Apply step-by-step

Deadlines

Your academic record may be reviewed for enrollment to your intended major. Some colleges and schools at Ohio State require a minimum GPA, prerequisite course work and/or an audition or portfolio. Before you apply, look up the enrollment criteria for your intended major.

Interested in a professional program? If you already meet certain prerequisites, you may be able to apply directly to one of these programs. Learn more about undergraduate professional programs.

• Dental Hygiene (BS)

• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (BS)

  • Health Information Management and Systems

  • Health Sciences

  • Medical Dietetics

  • Medical Laboratory Science

  • Radiological Sciences and Therapy

  • Respiratory Therapy

• Health and Wellness Innovation in Healthcare (BS)

• Nursing (BSN and RN-BSN)

• Public Health (BS)
  

This application, the application fee or fee waiver, plus all required materials (STEP 4) make up a complete application.

APPLY HERE: Admission application for transfer students

Application prep

Be prepared for the following questions and prompts.

Your planned major

To learn more about Ohio State's majors, search Ohio State majors or read Undecided? if you're not sure what to major in.

Personal statement

Completing the personal statement is required for students whose academic records include interruptions in education. It is optional for others. Find the personal statement section under the “Program data” tab on the application.

Pre-professional programs

Ohio State offers pre-professional programs in dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Identifying your pre-professional interest on the application will enable your advisors to provide you with a wide range of support to realize your goals.

Application fee

Before submitting your application, you will be asked for a NONREFUNDABLE $60 application fee.

• Ohio State accepts fee waivers meant to assist low-income families.

• Applicants receiving a Pell Grant are also eligible for a fee waiver (send us a copy of your financial aid award letter to verify this).

• To request a waiver, check the box in the Application Fee Waiver section of the application indicating the program for which you qualify.

• You will not be prompted to pay the application fee in order to submit the application.

• Fee waiver requests will be verified by Undergraduate Admissions.

Do you need to supply your Social Security Number?

Supply your Social Security Number if you plan to file the FAFSA and want Ohio State to receive it, or if you are the child of an Ohio State employee using the Dependent Tuition Assistance program.

These items plus your admission application make up a complete application. Your academic record will be reviewed to determine your eligibility for admission to the university.

Official transcripts

University transcripts

Request that all colleges or universities you’ve attended send your official transcript to Ohio State. Include a transcript of any college coursework taken in high school. You do not need to provide a transcript for coursework completed at Ohio State.

How to send your transcripts to Ohio State:

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

• 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 directly to ugdocs@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.
  
  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.

If you're currently enrolled at a college: We only consider completed course work in our evaluation of your application, so you may need to submit an in-progress transcript to meet our application deadline. We'll let you know if we need you to submit a final transcript that captures all completed course work.

For course work completed at a school outside of the United States: Foreign language documents must be translated into English by the issuing institution, an authorized translator or a teacher of the language. Any additional requirements will be posted to your Applicant Center, so be sure to check your application status regularly after you've applied.

Additional requirements if you have earned fewer than 30 semester (45 quarter) hours (earned post high school graduation)

High school transcripts

If you have fewer than 30 semester (45 quarter) hours at the time of application, your high school transcript is required. Request that your high school send your official high school transcript to Ohio State, electronically if possible. Faxed transcripts are not accepted.

• High school transcripts are not required if you are applying to the Associate of Applied Science degree program at ATI.

• High school transcripts are not required if you graduated from high school before April 1, 1984, and are applying to a regional campus.

Official ACT or SAT scores

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

• Transfer applicants with less than 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) earned at the time of their application will be able to indicate on the Ohio State application if they plan to submit ACT or SAT scores (inclusion of test scores is recommended). Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency.

• If you are a homeschooled student applying to a regional campus, you must have your ACT or SAT score sent to Ohio State directly from the testing agency.

Scores are not required from applicants applying to a regional campus or from applicants who will have been out of high school for two or more years by their term of enrollment.

Is the essay required? The essay is not required for either the ACT or SAT.

Additional test scores

If English is not your native language, submit one of the following scores:

• TOEFL (internet-based test or internet-based test Home Edition): 79 or higher

• IELTS or IELTS Indicator: 6.5 or higher
  

• ACT: 21 or higher on the English section
  

• Duolingo: 120 or higher

You are exempt from this requirement if you will have completed three full years of school at a U.S. regionally accredited high school by your term of enrollment, or if you are a citizen of, or have received a bachelor’s degree from, Australia, Belize, British Caribbean, British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Singapore, the United States or Wales.

Ohio State has an intensive English program for students who wish to improve their language skills called the American Language Program. A separate application is required for this program. Ohio State does not offer conditional admission to students who enroll in the American Language Program.