Oregon State University

Oregon State University is a public land-grant research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, with additional campuses including OSU-Cascades in Bend. Founded in 1868, it is the state’s oldest public institution of higher education. Oregon State University is recognized for its land-, sea-, space-, and sun-grant designations, reflecting strengths in agriculture, engineering, environmental sciences, marine sciences, and research. The university serves a broad student population through on-campus and online programs, including a large Ecampus presence. Students are often drawn to Oregon State University for its research opportunities, strong science and engineering programs, and its location in the Willamette Valley.

Oregon State University was founded in 1868 as Corvallis College and became Oregon’s official land-grant institution on October 27, 1868. Established in Corvallis, Oregon, the school initially focused on classical education before expanding under the Morrill Act to emphasize agriculture and mechanical arts. In the late nineteenth century, the institution evolved into Oregon Agricultural College, reflecting its growing technical and scientific mission. During the twentieth century, academic programs broadened significantly, and the institution was renamed Oregon State College in 1937 and Oregon State University in 1961. Oregon State University later gained additional federal designations, becoming a sea grant institution in 1971, a space grant university in 1991, and a sun grant institution in 2003. The opening of OSU-Cascades in Bend in 2016 marked a major expansion, further shaping Oregon State University into a comprehensive public research university.