After you are admitted

Congratulations, you're a Buckeye!

Two helpful resources to know and love:

  1. Buckeye Link can help with the business of being a Buckeye (things like financial aid, transfer credit, course scheduling, fee payment, etc.). Ask Buckeye Link

  2. First Year Experience can help you make connections, find campus resources and get involved — plus they run orientation to help you prepare for life at Ohio State!Ask FYE

To keep your admission to Ohio State on track, you have some steps to complete.

Set up your BuckeyeMail email account

From now on, important and time-sensitive business communications from Ohio State – like your financial aid offer and housing contract – will be emailed to your BuckeyeMail account. Check your email several times a week until school begins, and then daily.

If you already activated your username and created a password (you may have done this as an applicant in order to check your application status), your final step is to set up your BuckeyeMail account.

  1. Go to my.osu.edu and log in.

  2. On the left side of the page, click Change Email Delivery.

  3. Select Create my BuckeyeMail account and submit.

Once your request has been processed (allow up to 90 minutes), you'll be able to log in at buckeyemail.osu.edu to receive and send email. Your username/login name is: lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu.

If you don’t end up enrolling at Ohio State, your BuckeyeMail account and all data will be removed at the end of the semester for which you applied.

What if I have not activated my username? Get instructions.

If you haven’t already done so, submit the FAFSA and create your ScholarshipUniverse profile

Every student is highly encouraged to file the FAFSA and create a profile on ScholarshipUniverse to be considered for the most financial aid (including scholarships, grants, loans and Federal Work-Study). Get important dates and simple steps for applying for aid.

Note: Federal student aid does not automatically transfer between institutions. Be sure to cancel any remaining federal aid disbursements at your previous school and update your FAFSA to include The Ohio State University.

Accept our offer of admission and pay your acceptance fee

Your nonrefundable $100 acceptance fee is due within three weeks of receiving your notice of admission, which is emailed to you as soon as you’re admitted to Ohio State.

To pay your acceptance fee, or decline the offer of admission

Follow the directions on your notice of admission email. You can also pay the fee through your Applicant Center.

Note: As a condition of enrollment, all admitted applicants are required to answer a question regarding disciplinary and felony history prior to paying the acceptance fee.

To delay your enrollment term

Contact Undergraduate Admissions before the application deadline for your desired term to discuss your options.

View your Transfer Credit Report and get credits evaluated

If you submitted a transcript(s) from your previous institution(s) to be evaluated for transfer credit, visit our Transfer Credit Report page and follow the instructions to run and understand your transfer credit report (you'll need to log in with your Ohio State username and password).

Note: For courses requiring evaluation before orientation, it is your responsibility to contact the appropriate Transfer Credit Coordinator. Failure to do so may result in a delay in your ability to schedule courses for your degree program.

Submit your final university transcript

If you have completed courses that would not appear on the transcript your college(s) already sent to Ohio State, make sure your final transcript is sent as soon as your grades have posted.

Important! Transcripts should not be delivered by the student or sent to other addresses on campus. Doing so will prevent acceptance of the transcript as official.

How to send university transcripts to Ohio State:

  • If you attended an Ohio college or university, request that your transcript be sent electronically (preferred).

  • For other institutions, request electronic delivery if available to avoid processing delays. If ordering a transcript online, select The Ohio State University as a recipient. In the absence of a list of universities to select from, have your school email your encrypted transcript to sae-studugt@osu.edu.

  • If your school does not offer electronic delivery, please have your transcript(s) mailed to:
    The Ohio State University
    Undergraduate Admissions
    PO Box 182646
    Columbus, OH 43218-2646

Check BuckeyeMail for housing updates and more

We're sending important, time-sensitive information — like your housing contract and financial aid offer — to your BuckeyeMail account.

  • Log into buckeyemail.osu.edu with your Ohio State username (lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu) and password.

  • Check your email several times a week until school begins, and then daily.

What if I haven't activated my username? Get instructions.

Register for orientation

Orientation is held prior to the opening of each term and is required for all students. Parents or other adult family members are encouraged to attend with you. Orientation is designed to address the testing and course scheduling needs of all incoming students, and introduce you and your family to people and resources that play a critical role in first-year success.

During orientation, you will:

  • Complete necessary placement testing in English and foreign languages (math testing is done online prior to orientation).

  • Schedule classes and attend an academic planning and advising session.

  • Learn helpful information about how Ohio State does business.

Columbus campus

If you are admitted for autumn term, Orientation information is mailed beginning in late March as acceptance fees are received. Orientation programs are held mid-May through July. If you are admitted for spring or summer terms, Orientation information is mailed beginning in mid-October for spring term admits and late March for summer admits.

Regional campuses

Orientation is held prior to the opening of each term. Contact your regional campus for information.

What if I want to change my major?

Contact Undergraduate Admissions to discuss your options. Learn about eligibility requirements for Ohio State’s majors.

Apply for housing

Columbus campus

Transfer students who graduated from high school in 2022 or later are required to live on campus, contingent upon space availability. Otherwise, transfer students are not required to live on campus, and campus housing is offered based on space availability. Housing information is emailed to BuckeyeMail accounts on a rolling basis depending on date of admission and space availability.

Students admitted for autumn semester: Housing information for autumn semester students is emailed starting in early April.

Students admitted for spring or summer terms: Housing information is emailed after you have been admitted but no sooner than two months before the start of the desired term.

Off-campus housing

Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement provides resources for students wishing to live off campus.

Regional campuses housing

Safe and comfortable housing options are available on or near all campuses.

For students attending Mansfield, Newark or ATI (CFAES Wooster), housing information is emailed following the same schedule as Columbus (above). Note that first-year students at ATI who live more than 25 miles from campus are required to live on campus. Learn more at go.osu.edu/regional-housing.

Students attending Lima: Learn about local housing options.
Students attending Marion: Learn about local housing options.

Receive your financial aid notification

If you are admitted for autumn semester, financial aid packages are emailed to BuckeyeMail accounts beginning in late March April. For others, notifications are rolling. Learn more about accepting aid. Haven't filed the FAFSA yet? Do so by February 15 March 15 or as soon as possible.

Complete the vaccination requirement

Complete the university vaccination requirement before the start of your first semester. Learn more.

Transfer students may be required to live on campus.
Learn about housing for transfer students.
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