Parents

student with mother in the Learning and Innovation Center

Welcome

Welcome parents and families – past, current and future – to Oregon State University College of Science! The College of Science's parents, alumni and friends are a vital part of our community. Your involvement, leadership and support continue to improve the lives of our students, increase our outreach, and deepen our impact.

This page is a handy guide to everything a science parent might want to know.

Coming up...

Stay informed

Synapse is a twice-a-year e-newsletter exclusively for parents of science students. Sign up here.
Impact, the College of Science online magazine, features stories about our students, alumni, and faculty. You can sign-up to receive alerts whenever new articles are published.
OSU Today is a daily newsletter covering university-wide events, news and more. Sign up here.

Follow us on social media

We'd love you to become a part of the community on any (or all!)of our social media platforms. Find us on:

START info for parents and family

Parents and families are incredibly important players in student success and in providing support. The College of Science will be hosting Parent/Family Presentation sessions to keep you informed and provide a place to get questions answered. In this hour and a half long session, you will hear from some of our college faculty and peer advisors about what we think you need to know. Sign up today to join a session!

Information about START, including frequently asked questions, can be found on the student START webpage.

Supporting students outside the classroom

We know that there are many challenges and barriers that you and your students are facing due to the global pandemic and remote learning. We hope to provide you with some useful tips to support your students.

Help your student establish and maintain a regular routine, but be patient.
Reduce distractions by giving your student a space and time to attend classes and meetings, to study, and to take exams.
Encourage and (if possible) provide resources for physical activity and exercise.
Manage stress, connect safely with friends, and be kind. To learn more, please visit the CAPS website.
Learn more about resources at OSU

Need more information? Reach out!

While we may not have all the answers, we are here to help. If you have any additional questions that you would like to ask, please feel free to contact the Science Success Center.

The basics

The University's online guide for parents and families is full of useful advice, information and resources:

Online guide for Parent and Family Members
Information for first-year student families
Calendar of events
Parent and Family Handbook
Padres y Familia Manual (Spanish version of Parent and Family Handbook)

All first-year students are required to live on campus. The University Housing & Dining Service has a great online guide to everything you need to know, including the all-important packing list for what to bring (and what to leave behind).

University Housing & Dining Services (UHDS)
Still have questions? Contact UHDS here.

The Controller’s office provides a good overview on how to pay bills, what to expect and who to contact if you have a question.

A primer for parents from the Controller.

Is your student looking for a job? You can search for a job, peruse the student employment manual and more at the Office of Human Resources:

Information to help student employees.

Scholarships matter! Every year, science students can submit ONE application to be considered for more than 250 science scholarship opportunities. It’s that simple. The process takes just about two hours to complete for a reward of $1,000-7,000 or more of scholarship money to help pay for next year’s tuition. Applications are due in early May.

College of Science scholarships

Corvallis is repeatedly ranked very high for being most secure in terms of crime statistics, extreme weather and natural disaster risk, air quality, and more by Farmers Insurance Group.

The Oregon State University Department of Public Safety is sincerely committed to making your child’s experience here at OSU a safe and welcoming one 24/7. From After Hours Passes to Safe Escorts to RAVE alerts and more, OSU Public Safety maintains a high state of readiness to keep every member of the OSU community safe.

Oregon State University Department of Public Safety

Planning a visit to campus? These resources can help:

Campus Visitor’s Guide

Top things to do in Corvallis.

Team Science: tomorrow’s leaders start here

All College of Science students belong to Team Science, an inclusive, strong academic community driven by a shared purpose: to build a better world through scientific discovery. Through hands-on learning and experiences, rich, interactive classrooms, and dedicated teaching and advising, we empower students to become the agents of their personal, academic and career goals. Our faculty, administrators and staff are dedicated to your child’s success.

Make a gift

One of the easiest ways to support the College and our students is through making a gift. Scholarship dollars help all of our students succeed by easing financial burdens and expanding opportunities for all.