Overview

State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) is a highly renowned public institution, offering a comprehensive range of degree programs across two campuses in the state of New York.

　　Its historic 700-acre lakeside campus is situated on the banks of lake Ontario, in the outskirts of Oswego, a charming and picturesque town known as the Port City of Central New York. Oswego is about 35 miles west of Syracuse, where the university's second campus is located.

　　Altogether, the university offers more than 100 different degree courses, spanning different levels of study and delivered though its four academic faculties Business Education Liberal Arts & Sciences and Communication, Media & the Arts.

　　Around 6,000 undergraduate students call the university home, forming a diverse and inclusive membership with a close-knit community of international students representing 36 countries worldwide.

　　The university performs well in national performance metrics, and is currently ranked 12th among public colleges and universities in the ''Regional Universities - North'' category by U.S. News & World Report 2023. The 2023 Princeton Review also places SUNY Oswego as one of the nation's top ''Green Colleges'', recognizing the university's ongoing commitment to sustainability and the environment.

　　

What's new

SUNY Oswego is constantly upgrading and enhancing its facilities and curriculum to give its students the best possible learning experience. It has spent nearly USD 1 billion in recent years on new and modernised buildings and facilities, as well as offering an excellent array of services and resources to ensure the success of its students.

　　This year, SUNY Oswego climbed 15 places in the U.S. News and World Report's ''2024 Best Regional Universities in the North,'' to reach 39th place in this category, as well as ranking comfortably within the top 15 in public colleges in the region, taking into account public and private colleges throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

　　The U.S. News and World Report rankings considers about 19 different metrics, taken from a sample of 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor's degree-granting institutions.

　　The university works hard to provide a superb combination of excellent value and opportunity, ranking within the top 20 for social mobility in the north, and also among the highest scoring institutions for best value schools in the north.

　　

Teaching quality

SUNY Oswego is widely known for the high quality of its undergraduate curriculum, offering over 120 undergraduate, graduate and continued professional development programs, as well as 70 minors, and a selection of 4+1 pathways, which allows students to complete a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in just 5 years.

　　Academically, the university performs well, and this success is largely down to the quality and experience of its teaching staff. 89 percent of the university's full-time faculty hold the highest qualification in their field. There are over 600 full-time and part-time faculty in total, and they form a hardworking and enthusiastic community of tutors and practitioners, with the success of their students as a priority.

　　The university's student to faculty ratio is 16:1, which allows for a personalized approach to teaching with plenty of individual feedback opportunities. The average class size is just 22 students, which enables a lot of contact time with teaching staff.

　　

Department structure

SUNY Oswego university delivers its 120+ programs through four academic faculties:

　　

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The largest academic faculty, both in terms of enrolled students and number of degree courses offered, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences establishes a firm foundation for liberal education. There are more than 40 undergraduate majors for students to choose from, as well as an impressive selection of minors and interdisciplinary programs.

　　

School of Business

The School of Business integrates traditional classroom-based teaching methods with advanced, technologically informed tuition. Various computer applications and practical learning methods are employed, and students engage with including group projects, internships, simulated tasks and plenty of case studies to build a strong knowledge base in preparation for the ever-evolving world of business.

　　

The School of Communication, Media and the Arts

Creative practice is nurtured in the School of Communication, Media and the Arts, combining a rich program of communication studies with the traditional practices of fine arts and performing arts. The school offers eight undergraduate degree options, alongside several interdisciplinary majors and minors.

　　

School of Education

The School of Education prepares students to meet the challenges of today's global educational landscapes, providing research-oriented methods and a diversity of field work to train the teachers, counsellors, and wellness and professionals of tomorrow.

　　

Entry requirements

Admissions requirements for undergraduate programs at SUNY Oswego differ based on subject-specific criteria, and while there is no exact formula for successful program placement, it is important that candidates demonstrate a consistent high school performance, as measured by grades, test scores, and academic essays.

　　The SAT/ACT exams are optional. The minimum high school GPA requirement is 2.5 and an English proficiency score of IELTS 6.0/TOEFL 71/Duolingo 100. Additional scores may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

　　Applications are organized on a rolling basis and can be submitted online throughout the year, however the university also offers an Early Action option, which means that students who complete their application for by 15th November will receive a decision in just one month, by 15th December.

　　In addition to grades, the university also looks for students who show initiative and integrity, and who are ready to make things, lead others, and think outside the box.

　　In fact, the university's ‘Special Talent Admission' option prioritizes examples of leadership, academic achievement in a specific area, athletic talent, or creative expression as a premise for enrolment, in lieu of traditional performance-based admission criteria.

　　

Facilities

Students at either of SUNY Oswego's two New York campuses benefit from access to a self-contained learning environment, with a comprehensive array of facilities and services designed to encourage academic success and personal enrichment.

　　The university has invested almost USD 1 billion in its campus buildings, which include a superb range of academic facilities as well as on-site accommodation, student services, and recreational infrastructure – including everything from clubs and organisation venues to sports facilities, food and drinks vendors, and more.

　　Those wishing to live on campus have many different housing options, with 11 conveniently located residence halls offering students a wide choice of living arrangements and amenities. In total, there are rooms for more than 4,000 students on campus, living in a wonderfully landscaped lakeside setting within an easy walk to lecture halls, laboratories, and classrooms.

　　

Scholarships & funding

SUNY Oswego is committed to the success of its students, and works hard to provide a generous and highly accessible platform of financial aid schemes, including scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities.

　　Each year, the university awards USD 80 million in aid, including USD 9.6 million in scholarships and awards. Considering that there is fewer than 10,000 students at SUNY Oswego, it means that there's a high probability of achieving financial assistance from the university. In fact, 84 percent of students secure some kind of aid, which can include scholarships, grants, student employment and loans.

　　Funding schemes are available on both merit-based and means-tested criteria, and prospective students are encouraged to visit the university website to check for eligibility, as well as any important application deadlines.