“Public R2 research university in downtown Portland with seven colleges offering undergraduate degrees in 123 fields.”
Portland State University (PSU) is Oregon's largest urban public research university, occupying a 50-block campus that is fully integrated into downtown Portland. With roughly 21,000 students (about 15,400 undergraduates) drawn from all 50 states and 96+ countries, PSU is designed around its motto 'Let Knowledge Serve the City' — the university deliberately threads internships, community-based learning, and applied research through its curriculum, and students routinely walk from class to internships at Nike, Intel, Oregon Health & Science University, and the city's dense creative and civic tech ecosystem. Carnegie classifies PSU as a high research activity (R2) university. Academically, PSU offers 200+ majors, minors, certificates, and concentrations across nine schools and colleges, with particular strengths in engineering and computer science, business, social sciences, urban and public affairs (the Hatfield School is one of the most respected in the country for urban planning), the arts, and health professions. Signature offerings include the Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science — with direct pipelines into Intel's Hillsboro campus and Oregon's Silicon Forest — the AACSB-accredited School of Business, and the graduate Mark O. Hatfield School of Government. PSU ranks among US News' top 50 nationally for Social Mobility, reflecting an enduring commitment to first-generation, transfer, and working-adult learners. For international students, PSU is deliberately accessible: test-optional undergraduate admissions, automatic merit-scholarship consideration worth up to $10,000 per year, the Honors Laurels Scholarship, and a dedicated International Student Services office (ISS) that provides end-to-end F-1 advising. The downtown location, strong transit access, and proximity to Intel, Nike, Adidas North America, Columbia Sportswear, and OHSU give international STEM students a particularly clear path to CPT, OPT, and subsequent H-1B sponsorship in the Pacific Northwest.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Affordability
PSU homepage
Diversity
PSU homepage
LGBTQ-Friendly
PSU homepage
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceFall Priority (Freshman)
Priority date for scholarship consideration; applications then accepted on a rolling basis.
Fall Final (Freshman)
Domestic applicants; later dates possible space-available.
Fall International
Recommended submission date to allow for I-20 processing and visa appointment.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$11,679
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$31,074
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
4 years
STEM-designated program with a direct pipeline into Intel, Lam Research, Salesforce, and Portland's thriving tech scene. Eligible for 24-month STEM OPT extension.
4 years
Nationally recognized program based in the Hatfield School, leveraging Portland's international reputation as a laboratory for livable urbanism, transit, and sustainability.
4 years
Close industry partnership with Intel's Hillsboro campus, including co-op placements, senior design sponsorship, and strong FTE hiring.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $31,074
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
