Graduate School

English Language Proficiency Requirements

All international applicants and applicants that did not receive a degree in the U.S. (or other English speaking country; see list below) must meet the following additional English language proficiency requirements for admission.

During the current COVID-19 situation, both IELTS and TOEFL exams can now be scheduled as home tests in many countries. Oregon State will accept scores from these test versions if regular testing is not available in your country. If you are interested please review TOEFL at-home testing or the IELTS Online

 The ETS institution code for OSU is 4586. See the official TOEFL website or official IELTS website for more information on these exams.

Waived from English Language Testing:

The English language proficiency requirement is waived for applicants who have demonstrated success by achieving an overall GPA greater than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for two or more full-time semesters/quarters in a rigorous undergraduate or postgraduate program in the U.S. or from one of the following English speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ghana, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, and United Kingdom.

Waivers for applicants in other countries are considered on a case‐by‐case basis if the medium of instruction is English.  The individual program must petition with the Graduate School for a waiver. Not all programs will request a waiver. Please contact your proposed graduate program to inquire about their policy.

English Language Exceptions:

Individual programs may request exceptions to the minimum English language proficiency requirements. Exceptions to the minimum English language requirements will be considered by the Graduate School Dean on request if:

• The applicant’s GRE Verbal score is greater than 500 (153 – revised GRE),
  OR

• The chair of the Graduate Program (or designated faculty member) has personally interviewed the applicant and established a plan for language support for the applicant, if needed, which may include additional English Language Training,
  OR

• The Graduate Program arranges for the applicant to complete language training at INTO OSU as designated by the Transitional Admission Program (TAP).

Transitional Admission Program (TAP)

Transitional admission based on English language proficiency may be granted to applicants seeking admission to a graduate degree program. Transitional admission of international applicants may be granted only if the applicant is otherwise fully admissible.

Transitional admission for degree-seeking applicants requires:

• Compliance with the specified plan for English and academic course work during each quarter until such time as the applicant qualifies for regular admission.

• Individual graduate programs may require additional documents such as GRE and GMAT test results or set higher English and academic standards. For detailed information, contact to your proposed graduate program.

 Transitional admission based on English language proficiency may not be granted to applicants seeking admission to only a graduate certificate program.

International Applicant Financial Documentation

International applicants must secure financial support to meet their educational and living expenses (and their dependents) each academic year. The total amount of expenses is based on average costs for tuition, fees, books and supplies, insurance, and room and board.

Prior to formal admission and issuance of visa documents (I-20 for the F1 visa or DS-2019 for the J1 visa) the Graduate School must receive all financial documentation.

Documentation to Submit

• Oregon State University Certification of Finances Form is required of all applicants, regardless of funding source. This includes applicants that have been granted a Teaching or Research Assistantship.

• Supporting documentation, demonstrating sufficient financial resources for the desired academic program. See below for Acceptable Forms of Financial Documentation

• Photocopy of Applicant’s Passport and Passport of any dependents (if passport has already been issued – this is used to match the name on the passport and visa documents).

• Photocopy of Current Visa/I-20 if already in the U.S.  

Monetary Amount to Show

F-1 applicants must show financial documentation for one academic year (three academic terms and one vacation term), or the duration of your program, whichever is less. J-1 applicants must show funding for the entire period of their program of study (three years for Master's and five years for Doctorlal programs). These amounts must also include financial documentation for all dependents that will come to the United States. Please view the OSU Certification of Finances Form for the estimated costs associated with your program of study.

Acceptable Forms of Financial Documentation

You may submit financial documentation from a single or multiple sources of funding for yourself, your family, or any third-party sponsor. Documentation should be written in English or include an English translation. Funding should be shown in U.S. dollars and should not be older than nine months.

Affidavit of Support

Spouses, relatives, and other personal sponsors are required to complete the “Affidavit of Support” form when funds held in their name are provided as financial documentation by an international applicant. The affidavit of support helps confirm the legitimacy of financial documentation presented by the applicant. The affidavit of support is located on page two of the Oregon State University Certification of Finances Form.

Sponsored Applicants

If you are sponsored by your home government or cultural mission, or a foreign employer, you need to show financial documentation that covers your current major field of study or degree level and is valid for the period of study.

Departmental Funding

Graduate teaching and research assistantships are employment-based appointments where applicants, in exchange for their service, receive a stipend, tuition remission, and an institutional contribution toward the health insurance program available only to graduate assistants. Teaching and research assistantships are offered on a competitive basis and are generally administered by the academic department/programs. Not all department/programs have funding available for all applicants. Some assistantships do not cover the full costs associated with the program of study. The amount of the stipend will determine if applicants need to show some personal/family funding.