Presidential Scholarship

Presidential Scholarships are awarded competitively to outstanding incoming first-year students from Oregon. Approximately 50 first-year students receive this scholarship each year, and the awarding process is highly selective. Presidential Scholarships are made possible by the generous contributions of donors to the University of Oregon scholarship fund.

Award Information

Presidential Scholars receive up to $36,000 over four years of undergraduate study—$9,000 per year (annual award is split evenly over fall, winter, and spring terms).

Eligibility Requirements

  • Oregon residents who graduate from an Oregon high school
  • Incoming domestic first-year student
  • A minimum 3.85 cumulative high school grade point average on a 4.00 scale
  • A significant, demonstrated history of leadership and volunteer service activities

How to Apply

The Presidential Scholarship application is a separate application from the admissions application to the University of Oregon. To be considered for this 2025-2026 scholarship you must:

  • Apply for admission to the University of Oregon by January 15.
  • Within days of applying for admission, you can find your UO Student ID number in your Status Portal. You'll need this number to create an account to apply for UO Scholarships. 
  • Complete the online Presidential Scholarship Application within the UO Scholarship Dashboard by January 31.
  • Submit all required admission application materials to the Office of Admissions by February 15.

Selection Criteria

  • Academic preparation
  • Activities and talents
  • Leadership
  • Volunteer service
  • Work experience
  • Four short-answer essay questions

Scholarship Renewal

Presidential Scholarships are renewed annually for up to 12 terms of undergraduate study over five years (excluding summer terms). If you graduate prior to using all of the terms of the scholarship, any remaining terms not used will be forfeited. For renewal, recipients must:

  • Be enrolled in and complete a minimum of 12 UO credits per term.
  • Maintain a 3.25 UO grade point average.

Award Notification

Recipients of Presidential Scholarships will be notified by April 1.

Complete terms and conditions can be found here.