Admission information for military-connected applicants

You'll follow the same steps as other applicants, but there are a few things to be aware of.

1. Determine if you are applying as a freshman (you have taken no college courses after graduating high school, not including your military credits) or a transfer student (you have taken college courses after high school, not including your military credits), then follow the step-by-step admission instructions for that student type. Note: Air Force veterans and service members should apply as transfer students.

   To confirm which application to use, email askaveteran@osu.edu.

2. When sending transcripts, if ACE or JST/CCAF transcripts are available, please send them as well.

3. Have ACT or SAT scores sent to Ohio State directly from the testing agency.

Ohio State has adopted a TEST-OPTIONAL policy for most 2023, 2024 and 2025 applicants. Please read the Testing FAQs.


• Freshman applicants: Military-connected students who finished high school two or more years prior to their intended term of enrollment are not required to submit an ACT or SAT score.
  

• Transfer student applicants: If you have more than a full year (or 30 semester hours) of college credit earned after high school (not including your military credit), you do not need to submit an ACT or SAT score. If you have less than a full year of college credit and graduated high school less than two years ago, you will need to submit an ACT or SAT score.
  

4. Some undergraduate programs at Ohio State have competitive criteria for direct enrollment into the college or major, and students may be admitted to the university without being enrolled in a specific academic program. Learn more about enrollment criteria for freshmen or enrollment criteria for transfer students.

Ohio State considers your military experience during the application evaluation process.

Freshman applicants

• Military-connected applicants are encouraged to include a statement in the "Additional Information" section on the application that details their military service, including years served, rank attained, specialized training, responsibilities, supervisory experience, leadership and other recognitions. Students should explain how their military service has prepared them for The Ohio State University. The more information that is included about your military service, the more weight can be placed on your service.
  

• Answer the required essay question on the application just as other students do.

• You'll have the opportunity on the application to tell us about any "special circumstances," where you should explain any inconsistencies in your academic record.
  

Transfer applicants

• Military-connected applicants are encouraged to include a statement in the "Personal Statement" section on the application that details their military service, including years served, rank attained, specialized training, responsibilities, supervisory experience, leadership and other recognitions. Students should explain how their military service has prepared them for The Ohio State University. The more information that is included about your military service, the more weight can be placed on your service.

  If you cannot fit all of your information in the personal statement section, please email askaveteran@osu.edu for help with attaching your full statement to your application.
  

• The transfer application does not have a required essay.

• You'll have the opportunity on the application to tell us about any "special circumstances," where you should explain any inconsistencies in your academic record.

Most military-connected students and their family members using education benefits should be able to attend at in-state rates through one of the following programs. For clarification on your individual situation, please speak with the staff of the Military and Veterans Services office at 614-247-VETS (8387) or milvets@osu.edu.

• The State of Ohio passed the Ohio GI Promise bill further ensuring that, upon one year of service, military members (and their immediate family members) who retire or relocate to Ohio immediately qualify for in-state tuition. The bill also exempts military retirees from paying Ohio state income tax on their federal retired pay. Please see more at Ohio GI Promise.

• Under the post-9/11 GI Bill®, veterans will receive benefits to cover the cost of in-state tuition, a monthly housing stipend and up to $1,000 annually for books. Read about the GI Bill® benefit program.

• 2015 Federal Law (Choice Act) and Companion State of Ohio Law: The service member or veteran must be using VA education benefits under Chapter 30, Chapter 31 VR&E, or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®); served at least 90 days on active duty; and is enrolled in a state institution of higher education. Once VA benefits expire, the service member or veteran must apply under the GI Promise option and if not eligible will revert to out-of-state tuition rates.

• A spouse or dependent is eligible, only while using benefits, if they are the recipient of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship; Chapter 33 transfer of entitlement, or Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance; if the person is enrolled in a state institution of higher education, lives in Ohio as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education, the veteran’s period of active duty was at least 90 days and they have separated. Once VA benefits expire, the spouse or dependent must apply under the GI Promise option and if not eligible will revert to out of state tuition rates. Read about the Choice Act.

Your family members, including your spouse or children, may be eligible to pay Ohio resident tuition, even if you are not currently a resident of the State of Ohio. They may also be eligible to use your GI Bill® benefits. Read about the Ohio GI Promise and GI Bill® benefit program.

Ohio State also has a policy that may allow family members of those who served, or are serving, to qualify for in-state tuition rates. For more information, please contact Military and Veterans Services at 614-247-VETS or milvets@osu.edu, or stop by our office at 185 Student Academic Services Building, 281 W. Lane Ave.

You will learn which credits transferred with your notice of admission. For an estimate, go to transferology.com to identify courses at your current institution that would be most applicable for your intended major at Ohio State. This online resource can also help you determine which credits will transfer to Ohio State. (Information obtained via transferology.com does not guarantee that you will receive transfer credit or that credit will be applicable to your intended degree.)

• Course credit will transfer to Ohio State if the course was taken at a regionally accredited institution, the course was non-remedial and you received a C- or better (in a few cases, a D or D+ may transfer; download Ohio State's Transfer Credit Policy, page 7 for information). In many cases, credit for equivalent courses is received when transfer credit is awarded. Visit transferology.com for details about the transferability of course credit to and from Ohio and regional institutions.

• Military transfer credit will be accepted according to the American Council on Education’s recommendation, as listed on the Joint Services Transcript or the Community College of the Air Force Transcript. Application of this credit is determined at the college level. Learn more about military transfer credit in accordance with ACE on page 9 of Ohio State's transfer credit policy.

• Ohio State undergraduate, degree-seeking military member and Veteran students who have served in a foreign country, outside of the United States for at least 90 days (consecutive or non-consecutive) are eligible to receive credit for global studies general education (legacy GE) and social and behavioral sciences (new GE) for their experience and training.

  Eligible students should complete the secure form below and submit a copy of their service record listing deployment information (DD Form 214) for review. Credit earned through this process is awarded “K” transfer credit – not native Ohio State course credit – and does not impact a student’s Ohio State GPA. Once reviewed, the Transfer Credit Center will send a confirmation email informing the student that the credit has been either approved or denied. For additional information about the Ohio Department of Higher Education General Education Military Credit Project, please see Appendix W of the OATN Policy.

  Click to access and complete the secure form.

  For more information about transfer credit, please visit go.osu.edu/militarycredit.