U.S. Citizens and Immigrants (Domestic Undergraduate Applicants)

Application

Domestic students must submit the following information to the Office of Admissions.

1. Application form and nonrefundable fee. Students should apply at www.pdx.edu/admissions/apply. To assure consideration for admission, the application should be submitted by the priority filing dates listed and must be accompanied by a nonrefundable $50 application fee (fees subject to change without notice). The application and the nonrefundable $50 application fee are valid for one calendar year.
2. Admission validation. To validate admission, the student must register for classes during the initial term of admission. If the student does not register for this term, the application can be updated to one of the next three consecutive terms without repaying the fee. After this time period the student must submit a new application along with another $50 fee.
3. Official transcripts. Transcripts must be submitted directly from each high school or college attended. Transfer students who have earned fewer than 30 quarter credits of college transfer coursework are also required to submit official high school transcripts. To be considered “official,” transcripts must be received by PSU in the sealed original envelope or through approved electronic means from the issuing school. Since all official transcripts submitted become the property of PSU and cannot be copied or returned to the student, students are encouraged to obtain unofficial copies of their transcripts from prior institutions for advising or personal purposes.
4. Official test scores. Freshman applicants who have graduated from an accredited and/or standard high school within three years of Portland State enrollment must submit scores on the College Board SAT or ACT® that include a standardized writing examination. Similarly, transfer applicants with fewer than 30 earned quarter credits must also submit standardized test scores. Portland State requires the writing portion of either ACT or SAT I as part of its admission process. The applicant is responsible for seeing that test scores are submitted directly to PSU from the testing board. For more information on these examinations, contact the College Board at Collegeboard.org or ACT® at actstudent.org; or PSU Testing Services at www.pdx.edu/shac/testing-services. Note: High school graduates before 1975 are not required to provide the ACT® or SAT.

Notice: Altered transcripts and falsified applications. Students who knowingly submit altered transcripts or falsified applications jeopardize their admission status and may have their admission rescinded and/or their registration canceled. All records submitted, filed, and accumulated in the Office of Admissions become the property of the University. The number of students admitted for any term is subject to the availability of space. When space is limited, selection may be based on grade point average, date of application, intended major, etc.

Admission Requirements—Entering Freshmen

To be admitted as freshmen, students need to fulfill each of the requirements (or alternatives to each) as specified in items 1-4 below.

1. High school graduation requirement. Must have graduated from a standard or accredited high school. Students who have not graduated from high school or from a standard or accredited high school may meet entry requirements through alternative testing. Alternative testing includes successful completion of the Test of General Education Development (GED) with a minimum overall score of 580 and a minimum score of 410 on each of the five sub-tests (if taken before January 2001, an average score of 46 and a minimum score of 40 on each subject test is required). Students from non-accredited or non-standard high schools, or home-school students may meet the high school graduation requirement with a minimum score of 1540 or higher on the combined critical reading, writing and math portions of the SAT or 22 on the ACT® and an average of 470 or above (940 total) on two College Board SAT Subject Tests (Math Level I or IIc, and one additional subject test of the student’s choice). An examination in a second language is strongly recommended to qualify the applicant for admission by meeting the language proficiency requirements. Students who do not take an SAT Subject test in a second language must prove language proficiency through another approved process.
2. Subject requirements. Applicants must satisfactorily (grade of C- or above) complete at least 15 units (one year equal to one unit) of college preparatory work in the following areas:
   1. English (4 units). Shall include the study of the English language, literature, speaking and listening, and writing, with emphasis on and frequent practice in writing expository prose during all four years.
   2. Mathematics (3 units). Shall include first-year algebra and two additional years of college preparatory mathematics selected from geometry (deductive or descriptive); advanced topics in algebra (through Algebra II), trigonometry, analytical geometry, finite mathematics, advanced applications, calculus, and probability and statistics, or courses that integrate topics from two or more of these areas. One unit is strongly recommended in the senior year. (Algebra and geometry taken prior to ninth grade will be accepted if posted on HS transcript.)
   3. Science (3 units). Shall include at least a year in fields of inquiry based college preparatory science such as biology, chemistry, physics, or earth and physical science. Science courses that are “inquiry based” provide students the opportunity to apply scientific reasoning and critical thinking to support conclusions or explanations with evidence from their investigations. It is strongly recommended that one year be taken as a laboratory science and that a total of three years of science be taken.
   4. Social Studies (3 units). Shall include analysis of societal issues and events. It is strongly recommended that study includes knowledge and use of geographic information, patterns of United States history, patterns of human history, structures and systems of US Government, and analysis of economic systems.
   5. Second Language (2 units). Shall include demonstrated proficiency equivalent to two years of the same high school-level second language. Students may demonstrate proficiency by meeting one of the following options:

      *Pass with a C- or better, two years of the same high school-level second language

      *Pass with a C- or better, the third year of a high school-level second language

      *Pass with a D- or better two quarters or two semesters of college-level second language

      *Pass an approved proficiency exam

      **American Sign Language qualifies as a second language.

      Students failing to meet the Second Language Proficiency requirement at the time of admission may be admitted, but will not be able to earn an undergraduate degree at Portland State University until the second language requirement has been completed. Students must provide official high school or college transcripts to demonstrate the Second Language Proficiency Requirement has been met.

      The second language requirement only applies to applicants graduating from high school in 1997 or later.

      For a complete list of proficiency options available for meeting the second language requirements, please contact the University’s Office of Admissions, or view the OUS Second Language policy at www.ous.edu.

      Alternatives to the subject requirements. (Any one of the following.)

      Score an average of 470 or above (1410 total) on the SAT II subject exams (English Composition, Math Level I or IIc, and a third test of the student’s choice).

      Take make-up coursework for specific subject requirements missed in high school and achieve a passing grade. Note: Satisfactory completion of Math 95 or its equivalent (Intermediate Algebra) fulfills in total the subject requirement in mathematics. Take make-up coursework for specific subject requirements missed in high school and achieve a passing grade. Note: Satisfactory completion of Math 95 or its equivalent (Intermediate Algebra) fulfills in total the subject requirement in mathematics. 

3. Grade point average requirement. High school students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 in all graded subjects taken toward high school graduation. Students who do not meet the 3.00 GPA requirement may be admitted based on a combination of GPA and test scores, as seen on this website: www.pdx.edu/admissions/minimum-admission-requirements-freshmen. 

4. Writing Component of SAT/ACT. Students must take and submit scores for the writing component of the SAT and/or ACT. No minimum score is required.

Admission Requirements—Transfer Students

To be admitted as a transfer student, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.25 in 30 quarter credit hours of transferable college work. Applicants who present a transferable associate’s degree or an Oregon Transfer Module (OTM) will be admitted with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students who have accumulated fewer than 30 transferable credits of college work must also meet the freshman admission requirements.

1. Writing proficiency requirement. To be admitted as a transfer student, applicants must satisfactorily complete Writing 121 or the equivalent with a C- or better.
2. Second language proficiency requirement. All students must meet the second language proficiency requirement described above in 2e.
3. Academic probation/disqualification from other institutions. Academic probation/disqualification will not affect the admissibility of a student whose complete academic record meets the minimum admission requirements in effect at the time of application.
4. Disciplinary disqualification. A student who has been disqualified from another institution for disciplinary reasons must be eligible to re-enroll at that institution to be considered for admission to Portland State University. Students with extenuating circumstances may petition for a waiver of this policy.

More information on transferring to PSU is available at www.pdx.edu/transferstudent.