OSU
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Ohio State University |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Religion |
OSU has four meanings. The most common are Ohio State University (university) and Oklahoma State University (university); it can also stand for Oregon State University and Order of Saint Ursula.
Meanings of OSU at a glance
| # | OSU stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State University | Education & Academia › University |
| 2 | Oklahoma State University | Education & Academia › University |
| 3 | Oregon State University | Education & Academia › University |
| 4 | Order of Saint Ursula | Religion › Religious Title |
1. Ohio State University
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
One of the largest universities in the United States, founded in 1870 in Columbus as a land-grant college. Its Buckeyes compete in the Big Ten, play football in Ohio Stadium ("the Horseshoe") and won the College Football Playoff national championship for the 2024 season.
Example: He drove to Columbus to watch OSU play Michigan in the season's final game.
The official name is "The Ohio State University", and in 2022 the US Patent and Trademark Office granted it a trademark on the word "THE" for clothing. Nationally, OSU most often means Ohio State, though Oregon State and Oklahoma State also use the initials. The Michigan rivalry, simply called "The Game", dates to 1897.
2. Oklahoma State University
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Land-grant university in Stillwater, founded in 1890 as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College. Its Cowboys compete in the Big 12, and its wrestling program has won more NCAA team titles than any other school.
Example: He studied agribusiness at OSU and returned to run the family ranch.
In Oklahoma, OSU means Oklahoma State, while nationally it more often refers to Ohio State and in the Northwest to Oregon State. Its rivalry with the University of Oklahoma is called Bedlam. Barry Sanders won the Heisman Trophy at OSU in 1988.
3. Oregon State University
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Oregon's land-grant university, founded in 1868 in Corvallis, with strong programs in forestry, engineering, oceanography and agriculture. Its Beavers stayed in the Pac-12 when most of the conference dissolved in 2024.
Example: She is studying fisheries and wildlife at OSU and doing fieldwork on the coast.
In Oregon, OSU means Oregon State, but nationally the initials more often mean Ohio State, and in the Southern Plains, Oklahoma State. Its football rivalry with the University of Oregon was long called the Civil War, a name dropped in 2020. It is one of a few US universities designated land-, sea-, space- and sun-grant.
4. Order of Saint Ursula
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Ursuline sisters belong to the oldest Catholic teaching order of women, founded in Brescia, Italy, in 1535 by St. Angela Merici. Ursuline sisters arrived in New Orleans in 1727 and founded the Ursuline Academy there.
Example: Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, founded by OSU sisters in 1727, is the oldest continuously operating girls' school in the US.
Several Ursuline colleges remain in Ohio and Kentucky. In American sports and education, OSU far more commonly means Ohio State, Oregon State or Oklahoma State University. The order is named for St. Ursula, a legendary martyr.
Related abbreviations
More university abbreviations
- NTU – Nanyang Technological University
- NU – Northwestern University
- NUS – National University of Singapore
- NYU – New York University
- OU – University of Oklahoma
- PSU – Pennsylvania State University
- PVAMU – Prairie View A&M University
- RISD – Rhode Island School of Design
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