SUNY Oneonta

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SUNY Oneonta is a midsize liberal arts university with a strong focus on experiential learning, undergraduate research, service, and global connections. 

About Oneonta
Located in the beautiful hills of Central New York, Oneonta is one of 64 campuses in the State University of New York system. The University offers more than 60 undergraduate programs, including an internationally accredited Business Economics program and nationally accredited programs in Dietetics, Education, Human Ecology, Music, and Theatre. If you’re seeking a peaceful environment with plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors, look no further than Oneonta: a safe, friendly city known for its small-town ambiance and vibrant arts and entertainment scene. SUNY Oneonta’s 318-acre campus overlooks the scenic Susquehanna River Valley, about halfway between Albany and Binghamton and three and a half hours from New York City. 

A quality education at an affordable cost
Oneonta consistently gains recognition for delivering excellence and value. The University ranks #20 on the 2022 U.S. News and World Report list of the "Best Public Institutions" in the region and ranks #119 on Money magazine's "Best Colleges 2020" list." Qualified applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships ranging from $1,000–$8,000. This past academic year, SUNY Oneonta awarded over $7.5 million in scholarships, and nearly a quarter of the current freshman class received scholarship support.

Putting learning into practice
At SUNY Oneonta, you’ll have many opportunities to take an active role in your learning. With small class sizes and a close-knit campus community, students get plenty of interaction with faculty members who are not just scholars and teachers but also club advisors, research partners, and mentors. Faculty members frequently invite students to participate in research projects, and the University offers grants to support independent research and travel to regional, national, and international academic conferences. Community service is another big part of the Oneonta experience. Many courses incorporate service learning activities, ranging from wetlands restoration in New Orleans to work with street children in Ecuador. 

Business students put their classroom learning to the test at academic competitions, including the College Fed Challenge in Manhattan. Oneonta has also outshone the competition at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City, bringing home awards several years in a row. Students complete credit-bearing internships in their fields each year. Locations range from the Oneonta region to New York City to international placements in nine countries. We also offer a variety of study abroad and international exchange opportunities, including short-term, faculty-led field courses; a new Fashion program at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan; and more than 1,000 programs through the SUNY Study Abroad Consortium. 

Student life
Oneonta is a residential community—99% of freshmen and 57% of undergraduates live on campus in our 15 double-, quad-, suite-, and apartment-style residence halls, all conveniently located near dining halls and academic buildings. The price of living on campus is fixed for each entering class. All freshmen live in First-Year Experience halls with special social activities and support designed to ease the transition to college life. Other special-interest housing includes a variety of Living Learning Communities, a Transfer Learning Community, a Quiet Section, and Safe Space and Gender Inclusive Housing.

With hundreds of hours of entertainment, athletic events, and social programming every semester, there’s plenty to do on campus. And with more than 157 Student Association–funded clubs and organizations, ranging from the Accounting Society to the Zombie Defense Corps, there’s an activity for every interest. More than a dozen clubs have a multicultural or diversity-related focus, and a variety of programming—including speakers, films, readings, plays, festivals, and leadership conferences—is offered each semester. The University’s Center for Multicultural Experiences, which recently reopened after extensive renovations, is a popular gathering place and home to an array of social and academic events.

After Oneonta
SUNY Oneonta students are well prepared for life after college. By the time they hit senior year, nearly three-quarters have been involved in at least two high-impact learning experiences like studying abroad, doing research with a faculty member, participating in a service learning project, or completing an internship in their field. These powerful experiences will not only help you discover what you want to do but give you the tools to succeed, whether that means launching a fulfilling career or continuing your education.

Our strong alumni network spans the globe, demonstrating the leadership and accomplishment that exemplify a Oneonta education. Alumni frequently return to campus to speak to classes, and students make connections that lead to internships and jobs through events like the Backpacks to Briefcases networking day and our on-campus and New York City Internship Fairs.