University of Oklahoma Admissions: A Comprehensive Guide

The University of Oklahoma (OU) welcomes prospective undergraduate students and offers assistance with the admissions process through the Office of Admissions & Recruitment. This office provides information on admission requirements, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, housing, and student life. The university seeks applicants who will successfully complete a college preparatory academic program and contribute to the diverse intellectual, cultural, and social environment of the University.

Who is Considered an International Student?

International students are defined as applicants who require a temporary, non-immigrant United States visa or immigration status. For specific information, refer to International Undergraduate Admission guidelines.

Important Application Policies

Applicants must provide a complete educational history. Failure to report all institutions previously attended may lead to cancellation of the admissions process or dismissal from the university. All applicants are classified as either resident or non-resident for admission and tuition purposes, based on the information provided in their application. A uniform policy regarding resident status applies to all state-supported higher education institutions in Oklahoma.

English Language Proficiency

All new applicants for whom English is a second language, including permanent residents, must provide evidence of English language proficiency before being admitted.

Holistic Review Process

The University of Oklahoma utilizes a holistic review and selection process. This approach considers multiple factors to predict academic success, including high school GPA, rigor of high school courses, academic engagement, writing ability, leadership experience, and ACT/SAT scores (if submitted).

Test-Optional Admission

The University of Oklahoma is test optional for admissions purposes. This means that applicants are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores to be considered for admission. However, if submitted, these scores will be considered as part of the holistic review process.

Changes to Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are subject to annual changes, which are approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. These changes are implemented when deemed to be in the best interest of the University and its students. In cases where enrollment needs to be limited, preference is given to residents of Oklahoma.

High School Curricular Requirements

While OU emphasizes a holistic review, completing a strong college preparatory curriculum in high school is highly recommended. Although specific course requirements may adjust, a general guideline includes:

Laboratory Science: Three units (four recommended). Note that general science, with or without a lab, does not fulfill this requirement.
Additional Subjects: Two units from any of the subjects listed above, or from computer science or a world language. Completing two years of the same world language will satisfy the university's language general education requirement.

Adult Admission

Applicants who are 21 years of age or older, or on active military duty, may be considered under the Adult Admission category. These applicants will be required to complete academic assessments through OU's Academic Success Center prior to admission consideration. These assessments will be utilized within our holistic application review process. An applicant’s academic record will also be reviewed for completion of the high school curricular requirements.

Concurrent Enrollment

OU's Concurrent Enrollment program allows high school juniors and seniors with exceptional abilities to enroll in college courses on a limited basis. Once admitted, a student’s combined enrollment in high school and at OU may not exceed 19 credit hours during a fall or spring term. The University assumes that any high school course enrollment is equivalent to three (3) credit hours. Students may enroll in a maximum of nine (9) credit hours during a summer term without being concurrently enrolled in high school classes during the summer. Completion of high school curricular requirements is not mandatory for Concurrent Enrollment students for admission purposes. However, students may not enroll in college-level courses in a curricular area until the high school curricular requirement in that discipline has been satisfied through coursework or assessment.

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Exceptional Circumstances

Students who have not graduated from high school, regardless of age, whose composite score on the ACT (using Oklahoma norms) or combined verbal and mathematics score on the SAT (using national norms) places them in the 99th percentile of all students tested, may apply for admission to the University of Oklahoma.

Readmission

Students must file an application for readmission if it has been more than one semester and a summer term since their last attendance at the University, or if they have completed a degree or were suspended after their last enrollment at OU. Application deadlines do apply to former students. Students who only enroll for summer terms (summer to summer students) do not need to reapply unless they graduate or break their continuous enrollment for a summer term. Students who have attended another college or university since last attending the University must file official transcripts from each institution attended. A student’s eligibility for readmission will be determined after an evaluation of all transferred and OU work has been made. A student who has been suspended once for academic reasons from the University or any other institution in the state system of higher education may apply for readmission to the University for any semester or summer term beyond the semester in which they were suspended. Such readmission is not automatic but is decided on an individual basis. The student must submit an application for readmission, a letter of appeal, and all required transcripts to the Office of Admissions & Recruitment by April 1 for a fall semester or summer session, and November 1 for a spring semester.

Undergraduate Visitor/Special Students

Undergraduate Visitor/Special Students must meet regular admission requirements to the University and are limited to twelve semester hours of enrollment in this classification, unless an exception to this enrollment maximum is made by the president of the University or his or her designate. University retention standards also apply to this category of student. A person who is admitted as an Undergraduate Visitor/Special Student has no privileges beyond those which are available to all students. If an Undergraduate Visitor/Special Student applies for admission to an undergraduate degree program, the work they have taken as a Special Student will be evaluated in the same manner as any other work submitted for evaluation.

Second Undergraduate Degree

Students may apply for a second undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma, but are encouraged to investigate other options available through the Graduate College and other non-degree classifications before doing so. General University policy, as well as specific college and school policies, may restrict an applicant from applying for a second undergraduate degree in certain majors.

Post-Baccalaureate Non-Degree Students

Post-baccalaureate non-degree are students who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and wish to take undergraduate courses without pursuing a degree, including students who wish to take undergraduate prerequisite courses for medical, dental, optometry, or veterinary school. Students who wish to take graduate-level courses without pursuing a degree should apply as an Unclassified Graduate Student. Post-Baccalaureate Non-Degree students are not required to submit academic credentials to be admitted.

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Non-Academic Criteria

In addition to academic qualifications, the University may consider non-academic criteria such as:

Whether an applicant has been expelled, suspended, or denied admission or readmission by any other educational institution.
Whether an applicant has been convicted of a felony or lesser crime involving moral turpitude.
Whether an applicant’s conduct would be grounds for expulsion, suspension, dismissal, or denial of readmission, had the student been enrolled at the University of Oklahoma.

Transfer Students

Applicants are considered transfer students if they have attempted more than six semester hours of college-level work at another accredited college or university since graduating from high school.

Transfer Admission Requirements

Transfer admission requirements are subject to change by the University of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, when it is determined to be in the best interest of the University and its students to do so. While specific course requirements may adjust, a general guideline includes:

Laboratory Science: Three units: does not include general science with or without a lab.

If you have not completed the courses listed above in high school, you should do so before transferring to the University. government, completion of remedial or college-level coursework in any of the subject areas in which a deficiency exists will also satisfy this requirement. A remedial mathematics course must be the equivalent of high school Algebra II.

Transfer Application Timeline

Transfer students are encouraged to apply early in the semester prior to the term they wish to enter the University. Early admission allows students to maximize their opportunities for housing, financial aid, scholarships, and early enrollment.

Transfer Credit Evaluation

Once an applicant has been admitted to the University, the Office of the Registrar performs an evaluation of any transfer credit. Students who are admitted with coursework in progress should submit a schedule of courses in progress, and arrange to have a final, official transcript sent to the Office of Admissions & Recruitment after completion of their last term. Once a complete and official transcript is received, the initial evaluation will be updated. To help in a student's educational planning, the Office of Admissions & Recruitment has developed a searchable transfer course database. Courses that have an OU equivalent course numbers will transfer to the University and often can be applied toward a degree. In some cases, they may substitute for required courses; in others, they may transfer as elective credit. Please refer to OU’s General Catalog for major-specific requirements by each college. How each course will apply toward an OU degree will be determined by the degree-recommending college within the University. Transfer credit earned by students at institutions accredited by the HLC or the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will be accepted for transfer at face value. Lower-division courses transferred to the University of Oklahoma will generally be used to meet lower-division degree requirements. Transfer students who enter the University with an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science from an institution in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education are considered to have met the lower-division (1000- and 2000-level) course requirements of the University’s General Education core curriculum. The dean’s office of each degree-recommending college has ultimate responsibility for determining how transfer credit will apply to a specific degree program. Grades for courses taken at foreign institutions are used in determining admissibility to the University. However, once a student is admitted, transfer grades are changed to neutral (S or U) grades which do not affect the grade point average.

Graduate Admission

Admission to a graduate program at the University of Oklahoma is based on an evaluation of an applicant’s academic record, experience, personal qualifications, and proposed area of study. Applications and supporting credentials are reviewed by the OU Graduate College Admissions office and the relevant graduate academic unit to which the applicant is seeking admission. The Graduate College Admissions is responsible for all matters pertaining to general admission to the University. Many programs require additional documents such as letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a resume, etc. For graduate applicants within the United States, there are no formal admissions application deadlines. Note: These deadlines are set to ensure adequate visa processing time for international applicants. Individual programs may have earlier deadlines than the deadlines listed above. Applicants should verify deadlines with the specific program or visit the Graduate College’s Explore Programs page. Application deadlines can change between publications of this catalog. Many programs offer assistantship opportunities, which may include teaching or research roles. University of Oklahoma seniors must apply online during their final year of undergraduate study and are subject to graduate program application deadlines. If admitted, they must inform the Graduate College if they fail to complete any baccalaureate degree requirements before they begin their graduate study. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of graduate admission. Graduate students in good standing at other regionally accredited institutions may take courses at OU as a Graduate Visitor. All new applicants to the Graduate College at the University of Oklahoma for whom English is a second language-including those holding permanent resident status-must demonstrate proficiency in English before admission.

Prior Learning Assessment

The University of Oklahoma encourages capable students to seek college credit for knowledge they may have acquired in a variety of ways. A student enrolled in and attending a course may earn credit in that course by prior learning assessment examination up to the end of the second week of class in a regular semester or the first week of a summer session. If a student earns credit in the course by examination, the student may drop the course enrollment with no fee assessment, provided the course is dropped within the specified free drop period for the term. The amount of prior learning assessment credit that may be applied toward a degree is subject to OU graduation requirements and the degree-recommending college in which a student will earn a degree. Should a student fail a prior learning assessment examination, no grade will be recorded. In addition, a student may not receive credit for a repeat of an exam previously failed. The University of Oklahoma offers a number of departmental prior learning assessment examinations. Interested students should consult with an academic advisor during enrollment. All of the examinations are administered by the OU Testing Center. This program allows high school students to take examinations for credit at the college level. The University of Oklahoma is a CLEP testing center. The University awards credit for certain CLEP subject examinations. The University does not award credit for what were formerly the CLEP general examinations. Credit may be awarded to students who have taken higher-level courses in the International Baccalaureate Program and who have scored at least a four (on a seven-point scale) on the higher-level course examinations.

Application Options

Incoming freshmen can apply through the OU Application, the Common Application, or Apply Coalition with Scoir.

Required Application Materials

High school transcript and GPA
Application form
Test scores (if submitting), either self-reported or official scores sent through ACT, CLT, and/or The College Board. Test scores may also be included on your official high school transcript.
Essay, writing ability, and overall engagement are also strongly considered. Engagement could include community involvement, leadership experience, extracurricular activities, work experience, and exceptional talents.
Letters of recommendation

Factors Considered in Admission

The Office of Admissions & Recruitment evaluates and verifies academic credentials, considering factors that predict academic success. These factors include:

High school GPA
Academic rigor
ACT/SAT/CLT scores (if submitted)
Engagement in academic and non-academic activities
Writing ability
Leadership
Letters of recommendation

The primary emphasis is on the student’s overall academic performance, including GPA, ACT/SAT/CLT scores, academic rigor, and class rank. OU will practice a test-optional admissions process when reviewing applications. OU will also superscore ACT/SAT/CLT scores and allow students to self-report scores for admission and scholarship purposes. These scores must be verified at the time of enrollment.

Acceptance Rate and GPA

The University of Oklahoma (OU) has an acceptance rate of 77%, indicating that it is lightly selective. The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.63, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate.

SAT and ACT Scores

The University of Oklahoma (OU) hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to University of Oklahoma (OU) will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. The 25th percentile SAT score is 1160, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1320. This means that the school wants you to contact them to learn more about their Score Choice policies. The average ACT score at University of Oklahoma (OU) is 26. The 25th percentile ACT score is 23, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 29. Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 23 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore.

SAT Essay/ACT Writing Section

University of Oklahoma (OU) considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration.

Admission Deadlines

The regular application deadline is February 1. SAT/ACT Scores Must Be Received ByApril 30

Honors College Admission

To apply to the Honors College, you first must be accepted to the University of Oklahoma. Freshmen entering the University of Oklahoma are eligible to apply to the Honors College if: You have an ACT Composite of 30 or higher OR a SAT Critical Reading and Mathematics Total of 1330 or higher (not superscored). You have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.75 OR rank in the top 10% of graduates of your high school class.If you meet the requirements, learn more and submit an application here.

Scholarships

Scholarship consideration is automatic, but you must turn in your application by February 1st to be considered. In addition, the University of Oklahoma has the greatest amount of National Merit Scholars of any university in the country. For more info on the benefits National Merit Scholars receive, see this page.

Concurrent Enrollment Specifics

The University of Oklahoma is test-optional*, meaning OU does not require applicants to submit standardized test scores. Admissions decisions will still be made for applicants who do not submit test scores. Students who are admitted without submitting ACT/SAT or Pre-ACT/Pre-SAT test scores cannot be guaranteed enrollment or placement in any certain course. Following their Concurrent Enrollment admission, test-optional students must take the required assessments through OU to demonstrate college readiness in a particular subject area. Students should sign up for assessments in iAdvise before their advising appointment. Meeting admissions eligibility does not guarantee course placements. Students must have a 24 ACT (1160 SAT) composite score. Students must have a 19 ACT in the subject area in which they wish to enroll. For subjects other than math, english or science, they must have a 19 in the reading portion. Students must have a 19 ACT in the subject area in which they wish to enroll. For subjects other than math, english or science, they must have a 19 in the reading portion.

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