Cu/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by separate impregnation and deposition precipitation methods for the hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) to ethylene glycol (EG). XRD, TEM, H-2-TPR, SEM, EDS and N-2 physisorption were performed to characterize the textural and structural properties of the catalysts. The results showed that Cu particles from the deposition precipitation preparation were homogeneously dispersed on the support and their sizes were found to be smaller than those from the impregnation method and the catalyst produced by the deposition precipitation method gave higher EG yields at lower reaction temperatures and lower H-2/DMO mole ratio.