The Occidental Difference

Connect With Los Angeles

From entertainment and aerospace to bioscience and technology, Los Angeles is a global hub of creativity and innovation—and Occidental creates the nexus between the classroom and the city. Occidental’s L.A.-centric liberal arts experience gives every student the opportunity to put theory into practice and ideas into action, regardless of their major. Oxy students are deeply connected to Los Angeles through community-based learning and research, geology and biology fieldwork, partnerships with cultural institutions and local industries, internship programs, and a formal partnership with the City of Los Angeles.

Choose Your Own Adventure

From Fortune 500 companies and Silicon Valley startups to public service and postgraduate studies, Oxy alumni are thriving across a wide range of vocations—and whatever your career path might be, we offer the resources to give you a running start at life after college. The Hameetman Career Center hosts career education seminars, alumni speakers, and campus recruiting events. Our staff provides additional support by sponsoring L.A.-based internships, working with applicants for national and international fellowships, and helping pre-medical, pre-health and STEM students develop effective strategies for achieving their professional goals.

Immerse Yourself

With an emphasis on undergraduate research and distinct interdisciplinary programs, our students spend as much time in the lab, the field, or the studio as they do in the classroom. Two-thirds of all students pursue international opportunities while at Occidental, including study abroad programs in over 50 countries and a semester-long United Nations internship in New York City. Oxy’s prestigious Richter Research Abroad program supports sustainable development research in select countries, laboratory research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and independent research in a variety of countries around the world. Because Occidental is among the nation’s most diverse liberal arts colleges, your global connections start forming on your very first day.

Expand Your Horizons

Occidental College, affectionately nicknamed Oxy, is a nationally recognized undergraduate institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the world’s most innovative, influential cities. Our distinguished faculty are among the leading thinkers in their fields and hands-on mentors in the classroom. With more than 40 majors and minors, innovative interdisciplinary programs, and an unparalleled emphasis on undergraduate research, Occidental prepares students to think critically, problem-solve creatively, communicate effectively, and make a meaningful difference in an ever-changing world.

45% students of color

25% of students are involved in varsity-athletics

44 majors and minors

2/3 of students study abroad

9:1 Student to faculty ratio

36% of students are from California

20 NCAA Division III Sports

76% of students receive financial aid

Making Occidental Affordable

We are committed to making an Occidental education affordable for every admitted student. Occidental helps students fund their education through merit scholarships, need-based grants, workstudy and student loans to meet our students’ particular needs and circumstances. Oxy meets 100% of a student’s demonstrated financial need for all U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented students. Over 76% of our students receive some form of aid and typically 25% of applicants receive merit scholarships. Our aid programs often make Oxy’s cost comparable to that of public institutions. Learn more and check out our net price calculator at oxy.edu/costs-financial-aid.

Spaces and Places

Thorne Hall

De Mandel Aquatic Center

McKinnon Tennis Courts

FEAST Garden

Academic

Eagle Rock

Green Bean a student-run coffee shop

Downtown Los Angeles

Occidental College occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Tongva people.

Academic Quad

Highland Park

San Gabriel Mountains Solar Array

Keck Theater Hameetman Science Center

Anderson Center for Environmental Sciences

Intercultural Community Center Moore Lab of Zoology

Begin Your Occidental Journey

Every journey begins with a single step. Take yours today and request more information about Occidental College: oxy.edu/request