How to Become a Successful Applicant

If you do not initially meet PSU’s admissions requirements you have several options for becoming a successful applicant in the future. 

First Year Applicants

• You do not meet PSU’s minimum 2.5 GPA requirement: You can increase your GPA to at least 2.5 prior to high school graduation.
• Your high school curriculum does not meet the fifteen subject area requirements with a C- or better: Make up or complete the missing subject area requirements prior to high school graduation.
• You have a non-standard educational background and do not meet Portland State’s minimum for requirements for admission: Review the various admission requirements and options for meeting admission requirements.

You can alternatively attend a community college or other university and apply as a transfer student.

Once you have completed any of the options above, you must contact admissions and request to have your admission file reviewed again. If you are able to gain admission to PSU within three consecutive academic terms of your initial application, you can update your application without having to pay an additional application fee.

Transfer Applicants

• You do not meet PSU’s minimum GPA requirement: You can increase your GPA to at least 2.25. In order to be reconsidered, you must either:
  • raise your cumulative GPA to 2.25 or
  • raise your cumulative GPA to 2.0 and complete a transferable Associate Degree or Oregon Transfer Module
• You do meet PSU's minimum curriculum requirement: Complete curriculum requirements.

You can alternatively apply to PSU as a Non-Degree Applicant. As a non-degree student, you can enroll for up to eight credits per academic term during fall, winter, and spring terms and up to 21 credits during summer term. Non-Degree students are not eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid.

Once you have completed any of the options above, you must contact admissions and request to have your admission file reviewed again. If you are able to gain admission to PSU within three consecutive academic terms of your initial application, you can update your application without having to pay an additional application fee.

Postbaccalaureate Applicants

• Undergraduate degree is not a U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution: Contact admissions to request to be reviewed for admission as a transfer applicant.