action (non-binding): application 1 November, supporting documents 15 November, decision by 5 January. Regular Decision: application 15 January, supporting documents 15 February, decision by 1 April; applications after 15 January are reviewed on a space-available basis. For full consideration and automatically awarded scholarships, apply by Regular Decision and send all official documents by 15 February. You have until 1 May to decide.
• How to apply and fee: the Common Application or the Oregon Application, which are considered the same; transfer and postbaccalaureate students must use the Oregon Application. The pages read describe fee waivers but do not print the domestic application fee amount; please ask the Office of Admissions. The international fee is in section 6.
• Materials: a self-reported transcript (the Common App “Courses and Grades” section, or a STARS link after applying with the Oregon Application); an application essay (650 words or fewer, any topic); SAT/ACT optional; letters of recommendation are not required but are read, and are advised if your GPA is 3.2 or below; an optional special circumstance statement and an optional additional statement of up to 500 words. There are no formal interviews.
• Testing: UO is test optional; SAT and ACT are considered equally, and essay scores and SAT Subject Tests are not used.
• Review: holistic, considering the rigor of coursework, grades over time, leadership, activities and employment, the personal statement, and optional recommendations and test scores.

5. US domestic applicants

• Cost (2026-27 estimates): Financial Aid lists, for Oregon residents, tuition and fees $17,475, on-campus housing and food $18,183, books and supplies $1,434, personal expenses $2,673, transportation $471, total $40,236. For nonresidents, tuition and fees $47,466, the rest the same with transportation $1,500, total $71,256. These do not include the one-time $570 matriculation fee for the first term; first-year students must live on campus (off-campus housing is estimated at $14,025). The Duck Tuition Guarantee fixes undergraduate tuition for up to five years. The rates for fall 2027 entry are not stated in the pages read.
• Scholarships: all first-year applicants who meet admission requirements are automatically considered for the Oregon Distinction Scholarship on the basis of holistic review, worth up to $5,000 for Oregon residents and up to $20,000 for nonresidents; other scholarships need a separate application through the UO Scholarship Dashboard. The College of Arts and Sciences also lists scholarships for first-year students, which are not covered here.
• Federal and state aid: the FAFSA priority deadline is 1 March, and fall admits receive aid offers from late March. PathwayOregon covers tuition and fees for Pell-eligible Oregon residents and adds dedicated advising and community. Residency rules are on the admissions residency page.
• In-state priority or guaranteed admission: the pages read give Oregon residents no separate admission priority or guarantee.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents and who enter or are in the US specifically to study, or are on a non-immigrant visa such as F-1 or J-1.
• Deadlines: first-year fall – Early Action 1 November (documents 15 November), Regular 15 January (documents 15 February); other terms – winter 15 October, spring 1 February, summer 1 March. International applications for fall are accepted on a rolling basis until 15 July, but applicants may miss scholarships with earlier deadlines. English test results should arrive at least 12 weeks before International Student Orientation; results needing validation may delay admission to the term applied for.
• Fee and application: the Common Application or the Oregon Application, with a non-refundable $75 fee.
• Grades: first-year international applicants should have at least a B (3.00) average, meet English proficiency requirements (conditional admission is possible) and show financial support; contact Admissions for country-specific minimums. SAT/ACT are not required and can be used to show English proficiency; merit scholarships are awarded without them.
• English requirements: applicants whose native language is not English submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo results (TOEFL code 4846). Full admission: TOEFL 4.5+ (taken after January 2026) or 80–120 (before); IELTS 6.5–9.0; Duolingo 110–130; SAT EBRW 520; ACT English+Reading 40. AEIS admission (fully admitted with Academic English for International Students support): TOEFL 3.6–4.0 or 61–79; IELTS 5.5–6.0; Duolingo 100–109; SAT EBRW 490–510; ACT English 19. Below that is conditional admission, with the full-time UO Global Welcome intensive English program first. Scores must be dated within two years of enrolment, and meeting them does not guarantee admission. Students in the full IB Diploma programme have the requirement waived, but without evidence of completing the diploma must submit scores or move to conditional admission. Citizens of certain English-speaking countries are exempt (list on the English proficiency page).
• Proof of funds: applicants who need a student visa must show funds for one academic year with a bank statement, certificate of deposit or scholarship letter prepared within the last six months. A separate cost estimate for international students is not listed in the pages read; please ask Admissions.
• International scholarships: the admissions page says UO awards over $2.5 million a year to international students through automatic and application-based scholarships, work-study and outside sources. The International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) offers partial tuition scholarships based on financial need, academic merit and the ability to present to diverse groups, renewable to one degree; the International Student Work-Study Program gives 50+ awards of $1,000–$4,500 a year; the Division of Global Engagement offers endowed scholarships of $1,000–$12,000. Full IB Diploma fall freshmen are considered for IB Diploma Scholarships.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions pages read do not mention the Gaokao. Whether it is used is not published; please contact International Admissions (541-346-3201).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific list is published in the pages read. The general rules for international first-year applicants: unofficial or official transcripts showing all courses and grades; UO does not require external credential evaluations and calculates the GPA itself; official transcripts must be sent by the high school after admission, with the graduation date clearly shown (student-submitted copies are not official). Non-English documents come with literal translations from the school, a ministry of education or a NACES-accredited company, without converting grades to a US scale.
• Recommendations and statement: two letters from teachers or others and a personal statement are needed only if special circumstances affected high school performance, summarised in the “Special Circumstances” section.
• Scholarship: the international scholarships page says the ICSP Nascensce supplemental scholarship is awarded to a student from China or Hong Kong who also receives the ICSP scholarship, with no additional application.
• International curricula: for IB, UO says averaging at least 4s and 5s is competitive; for A-Level, passing two A-level subjects and five IGCSE subjects including English and math; for IGCSE only, passing English, math and three other academic subjects with a combined average of at least B.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
• Department scholarships: the department’s apply page only points to “CAS and UO Scholarships”; the pages read do not describe math-specific undergraduate scholarships. The department lists an Undergraduate Mathematics Club, a Directed Reading Program in which graduate students mentor undergraduates, and homework help at the Math Library.
• Departmental honors: to graduate with honors, a student needs at least a 3.7 GPA in upper-division (300-level and above) math courses at graduation and a written honors thesis. The thesis is written under an advisor on an advanced topic, defended orally before a committee (the advisor plus two other professors) by the end of week 9 of spring term, with the written thesis done by the end of week 7. The department recommends taking one or more 400-level courses in the junior year and finding an advisor in the spring of the junior year.
• Outcomes: the department’s careers page says mathematicians work mainly in teaching, government, finance and industry, including statistical and actuarial work, accounting, software and engineering-related industries, and many go on to law, medicine, economics or physics. It notes that in Oregon a high school teacher is currently expected to have a bachelor’s degree in the subject and a master’s degree in something (typically education). The catalog says a math degree prepares you for fields like engineering, computer programming, information technology, financial planning, data management, business and education. No employment data are printed.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer: applicants who graduated from high school and enrolled in college afterwards; those who have not graduated from high school are first-year applicants, and their college coursework is reviewed for credit.
• Deadlines (fall): applications open 1 December; priority application 15 March (documents 1 April; notification by May; transfer scholarships require applying by this date); regular application 1 June (documents 30 June). Winter 15 November, spring 1 February, summer 15 April. The international students page lists transfer early 15 March and regular 15 May for international transfer applicants, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
• Requirements: a college-level composition course and a college-level mathematics course, each with a C–, Pass or Satisfactory; a cumulative GPA of 2.25 for Oregon residents or 2.50 for nonresidents (2.00 with an Oregon AAOT or business ASOT); second-language proficiency (two years in high school, two terms in college, or a proficiency test); and good standing at your most recent institution. The math course must be at 100 level or above, typically rooted in precalculus; the admissions office recommends that students planning a bachelor of science have a solid foundation in math before transferring. Whether the math major adds its own transfer conditions is not stated in the pages read; please ask a department advisor.
• Credit transfer: UO accepts credit from regionally accredited two- and four-year colleges; community college credit counts up to 124 credits toward the degree total, as lower-division credit that cannot satisfy upper-division requirements, and a degree needs 62 upper-division credits. One semester credit converts to 1.5 quarter credits. Use the Transfer Equivalency system to see how courses transfer; the department’s head undergraduate advisor handles questions about equivalences for transferred courses.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Early Action 1 November (documents 15 November) or Regular 15 January (documents 15 February); self-reported transcript; essay of up to 650 words; testing and recommendations optional; 3 years of high school math
• FAFSA (priority 1 March); take ALEKS and meet a math advisor to register the major after entry

International applicants (including China):

• The same dates, $75 fee; GPA at least B (3.00); English scores (TOEFL 4.5+, IELTS 6.5+, Duolingo 110+ for full admission); transcripts with literal translations; proof of funds
• The role of the Gaokao is not published; ICSP scholarships are available through the International Cultural Service Program

Transfer students:

• Fall priority 15 March, regular 1 June; GPA 2.25 (resident) or 2.50 (nonresident); college composition and math with C– or better; check credits in Transfer Equivalency

Sources: University of Oregon, Mathematics: undergraduate programs; Mathematics: major requirements; Mathematics: honors requirements; Mathematics: advising; Mathematics: declaring the major; Mathematics: careers; Catalog: Mathematics (BA/BS); Testing Center: ALEKS placement; Admissions: how to apply and deadlines; Admissions: first-year students; Admissions: departmental deadlines; Admissions: international students; Admissions: English proficiency; Admissions: international scholarships; Admissions: transfer students; Admissions: cost and financial aid; Admissions: scholarships; Financial Aid: cost of attendance. The admissions pages say when applications for fall 2027 open; where other pages show no year, check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the University’s website for the latest.