For Prospective Students

Looking for the application?

1. Where and when do I send my application?

A. The Office of Admissions considers your eligibility for admission to Oregon State University. They need the following:

Completed Application
Application Fee
Statement of Purpose
Copies of Transcripts
TOEFL or IELTS score (International Students only)

Send to: Office of Admissions
Oregon State University
104 Kerr Administration Building
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-2106

e-mail: osuadmit@oregonstate.edu
phone: 800-291-4192; 541-737-4411

B. The faculty of the Department of Geosciences determine if OSU eligible students will be accepted into one of the Department programs. They need the following no later than February 1:

Completed Application
Statement of Purpose
Copies of Transcripts
TOEFL or IELTS score (International Students only)
GRE Scores
Three letters of recommendation or completed reference forms

Geology Graduate Student Reference Form (Word Format)
Geography Graduate Student Reference Form (Word Format)

Reminder:  all application materials are DUE in the Geosciences Department office no later than February 1.  Please  be aware that it can take several weeks for submitted  materials to be processed by the Admissions Office and Graduate School before being sent to the departments, so if you apply later than January 1 please send copies of ALL materials directly to the Geosciences Department.

Send to: Graduate Secretary
Geosciences Department
Oregon State University
104 Wilkinson Hall
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-5506

e-mail:geo-info@geo.oregonstate.edu
phone: 541-737-1201

2. How does the acceptance process work?

The Office of Admissions reviews all applicants to determine if they meet the minimum standards for admission to graduate study at OSU. The minimum standards include a four-year baccalaureate degree and a grade point average of at least 3.00 on the last 90 credits (two years) of coursework.

Geosciences Department faculty assess the relative merits of qualified applicants before selecting a subset of applicants for admission. Graduate admissions are fundamentally different from undergraduate admissions because individual faculty members must agree to be research mentors (major professors) for accepted students. The availability of research mentors is the primary limiting factor in determining the number of students that will be admitted.

Strong academic records are a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for acceptance. Assuming the academic “track record” is acceptable, reviewers examine applications to select those with the best fit for the department’s programs and available mentors. Applicants are encouraged to review the website to understand departmental programs, the roster of faculty, and research directions before applying.

3. Do I have to have a degree in geology/geography to apply?

No. The Geosciences Department admits exceptionally talented applicants with a variety of academic backgrounds. In most cases, background deficiencies can be eliminated after admission to our programs by completing specified coursework, but without the completion of a BS level geography/geology degree. In some cases, applicants may be able to eliminate deficiencies before arrival at OSU. Applicants to the Geology Program must have completed a geology field camp before arrival, or do so within a year of admission. Applicants to the Geography Program must have completed courses in statistics, natural resources/conservation, cartography, and physical geography before arrival, or complete the equivalent undergraduate courses soon after arrival at Oregon State University.

4. Are GRE scores required? What scores?

GRE scores are required for admission to the Geosciences Department and are one of the pieces of evidence used in assessing candidates. Although no arbitrary cut-off score is established for admission decisions, high scores (1000-1200 or better) are a favorable criterion in review process.

5. Is the TOEFL score required? What scores?

If you are an international student who graduated in a non-English speaking country, the TOEFL or IELTS score is required. Oregon State University requires you to submit a TOEFL score that is no more than 2 years old at the time of applicant's first term of registration. The scores must be at least 550 on the written TOEFL, or 213 on the computer TOEFL for regular admission. Applicants taking IELTS should receive at least 7.0 or above. Faculty may require substantially higher scores for students they agree to accept.

6. Is the Test of Spoken English required? What scores?

If you are an international student who is a non-native English speaker
and you are applying for a Teaching Assistantship (TA), the Department
requires that you have a Test of Spoken English and receive a score of 50
or higher.  Information on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) is available
at http://www.ets.org/tse/.

7. Are students admitted only for the start of a new academic year (Fall Term/September)?

To maximize the chances of admission with financial assistance, your complete application and supporting materials should reach us by February 1 (but January 15 is better). The allocation of assistantships, the sequence of courses, and mentor selection of students are organized around the assumption of a Fall Term start date. Students can be admitted at other times, but most are not.

8. On my application, should I request a teaching, or research assistantship?

Applicants should indicate an interest in both teaching assistantships and a research assistantships if they are willing to accept either type of award. By limiting themselves to only one type of award, they are reducing the chances of receiving financial assistance. Note that our department has high expectations and guidelines that are expected to be followed by our teaching assistants.

9. If I am admitted without an offer of financial assistance, is it likely that I will receive financial aid after I begin my study?

We make financial commitments to students as funds become available from research grants, state appropriations, contracts, and gifts. It is possible that an offer of financial aid will be forthcoming sometime after arrival at OSU.
We can't guarantee that you will receive funding. Once you arrive at Oregon State and demonstrate that you have the attributes we value (academic excellence, strong work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to communicate orally and in written English), you will be considered for GTA or GRA support if funds are available. If you are admitted, but not awarded an assistantship, you should be prepared to be a self-supporting student.

10. If I am a non-resident and intend to self-finance my graduate studies, how can I qualify as a state resident for tuition paying purposes?

It is very difficult for non-residents to qualify as residents for tuition paying purposes. If a person is in Oregon primarily for the purpose of obtaining an education, he/she will be considered a nonresident. It is important to understand this limitation because taking one class anywhere in Oregon within the first year after arrival may be used as evidence that the move to Oregon was for purpose of obtaining an education. See the OSU catalog for details.

11. My teaching assistantship offer did not mention the class(es) I’m teaching. How do I find out my assignment?

Prior to the start of each term, the available TA pool, teaching needs, and class schedules change on an almost daily basis. As a practical matter, teaching assignments can not be announced at the time of an assistantship offer. Commonly, specifics of assignments are not known until the start of classes.

12. How do I find out about faculty/student research activity and interests?

Many students want to learn about departmental research activities during the application process, and we are committed to helping you find out as much as possible about our graduate program. Under the People section of our website, faculty members pages give snapshots of their vita and some recent publications. Equally valuable is the Student Research section of the website where the titles of student research projects are listed along with the names of the supervisory professors.

13. Will the department pay for me to visit OSU? How do I arrange a visit?

We do invite some students to visit OSU, and sometimes help them pay for
the visit, after we have decided on admissions. This happens in mid to
late February. Students are always welcome to visit campus at any time
on their own initiative. We ask the visiting student to contact the
faculty members with whom they are likely to work and to arrange a
schedule that allows the most contact with those faculty. Once a date
is set, please contact Stacey Schulte, our Graduate Admissions
Coordinator, schultes@geo.oregonstate.edu or 541-737-1221, and she will
schedule times for you to meet with faculty and current graduate students in
the department.