After you apply

Activate your username and password

Within three days of applying, you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application that includes your OSU ID and Ohio State username (lastname.#).

Follow the instructions in the email to activate your Ohio State username (lastname.#). This will give you access to your Applicant Center where you can check on the status of your application.
Use your OSU ID in correspondence with us about your application.
If you have problems activating, contact our IT Service Desk at +1-614-688-4357 or 8help@osu.edu.

Check your application status

Required application materials must be received by Ohio State by the deadline.

Applicant FAQ

Where do I find the status of my application?

Log in to your Applicant Center and click Application Status to view your admission status and any incomplete To Do Items.

I submitted an item. Why is it still listed as “incomplete”?

There are two likely possibilities:

Lag time: When transcripts, test scores, fees or other items are submitted, they must be processed and matched to your application. It can take up to 10 days for us to complete this step.
Problem with an item: If we receive an item but it does not meet our requirements, it will be listed as "incomplete." Log in to your Applicant Center and click Application Status to view details about incomplete To Do Items.

How can I be sure an item is complete?

Once an item is processed, it will be marked “complete” or it will no longer appear in the To Do List. Even after an item is processed, continue to monitor the To Do List in case we require additional documents.

I submitted an item but it shows as “incomplete” and the deadline has passed!

As long as an item is received by midnight (EST) of your deadline day, we will count it as being on time, even if we haven’t finished processing it.

How and when do I get my admission decision?

Your decision will first be posted in your Applicant Center, so keep an eye on that for the most up-to-date information. See decision terms in the callout on this page.

First-year applicants – 2026 autumn term entry

	Application completion deadline	Decision release	Reply date
Early action	Nov. 1	Dec. 12 for all Ohio residents and Stamps Eminence applicants ----- Jan. 23 for all non-Ohio residents and international applicants	May 1
Regular decision	Jan. 15	March 6	May 1

First-year applicants – 2025 spring term entry

Application completion deadline	Decision release	Reply date
Oct. 1	rolling	3 weeks after offer of admission

Decision terms

Admit: Congratulations on being admitted! A notice about specific college enrollment and next steps is on the way.

Defer: We have not yet made a final decision. Following the application deadline, deferred applications are reviewed a second time, with consideration to academic performance, competitiveness of the applicant pool and available space. Please check your email (we use the address you provided on your application) for any notifications of required action items.

Deny: Admission was not granted. Apply again later as a transfer student from another college or university.