Graduate School Requirements

Applicants must have a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and a combined GPA of at least 3.00 on the last 90 quarter (60 semester) credit hours of graded undergraduate work toward the first baccalaureate degree plus all work completed thereafter, OR a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and a 45 quarter credit-hour graduate degree from a regionally accredited university.

The Office of Admissions will determine whether the general university conditions for admission have been met. The department will examine the material submitted to determine the adequacy of scholastic background and to decide whether departmental facilities are appropriate for your expressed goals. You will be notified by the Office of Admissions as to the action taken. A critical consideration in the decision is whether your academic objectives can be satisfactorily fulfilled by the graduate programs at Oregon State. Admission to OSU is competitive and meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission.

Under special circumstances, students who do not meet the minimum requirements may be considered for admission. The department however will determine if we wish to support these applicants before the Graduate Admissions Committee. The Graduate Admissions Committee may consider the following additional criteria when reviewing applications from students who do no meet the minimum GPA requirement: GRE or GMAT scores, the student's undergraduate institution, specific courses completed at the undergraduate and graduate level, and letters of recommendation from major professors or current employers.

Applicants who wish to be considered for Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships for the Fall Term must apply prior to February 15th.

Please see Additional Graduate Requirements.

International Student Requirements

International applicants must have a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. A "B" average (3.00 GPA) on the last two years (90 quarter hours or 60 semester hours) of undergraduate work is required and any work completed thereafter.

All applicants must provide complete documentation of all certificates, degrees, titles, or diplomas earned, as well as grades or mark sheets from all academic institutions attended. You must provide the dates and names of the certificates, diplomas, degrees, titles, or licenses you received. Faxed copies of records are not acceptable. A photocopy is temporarily acceptable provided that you present your originals after arrival on campus.

Applicants who wish to be considered for Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships for the Fall Term must apply prior to March 1st.

English Language Proficiency

All international student applicants must provide official English language test scores as described in the table below, unless they meet the criteria listed under "Exempt from English Language Testing". ETS institution code for OSU is 4586.

There are Test Score Alternatives to the TOEFL, please click here for further information.

Conditional admission is a way for students whose English is below the required level for full admission to Oregon State University to begin taking classes. In general, the minimum TOEFL score for full admission to Oregon State University is 213 (computer) or 550 (paper). However, if you meet the University's academic standards, but your TOEFL score is below the required level, you may be admitted to the University under the Conditional Admission Program (CAP). For further information, please click here.

Exempt from English Language

• Testing: Individuals who have completed a bachelors or masters degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or other English speaking country (See list below).
• Individuals who are in the process of earning an advanced degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or another English speaking country may be conditionally admitted.
• Citizens of the following countries: Australia, Belize, Canada, Ghana**, New Zealand, Scotland, West Indies, and United Kingdom. ** Exemptions for citizens of African countries are considered on a case-by-case basis if the medium of instruction is English.

Financial Documentation

All international applicants must 1) complete and return the Certification of Finances form and 2) submit documents showing proof of sufficient financial resources before the I-20 can be issued (for F-1 visas). See the Finances and Funding page for information on the amounts required.

Documentation of Finances

Bank statements should be no more than nine months old before the term of enrollment at the university. All documents must bear an original signature and seal. Other types of documentation, such as governmental or agency sponsorship letters, should be official and specify dates of validity.

Please see Additional Graduate Requirements.

Additional Graduate Requirements (U.S. and International Students)

Admission decisions are based on many factors, such as the quality of the applicant’s prior academic degree and record of accomplishment, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation from professors or others familiar with the applicant’s academic work, performance in aptitude and achievement tests, relevant work experience, preparation in the proposed field of study, and the suitability of the applicant’s academic goals with the faculty’s research interests.

Particularly at the graduate level, a critical consideration in the decision is whether your academic objectives can be satisfactorily fulfilled by the graduate programs at Oregon State. Admission to OSU is competitive and meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Following approval of the Department, the Office of Admissions will determine whether the general university admission requirements have been met.

In general, the following items are required when applying to a graduate program at OSU:

• A Statement of Objectives and Particular Field of Interest
• Three letters of professional reference written on official letterhead, in sealed envelopes, and addressed to:

Graduate Committee
Department of Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Health Physics
Oregon State University
C-134 Radiation Center
Corvallis, OR 97331-5902

• If you have a master’s degree, one of the three letters should be from your master's research advisor.
• The NE/RHP Department requires the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) of all graduate applicants.