Located in the lush Willamette Valley, between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, our 25,000 students come from 50 states and more than 90 countries. We celebrate our many differences and diverse experiences. The University of Oregon (UO) is a well-known public research university in Eugene, Oregon that offers a variety of reasons to study there, including: 

• Research - The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group of leading research universities in North America. The UO has renowned research centers and institutes, including the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. 
  
  
• Campus - The UO's main campus is located in the heart of Eugene, and is close to downtown. The campus is home to Hayward Field, a world-famous stadium known for its connections to Nike. 
  
  
• Student lifeThe UO has a friendly community of students known as Ducks. There are over 400 student clubs and organizations, and more than 2,400 on-campus events each year. The UO also has 14 dining locations, community kitchens, and state-of-the-art sports and recreation facilities. 
  
  
• Outdoor activitiesThe UO is close to many outdoor activities, including hiking, climbing, camping, and skiing. 

Campus Life

There are many ways for exchange and visiting students to get involved at the University of Oregon, including joining student groups, attending on-campus events, participating in intramural sports, or hanging out in the Mills International Center. Explore Campus Life.

What former students said they loved about studying abroad at the UO

"Going to games on the weekends, getting to know new people, getting an insight into an American college." Thomas, Germany

"Outdoor activities that I never experienced before. Great support from UO staffs and friends. I love how much I was loved and cared by you guys. THANK YOU!" Chatchanok, Thailand

"The campus life (sports event, theatre, etc.)." Romane, France

"All the facilities and professors." Simone, Italy

"The character of the Northwest people; The way how professors were prepared." Kristyna, Czech Republic

"Meeting so many great people from the US and learning about the culture from them, as well as the classes I took, was fascinating." Axel, Sweden

"I enjoyed my campus life at UO. I joined the club at the UO and I could make a lot of friend and good memories as well." Mi Roo, Republic of Korea

"Dorm life, working at dining hall as a student worker." Naoki, Japan

"Every moment was just like a dream. It was nice to experience a different world and I was happy to meet my lovely friends. I won't forget this moment until the day I die. If someone ask me "when is your 花樣年華?", then I must answer about this moment." Chaehyun, Republic of Korea

"The education and the facilities/sports." Hampus, Sweden

"The campus, the empathy and kindness of the personal and the instructors, the overall atmosphere and the events organized in the campus (street fair, etc.)." Thelma, France

Explore UO's YouTube Playlist

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Step 1: Nominate Students

All international students who intend to participate in an exchange or visiting student program at the UO must first be nominated by UO approved partners. Please submit a Nomination form for each student you intend to nominate by the deadlines below. Information required to nominate a student: the student’s full name, email address, major, period of study, and level of study. 

Step 2: Submit Application

Once a nomination is accepted, the student will receive a link to complete an online application. Only complete applications will be accepted. Students should take care to submit their application with all required documents at the same time.

Application Checklist

To complete the online application, students will need to provide the following supporting documents. All documents submitted must be in English or include official English translations.

• Copy of Passport. Passports should be valid for six months after the end of the student’s study period. US citizens or dual citizens must include a copy of their US passport.
• Official Transcript. If the transcript is not in English, please provide both a copy of the original document along with an English translation verified and approved by the host university or exchange organization. All students applying to study at the University of Oregon should have a minimum GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Evidence of Financial Resources. Students must provide one or more financial documents (i.e. bank statement) demonstrating sufficient financial resources to cover the total estimated cost for which students are responsible. Please refer to the cost estimates under the Finances section below for student's estimated costs by exchange program type and term. 
• Proof of English Proficiency. Students must submit results of an English test taken within two years of the student’s intended enrollment date. UO accepts the following tests below. We also accept TOEFL MyBest, but not Home Edition. DET is the only online English proficiency test we accept. In order for the University of Oregon to verify English language scores, TOEFL and DET scores must also be submitted to the UO directly through the test provider (ETS for TOEFL, Duolingo for DET). Sending score reports is free for DET tests, but there is a 20 USD fee to send scores to the UO via ETS. To avoid any delay in application processing, students must submit both a PDF of their score report and evidence that they have requested the scores to be sent to the UO through their ETS or Duolingo account, as applicable. The UO’s institutional TOEFL code is 4846.

Note: Citizens of the following countries are exempt from showing English language proficiency: Anguilla, Antiqua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (English-speaking provinces only), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, St. Kits and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, United Kingdom.

*English Language Learning

• The University of Oregon is closing its American English Institute (AEI) as of June 2025. The Division of Global Engagement will arrange English language learning opportunities for exchange and visiting students starting in Fall 2025. UO exchange partners should nominate students as normal, and indicate if they would like to nominate students who will need English language study (UOGE) before they begin taking UO classes. 
• Students will need to meet the minimum English language proficiency requirement above before being admitted to UO during their exchange program.

Application Processing Time

Most applications will be processed in 8-10 weeks, following receipt of a complete application file.

Architecture, Design, Art and Music

For students who plan to study Architecture, Design, Art, or Music Performance, they must provide a portfolio of their work.

Graduate Students

Graduate exchange & visiting students can apply as undergraduate students and take undergraduate courses. However, if students want to apply as graduate students and take graduate level courses, admission as a graduate non-degree exchange student is subject to the approval of the UO department for the student's major. Graduate students may be asked for additional documents during application screening. If graduate students are not offered admission to their intended host department, they will be asked if they wish to apply to take undergraduate coursework instead.

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Academic Calendar

The University of Oregon offers more than 300 undergraduate programs and more than 120 graduate programs. The University of Oregon is on the quarter system, which means that instead of two semesters, we have three 11-week quarters or terms (fall, winter, and spring) during our regular academic year. Exchange and visiting students can choose to study at the UO for one, two, or three terms depending on the agreement with their home university or exchange organization. Please note that exchange and visiting students should plan to arrive in time for International Student Orientation.

2025-26 Term  Dates

Registering for Classes

Once exchange and visiting students are admitted to the University of Oregon, they will receive a Course Registration Guide in their Admit Packet. Registration for classes opens in mid-May (Fall 2025), mid-November (Winter 2026) and mid-February (Spring 2026) based on a priority registration process. Students will be assigned a specific date and time to register based on their 1) academic standing coming in as an exchange or visiting student, and 2) the last three digits of their UO ID 95#. The UO cannot guarantee placement into specific classes. 

Exchange and visiting students can take classes both in and outside of their academic major. Popular classes and upper division classes may fill up very quickly, so students are encouraged to be flexible with their class selections and register for classes as soon as they can. Course registration is on a first-come first-served basis.

Students may view the UO Class Schedule for the current and upcoming terms. Please note that the classes offered may change from year to year and from term to term. Students are responsible for determining if they are eligible for the classes they intend to take.

The first time students register for classes on DuckWeb they will need:

1. Student ID Number (UO ID) & Personal Access Code (PAC) from the admission email
2. Claim their DuckID
3. Submit proof of required immunizations in the myUOHealth Portal

Restrictions

• Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits per term, with at least 8 classroom credits (see enrollment policy)
• Students cannot register for classes until they submit evidence of immunization for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (see pre-arrival checklist)
• Some classes at the UO have pre-requisite requirements. Pre-requisite requirements will be noted on the course registration page. Students will need to be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient academic background and preparation to be successful in classes with pre-requisites. Students should refer to the Course Registration Guide and read the information on pre-requisites. Getting pre-requisites waived takes time and is not guaranteed.
• Some classes are restricted to students in a specific major
• Exchange students are not eligible to take graduate-level classes in the School of Law or the College of Business
• Graduate programs in the School of Law and the College of Business are not open to exchange students. In addition, graduate-level business students are not eligible to take undergraduate coursework in the College of Business. 

Fees

• All business courses and some art, architecture, biology, dance, sports and outdoor classes have special fees to pay for lab equipment, special programs, trips, supplies, or studio fees: these costs range between $20 to $100 and are not covered by the exchange program’s tuition waivers. Students will be responsible for paying these additional course fees
• To confirm if courses have restrictions or additional course fees, students should pay close attention to the “Notes” sections of the course page.

Official Transcripts 

After the end of a student’s exchange program, International Student & Scholar Services will email an official transcript to the home university or exchange program coordinator within 2-4 weeks. Hard copies may be requested and will be sent via international post. 
 

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Exchange and visiting students may choose to live on-campus or off-campus, and are responsible for arranging their own housing. On-campus housing is not guaranteed, but highly likely for exchange & visiting students. Students should submit their on-campus housing application as early as possible. Students will be able to apply for on-campus housing after they are admitted to the UO, and have set up their university network login, referred to as 'Duck ID.'

Residence Hall Capacity

At the UO, first year freshmen are required to live on-campus. Non-freshman students (which include exchange and visiting students) are invited to apply for on-campus housing after they are admitted, however, they will be placed on a waitlist until freshman are all placed. The waitlist will be processed as spaces become available, with priority based on earliest housing application date. Students who are not offered on-campus housing one month prior to the start of the term will be asked if they would like to remain on the list. On-campus housing is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

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Requirement

Exchange & visiting students enrolled at the UO are required to have comprehensive health insurance. Students will be automatically enrolled in the UO’s International Student Plan and should expect to pay approximately $1,172 USD per term (based on 2024-25 premiums. 2025-26 premiums may be higher.) 

Waiver Criteria

Students may submit proof of personal insurance coverage to waive out of the International Student Plan, but their plan must meet the UO's waiver criteria. Students must provide insurance policy documentation of health coverage which summarizes the covered benefits. A copy of the UO waiver criteria on a certificate will not meet the university’s standards. Incomplete or inaccurate waiver submissions will not be considered. If a student’s health insurance plan fails to meet the UO's waiver criteria they will be denied an insurance waiver and will remain enrolled in the International Student Plan.

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Requirement

All new international students are required to meet the UO’s health and immunization requirements. Students cannot register for classes until they submit evidence of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). This is a State of Oregon requirement. Proof of immunization for all other vaccines are required before the start of the term. Students submit their immunization records through the myUOHealth portal.  All questions should be directed to University Health Services at immunization@uoregon.edu. 

Exchange students are highly encouraged to satisfy UO's health and immunization requirements before arriving on campus. University Health Services can administer required vaccines to students once they arrive in the US, but this may delay the start of classes. See Costs for Services for vaccine prices. 

Registration Hold

A class registration hold will be placed on the initial registration process until proof of vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is submitted. All other required immunizations can be submitted up until the start of classes.

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DS-2019

Exchange & visiting students will need to apply for a J-1 exchange visitor visa to study in the U.S. Once students are admitted, form DS-2019 will be issued by UO's International Student & Scholar Services and sent via email with the student's Admit Packet. The DS-2019 is required to apply for a J-1 visa and for entry to the U.S. Students must keep their DS-2019 with their passport. 

SEVIS Fee

The SEVIS Fee ($220) is a required payment to the U.S. government based on the DS-2019 SEVIS number. Students must pay the SEVIS Fee (online form I-901) before the visa interview. The SEVIS Fee is paid online at FMJfee.com.

Pre-Arrival Requirements

UO International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) provides excellent pre-arrival and onboarding support to new exchange & visiting students. Students will have a smooth transition by following these tips:

• Complete Pre-Arrival Checklist as early as possible
• Read and respond to email from ISSS and other university offices
• Attend virtual 'meet & greet' sessions with ISSS staff (details sent to students prior to arrival)
• Review Arrival Handbook
• Complete online International Student Orientation modules (details sent to students prior to arrival)
• Attend in-person International Student Orientation (see dates above)

Arrival to US

Students may enter the US up to 30 days before the DS-2019 program start date; not earlier! Students should carry their passport with J-1 visa, DS-2019, and letter of admission. Admission to the US should be a smooth experience if everything is prepared in advance.

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Program Cost

Most students who participate in exchange or visiting student programs at the University of Oregon will incur some fees that will be charged to their student billing account. Some of these fees may be waived for their program, while others will be the student’s responsibility.

Payment Deadlines

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