Getting Started: Degree-seeking Undergraduate Students

Welcome! This is a guide for newly admitted online students at Oregon State University who are ready to start taking courses. This guide is for degree-seeking undergraduate students and undergraduate certificate-seeking students.

Not admitted yet? Please visit our "Ready to Apply?" information page for application procedures and requirements.

1. Set up your ONID (OSU Network ID) and DUO

An ONID account is required to register for classes, access course sites, and receive a university email address. Please review these detailed ONID sign-up instructions.

After you set up your ONID account, you will be required to sign up for DUO, a mandatory two-step authentication system.

2. Check your oregonstate.edu email

Your ONID email is your official oregonstate.edu email and can be accessed through Microsoft 365/Outlook. Billing notifications and all other Oregon State communications will be sent there. You must check your ONID email regularly.

3. Confirm your enrollment

Undergraduate degree-seeking students must confirm their enrollment before receiving access to the Ecampus online orientation. To confirm your enrollment, log into the Beaver Basecamp admissions portal and click the "Confirm Enrollment" link on the Next Steps Checklist. Please allow 1-3 business days after confirming your enrollment for processing before access to the online orientation is provided.

As an Ecampus student, you will not need to pay the $200 Advance Tuition Deposit (ATD). The ATD will be waived when you confirm your enrollment.

Note: International students do not need to pay the $200 ATD or confirm enrollment.

Honors College: Students who have been admitted to the Honors College also need to confirm their Honors College enrollment in their Beaver Basecamp admissions portal checklist.

4. Review your financial assistance

The Oregon State Financial Aid and Scholarships webpage has detailed information about financial aid. In general, undergraduate degree-seeking students (including postbaccalaureate students) must register for at least 6 credits per term to be eligible for financial aid.

If you wish to be considered for financial aid, you must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list Oregon State as your school choice. You will need to fill out a FAFSA every year.

Apply for financial aid as soon as possible - ideally, at the same time you apply for admission to Oregon State.

International students are not eligible for U.S. federal financial aid. However, Oregon State administers several scholarship and tuition remission programs for international students. For more information, visit the Scholarships for International Students page.

5. Complete the Ecampus online orientation

In lieu of in-person orientation programming on the Corvallis campus, Ecampus students complete the Ecampus online orientation before meeting with their academic advisor and registering for classes.

In the online orientation, you will:

  • get active experience inside a Canvas course site (OSU’s learning management system), helping you get comfortable in the online classroom before your first term even begins
  • familiarize yourself with information you’ll use throughout your academic career
  • receive a very warm welcome to your new university from the Ecampus student success team
  •  move forward to your academic advisor for academic planning and registration

Once you have set up your ONID and confirmed your enrollment in Beaver Basecamp, you can access the orientation course in Canvas within 24 hours. Don’t delay! – you must complete the Ecampus orientation before scheduling your first academic advising appointment. Please note that some majors require a program orientation, which will be available after completing the Ecampus orientation.

Please contact Ecampus if you have any questions at ecampus.ess@oregonstate.edu or 800-667-1465 (option 1).

6. Review your Advanced Standing Report

The Office of Admissions will send you a complete, official evaluation of all previous coursework after you have confirmed your enrollment and submitted all of your OFFICIAL transcripts. Official transcripts can be ordered by contacting your previous institutions, and can be verified as received in Beaver Basecamp. Visit the sending transcripts and other documents page for more information.

Your Advanced Standing Report will show all previous college or university courses taken, as documented on your academic transcripts. For each course, the report will show whether Oregon State accepted the course in transfer, and if accepted, how it will be counted at Oregon State.

If you have any questions regarding your Advanced Standing Report or OSU's transfer evaluation process, contact the Office of Admissions at 800-291-4192.

The Office of Admissions will not provide an official pre-evaluation of credit before you have confirmed enrollment and official transcripts have been submitted.

Note: Postbaccalaureate students do not receive an Advance Standing Report. Review of your previous coursework will be completed by your major department after meeting with your academic advisor.

7. Complete the ALEKS math placement assessment

The ALEKS math placement assessment helps your academic advisor identify the right math course for you, which will let you make progress toward your degree without wasted time or money.

All first-year students must take the math placement assessment.

All transfer students must take the math placement assessment, unless you have earned a C- or better in a college-level math course from another college or university, or from a AP, CLEP, or IB exam.

A college-level math course is defined as college algebra (MTH 111) or higher.

If it has been more than a year since your last math course, taking the ALEKS math placement assessment is strongly recommended. Taking the assessment will allow you to access tutoring modules that are a great refresher before taking your next math course.

8. Talk with your academic advisor

After you complete the Ecampus online orientation you will receive an email with more information about how to connect with your academic advisor. Your advisor will receive a notification that you have completed the online orientation.

You must have an initial advising appointment before registering for classes. Your academic advisor will help you develop a plan for completing your degree. We want you to be successful at Oregon State, and talking with your advisor before you start your first class will help ensure your success.

Before talking with your advisor, it is a good idea to look at the Ecampus Schedule of Classes and make a note of any courses that especially interest you.

If you need help contacting your academic advisor, please call the Ecampus Student Services Center at 800-667-1465 (select option 1).

9. Register for classes

After completing the Ecampus online orientation and talking with your academic advisor, you will receive a registration PIN that enables you to register. Before you register, view the registration guide.

Also, review information about actions to take if you need to change your registration after courses begin. Specific policies and procedures govern adding and dropping courses, refunds after the start of the term, late registration, and course withdraws. Changes to registration can affect financial aid awards and eligibility.

Ready to register now? Go to Beaver Hub to get started.

10. Tuition, fees and billing

Review our tuition and fee information to ensure you understand the cost of courses.

All Oregon State bills are sent electronically. Detailed billing information is available from Business Affairs.

You can view and pay your bill online.

11. Order an OSU ID card

Ecampus students taking only online courses are not required to have an OSU ID card. However, having a card could be useful for receiving student discounts or accessing some facilities if you visit an OSU campus. ID cards can also sometimes be used at other colleges and universities.

More information can be found on the OSU ID Center website or you can contact the OSU ID Center directly at 541-737-2493.

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