Ohio State will need to communicate with you about important university business such as orientation, financial aid, housing, grades, and course schedules. We will use the unique e-mail address that has been created for you (lastname.#@osu.edu). If you haven't already, please tell us where to deliver e-mail sent to this address. You may have it delivered either to Buckeye Mail (the university's e-mail service) or to your e-mail service provider.

To set up delivery:

1. Go to my.osu.edu and log in using your Ohio State Username (lastname.#) and password.
2. Click "Change E-mail Delivery" (left sidebar) and follow the
   directions.
   

(If you have not yet activated your Ohio State Username and created a new password, you must first request an activation code. Go to my.osu.edu, click Activate Now, then select Request an Activation Code and follow the prompts.)

Once you receive your official Acceptance Fee Statement, you are encouraged to pay the fee as soon as you decide on Ohio State, and no later than May 1. By paying this $100 nonrefundable fee, you confirm your intention to enroll at the university. Housing and orientation information is mailed/e-mailed starting in early spring in the order that acceptance fees are received.

Orientation is held prior to the opening of each term. During orientation, you will:

• Complete necessary placement testing in English and foreign languages (math testing is done online prior to orientation).
• Attend a group academic planning and advising session.
• Schedule first term classes.
• Learn about many of the resources available at Ohio State.

Orientation is required for students. Parents or other adult family members are encouraged to attend with you.

Orientation information for students admitted to the Columbus campus is sent on a rolling basis as acceptance fees are received, beginning with the timeline below:

Spring quarter 2012 – mid-February
Autumn semester 2012 – early-April through June
Spring semester 2013 – late-October

Students attending a regional campus or ATI
For orientation information, contact the coordinator of orientation programs at the appropriate campus.

Students are required to live in university residence halls if they are unmarried, enrolling as full-time freshmen, and within a year of high school graduation -- unless space is no longer available or they have an approved exemption (the primary exemption is given to those planning to live with family and commute). Exemptions or exclusions from this policy must be approved by University Residences. To receive housing information, contact the appropriate campus or visit University Residences.

Students admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn semester
Housing information is sent via e-mail beginning in mid-March in the order that acceptance fees are received.

Students admitted to the Columbus campus for other terms
Housing information is sent via e-mail after you have paid your acceptance fee but no sooner than three months before the start of the desired term.

Students attending a regional campus or ATI
Some of our regional campuses offer student housing.

• In Mansfield you can live in student apartments adjacent to campus.
• Ohio State Newark offers a residence hall with student apartments; availability is based on a lottery system.
• ATI in Wooster offers a student apartment village. Note that first-year students who live more than 25 miles from campus are required to live on campus.

For housing information, contact the coordinator of orientation programs at the appropriate campus.

University-administered financial aid and scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, academic merit, and/or other factors. To be considered for a number of scholarships and other types of financial assistance, students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Visit fafsa.gov for more information and to fill out the form online.

To ensure full consideration for financial aid, submit the FAFSA by your priority date. If you are awarded financial aid from university-administered resources, we will generally notify Columbus campus freshmen in early April and regional campus or ATI applicants by July. Contact the financial aid experts at the Student Service Center with questions.

Orientation is a required program, designed to address the testing and course scheduling needs of all incoming students. During transfer orientation, you will:

• Attend a group academic planning and advising session.
• Schedule classes.
• Complete placement testing in English and foreign languages, if the requirements for those subjects have not been met by credits you are transferring. (Math testing is done online prior to orientation.)

Transfer orientation information is sent to admitted students on a rolling basis as acceptance fees are received, beginning with the timeline below:

Spring quarter 2012 – mid-January
Summer session 2012 – mid-April
Autumn semester 2012 – mid-April

Housing for transfer students is not guaranteed and is dependent upon space availability. Housing information is mailed on a rolling basis beginning in mid-March based on date of admission and space in university residences.

• Students admitted for autumn semester – housing information is sent via e-mail beginning in mid-March.
• Students admitted for other terms – housing information is sent via e-mail after you have paid your acceptance fee but no sooner than three months before the start of the desired term.

Other options:

• Ohio State provides resources and information for students wishing to live off campus, including apartment and roommate searches, general lease information, and legal referrals. Visit offcampus.osu.edu for more.
• For families and upperclass students, another option is Ohio State’s Buckeye Village, where you have access to services like university bus transportation and campus police, and the assurance of securing your residence through Ohio State. For more information and to apply online, visit buckeyevillage.osu.edu.
• Transferring to a regional campus? Contact the appropriate campus to learn about housing options.

If you submitted a transcript(s) from your previous institution(s) to be evaluated for transfer credit, you can view your Transfer Credit Report under the Enrollment and Academic History section on buckeyelink.osu.edu.

University-administered financial aid and scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, academic merit, and/or other factors. To be considered for a number of scholarships and other types of financial assistance, students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Visit fafsa.gov for more information and to fill out the form online.

To ensure full consideration for financial aid, submit the FAFSA by your priority date. If you are awarded financial aid from university-administered resources and you are a transfer student attending the Columbus campus, we will notify you prior to the start of your first term. Contact the financial aid experts at the Student Service Center with questions.

If you need a student visa (F-1 or J-1) to study at Ohio State and…

• …you are currently attending an institution in the United States:
  Your SEVIS International Student Transfer Form will be sent to you. You will receive your visa eligibility document – I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) – from Ohio State after your SEVIS record is released from your previous school. If you will be traveling outside the United States prior to the start of classes, you must contact the Office of International Affairs to receive your new document prior to re-entering the United States. If you are staying in the United States between programs, you may pick up your document when you attend check-in with OIA. Please follow the instructions on the SEVIS form to ensure you receive your visa eligibility document at the appropriate time. Read Important Visa Issues, below.
  
  
• …you are currently attending Ohio State in another program:
  Your OSU Level Change Form will be sent to you. You will receive your visa eligibility document – I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) – from Ohio State prior to the start of your new program. If you will be traveling outside the United States prior to the start of your new educational level, you must contact OIA to receive your new document prior to re-entering the United States. Please follow the instructions on the OSU Level Change Form to ensure you receive your visa eligibility document at the appropriate time. Read Important Visa Issues, below.
  
  
• …you are currently attending school outside the United States:
  Your visa eligibility document – I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) – will be sent to you. You will need to make an appointment with the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. Read Important Visa Issues, below.

To obtain a visa, take the following documents to a U.S. consulate:

1. Passport (valid for at least six months into the future)
2. I-20 (for F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa)
3. Proof of financial support (private sponsor’s affidavit of support and bank statement, or support letter from academic department, or letter from sponsoring agency or government)
4. Proof of additional funding for family members who will enter the U.S. on the F-2 or J-2 visa, and marriage or birth certificates of family members applying for the F-2 or J-2 visa (accompanying family members need their own I-20 or DS-2019 in order to get a visa and enter the U.S.)
5. Receipt for payment of the I-901 SEVIS fee. For more information, visit the Office of International Affairs Visa Information web page.
6. Your Ohio State notice of admission
7. Be sure to check the consulate's website for other documents that may be required

Note for Canadian citizens: Canadian citizens do not need a U.S. visa. At the port of entry you will be asked to show your I-20 or DS-2019, Canadian passport, receipt of SEVIS payment, and proof of financial support. Canadian citizens should make sure to obtain an I-94 card at the port of entry.

Important visa issues

• In addition to the documentation listed above, you will need to demonstrate to the U.S. consular officer that you have a home address which you do not intend to abandon, that you have substantial ties to your home country, and that you will return there when you’ve completed your studies.
• The J-1 visa often has a two-year home residency requirement. This requirement means that the visa holder must return to his or her home country for two years after completing the exchange visitor program.
• Plan to enter the U.S. on the F-1 or J-1 visa. Those entering the U.S. on the visa waiver program cannot change status in the U.S.
• Apply for your F-1 or J-1 visa using the I-20 or DS-2019 for the university in which you intend to enroll. If you have been admitted and received an I-20 or DS-2019 from a university other than Ohio State, please be aware that if you apply for the visa and enter the U.S. on that school’s documents, you will be required to attend that school.
• Important requirement for transfer students:
  If you are an F-1 or J-1 student enrolled at another U.S. high school, college, or university, you will be required to follow the SEVIS Transfer Process. Complete the International Student Transfer Form that was enclosed with your notice of admission and deliver it to the international student advisor at your current institution prior to your last day of enrollment. Your advisor will release your SEVIS record to Ohio State. The Transfer Form will describe how to obtain the I-20 or DS-2019 from Ohio State.

Information on U.S. consulate policies, procedures, requirements, and visa wait times can be found at the U.S. Department of State website: travel.state.gov.

If you have questions about obtaining your student visa, please contact the Office of International Affairs (OIA).

All international students in F-1 or J-1 status must check in with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) when they arrive on campus. If you have an F-1 or J-1 visa, you are required to visit OIA not more than one week after your arrival at Ohio State to comply with U.S. Immigration Regulations.

Orientation is required for all new students.

• Students with F-1 or J-1 immigration status: You will attend the orientation program conducted by OIA.
• Students with a visa other than F-1 or J-1: You will attend the university’s orientation program for domestic students. Information will be mailed to you upon receipt of your acceptance fee; you can read about the program at orientation.osu.edu. In addition, you may choose to attend one of OIA’s orientation sessions.