Southern Oregon University

SOU is on a 175-acre campus in the small town setting of Ashland, Oregon.

SOU Student Activities

There are many activities and organizations for SOU students to join – including chorus, theater groups, a campus newspaper, a radio station and more.

Interested in Greek life? SOU does not have fraternities or sororities.

SOU has the Native American Student Union. In fact, more students participate in the Native American Student Union than any other on-campus activity.

Other popular student organizations at SOU include International Student Association, Impact (religious club), Hoopaa Hawaii Club and Omicron Delta Kappa.

SOU students' favorite campus traditions are Southern Oregon Arts and Research Symposium, International Week and One World (performing arts series).

Does SOU Offer Student Housing?

This table offers information on housing at SOU.

SOU offers housing. Students are required to live on campus through freshman year. First year students are guaranteed on-campus housing.

Most SOU students live off campus. In 2022, 15% of undergrads at SOU lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 85% of students lived off-campus or commuted to SOU. First year students are allowed to park a car on campus.

SOU offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.

SOU Athletics

At SOU there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.

Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.

Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.

Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.

Let's take a look at the athletic options available at SOU:

Is SOU Safe?

College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.

Southern Oregon University is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The SOU campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night. The school also has student security patrols.

SOU offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Campus housing is secure and dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards.

Plan a Visit to SOU

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit SOU, take Interstate 5 to Ashland, OR. If you need to fly, book your flight to Medford-Jackson County airport.

While you're planning, check out other schools in Oregon you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.

Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore SOU's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour

Keep Reading About SOU

Choose one of the options below to find out more about about SOU:

Overview

Admissions

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about SOU.