Application Requirements

Whether you're a first-year or a transfer applicant, we're glad you're considering our global community.

Here's what you need to do:

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Complete the Common App or Coalition App including:

✓  Oxy's Required Short Answer Questions

✓  School Report

✓  Counselor Recommendation forms

✓  $70 application fee or fee waiver
✓ Official transcript
✓ Standardized test scores are optional. If English is not the medium of instruction at your high school, you must submit the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET to demonstrate English language proficiency.
✓ If your academic calendar runs from August through June, you will submit a Midyear Report after the first term of your Grade 12 year. If your academic calendar goes from January to November (and you graduate high school in November or December), you will submit a final transcript.
✓ Two letters of recommendation from teachers (in core academic subjects). Ideally, we’d like letters from 10th- to 12th-grade classes.
✓ If applying Early Decision, you’ll also need to complete the binding Early Decision Agreement available on the Common App.

Undocumented or DACA students should review our information about how to apply for admission and financial aid.

English Language Supplements

In addition to submitting English language proficiency test scores, Occidental strongly encourages international students to submit English language supplements in the form of third-party interviews. InitialView and Vericant are organizations that will conduct unscripted video interviews and assist with short writing samples for our applicants. Both organizations provide a recording of the interview and a copy of the writing sample to us for our review.
 
This is an opportunity for the Occidental College admission team to see your English language skills beyond a test score, and more importantly, it will give you an excellent opportunity to showcase your personality, skills and professionalism to our admission team.
 
The Vericant and InitialView interview submission deadlines are:
  • Early Decision 1: November 15
  • Early Decision 2: January 10
  • Regular Decision: January 10

To learn more, please visit InitialView's website and Vericant's website.

International transfer applicants, here's what you need to do:

Keep in mind that we only accept applications for students to begin in fall semester.

Complete the:

✓  Complete the Common App for Transfer Students, including:
  ✓  Oxy's Required Member Questions
  ​✓  $70 non-refundable application fee or fee waiver/counselor letter
  ​✓  College Official’s Report
✓ Letter of recommendation from a college instructor
✓ Official copy of your final secondary school transcript
✓ Official copies of transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
✓ A writing sample from a college course (graded, if possible)
✓ Standardized test scores are optional. The TOEFL, IELTS, or DET language proficiency exams are required for students who have not been at English medium schools for four or more years.

Still have questions? Contact intladm@oxy.edu.

Want to mail something to us? Send it to:

Occidental College
Office of Admission
1600 Campus Road M-18
Los Angeles, CA 90041