We accept applications by June 1 of each year for admission in the following fall term. We do not currently accept applicants for winter, spring or summer admission. Applicants desiring financial aid and a timely decision should complete the application by January 15. We are not able to accept any applications that are not complete by the June 1 deadline.

Please Note: This information is for the on-campus masters and Ph.D. programs only. Learn more about our online data analytics programs.

Applying for admission

Admission requirements, application instructions, and a link to the online application system are available from the Graduate Admissions page. Please follow the instructions carefully.

The Department of Statistics requires three letters of recommendation along with the university application form, transcripts, CV, and a statement of objectives. Letters of recommendation should be submitted through Graduate Admission's online system. The GRE is not required to apply, but it is highly recommended that students take and submit unofficial scores along with their other application materials. All official materials must be submitted directly to the the Office of Graduate Education. Unofficial GRE score reports from ETS can be uploaded to your application. Do not send materials to the Statistics Department.

Graduate application questions about gender identity and sexual orientation

The Office of Graduate Education's online application form includes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity. These are present because it's the easiest way for OSU to comply with Oregon SB 473, which requires public universities to allow students, faculty and staff to identify sexual orientation.

This information is not used to make admission decisions. You are not required to answer them, and omitting this information will not affect your application in any way. Similarly, if you do wish to answer them, your responses will have no bearing on admission decisions.

Choosing a program

It is not required to have a M.S. or M.A. to apply directly to our PhD program. However, we recommend that students hold a masters, especially if they do not come from a statistics (or related field of study) background. Information about applying directly to the Ph.D. program is below.

Application checklist

All application materials must be received and processed by the Office of Graduate Education by the deadline. Begin the application several days before the deadline to allow for Graduate Admission's processing time. It is the applicant's responsibility to log onto the online application system and check that the materials are visible. Please note that after the application is submitted, you will receive an email from Graduate Admissions with instructions for logging onto the system and uploading documents such as the CV.

A complete application consists of the following items:

• Application fee
• Application form
• Statement of objectives (goals, intent)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Transcripts (unofficial accepted for application; Graduate Admission will require official transcripts if and when application accepted)
• Three letters of recommendation (use on-line system)
• (Highly recommended) Unofficial GRE scores - general test

For international students

• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores (details and exceptions to this requirement are here; non-native English speakers wishing to be considered for a teaching assistantship must include official TOEFL scores. The Office of Graduate Education policies on English proficiency for graduate teaching assistants are here.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more information on admissions, degree requirements, application reviews, financial aid, and other procedures?

Applying for a concurrent degree in statistics

Students enrolled in other graduate degree programs at OSU may apply to do a concurrent M.S. degree in Statistics.

Applying directly to the Ph.D. program

Please note: This information applies to Ph.D. applicants who are not current Oregon State University statistics students. Students enrolled in OSU's M.S. program in statistics who wish to apply for the Ph.D. program should refer to Section C.6 of their Graduate Student Guidebook for guidance. We accept applications for fall term only!

The Ph.D. in statistics is a rigorous, but rewarding program that is intended for students who already have a strong background in statistics.

We accept only the top applicants to the Ph.D. program. The evaluation criteria include all application materials. We also determine whether one or more of our faculty would be a suitable Ph.D. research advisor. You have an opportunity to state potential mentors during the application process. Please use this opportunity to list any faculty members you are interested in working with. It is not necessary to contact these faculty members directly.

If accepted into the Ph.D. program, you will have provisional status during the first year. The provisions are:

• Obtain a high score on the two comprehensive exams, administered immediately before classes begin each fall. Details about these are given in Section D of the Graduate Student Guidebook. Most provisional Ph.D. students take the comprehensive exam in Statistical Theory before their first term at OSU and take the comprehensive exam in Statistical Methods the following year after taking ST 551-2-3, the first-year M.S. Methods course.
• By the end of your first year, you will identify a faculty member who is willing to supervise your Ph.D. research.

Plan your visit

If you are not yet a student at OSU and are considering applying to OSU and plan to visit us to check things out, please use the Visit OSU resource to arrange a meeting with us. Make sure when you fill out their form, to check off the box indicating that you'd like to meet with statistics advising staff.