Application and Admission

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

The policies outlined in this catalog reflect University minimums. Departments may set higher standards.

Ohio University utilizes a self-managed application. This means that your application forms, transcripts, and supporting documents are collected by you and submitted to the university together. Electronic applications are strongly encouraged.

Admission materials are submitted to the Graduate College for processing and are forwarded to the department indicated on your application. The departmental graduate committee recommends or denies admission and forwards the recommendation to the Graduate College. Your file is reviewed for completeness, and a letter is sent to you indicating admission, admission pending fulfillment of admission requirements, or denial of admission.

You may apply to more than one program at the same time, but you must complete a separate application for each program, along with the second application fee as noted on the application form. For promoted joint degree programs (e.g. MBA/ MSA) only one application and application fee is required.

An application packet must include:

• Completed application
• Appropriate application fee
• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended ¹
  
• Resume or CV ²
• Required test scores ^{1, 3}
• Letters of Recommendation ⁴
• Writing sample ^{2, 3}
  
• Personal statement/professional goals ^{2, 3}
  
• Portfolio or audition recording ³

¹Unofficial copies of these documents can be uploaded as part of an electronic application. However, official test scores must be received before an admission offer can be processed. Some departments may require official documents before reviewing materials for an admission recommendation. Please contact the academic department directly for additional information.

²Please upload as part of your electronic application.

³Please review department guidelines for test requirements and specific guidelines for format, content, and/or length of any writing samples or statements.

⁴ Letters of recommendation should be requested from people who are familiar with your academic abilities and potential. Departments may have specific requirements regarding letters or recommendation. Review the program’s requirements before contacting recommenders. Most departments accept electronic letters of recommendation. If this is an option, the electronic application form will so indicate. Electronic letters of recommendation are only available through the electronic application.

All documents received by the University in connection with an application become the property of Ohio University. Under no circumstances will they be returned or forwarded to any agency or other college or university. Documents of students who are admitted to graduate status but fail to enroll for the semester for which they are admitted are destroyed. Portfolio materials submitted to support application to programs in the College of Fine Arts may be returned as described in that section of this catalog.

In providing an application form and inviting application, Ohio University places itself under no obligation to admit any individual person. The officials of the university stand ready to register a student admitted for a specific semester, providing he or she arrives before the semester begins.  In order to register, non-immigrant students must hold a valid Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) for study at Ohio University.

Deferment Request: You must begin your graduate study in the term for which you have been admitted. If this is not possible, you may submit a deferment application prior to the start of your original term of entry. The deferment request form is located in the Apply section of the Graduate College webpage. Please note that assistantship offers may not defer. If your requested term of deferral extends beyond a year from your initial application, you must pay the reapplication fee and be readmitted. Failure to request a deferment will result in cancellation of your admission.

Application Retention: Applications are valid for one calendar year based on date received, and can be deferred for up to one year. Applications pending after one year without request from the student or academic program for deferral will be withdrawn and cancelled and the application and supporting materials are then subject to destruction. Application materials for students who are denied admission are held for one year. After one year, if students wish to reapply, they must complete a new application form, pay the reapplication fee, and submit any additional supporting documents required to complete their application.

Students in Patton College of Education: If you have earned a master’s degree in education at Ohio University and plan to take additional graduate level work, you must reapply for admission through the Graduate College.

Deadline for receipt of application materials varies by department. Please contact the department to which you are applying for specific application deadlines. For programs with no stated deadline, applications should be submitted at least six weeks prior to the term in which you are seeking to begin classes. Students who need to apply for international study visas are encouraged to submit all application materials at least nine months prior to desired term of entry.

Each application for admission must be supported by one (1) transcript from each post-secondary institution attended, regardless of whether or not a degree was earned or the credits are reflected on a separate transcript as transfer credit. Students graduating from Ohio University must submit transcripts for post-secondary work done elsewhere, even if those transcripts have already been submitted to the student’s undergraduate college. Unofficial copies may be uploaded with the electronic application. Individual academic programs may require official transcripts as part of the application packet. All students recommended for admission are required to provide an official transcript from each institution where the student will earn a bachelor’s degree and any post-bachelor’s degree upon offer of admission. If the official transcript submitted for admission does not show completion of an expected degree (bachelor’s or graduate-level), the applicant will need to supply an additional official transcript showing that the degree has been awarded/conferred.

Transcripts from U.S. and Canadian institutions must be received in envelopes sealed by the issuing institution. Transcripts that have been opened, photocopied, or marked as unofficial will not be accepted as official. If the institution will not provide sealed copies directly to you, request that transcripts be mailed directly to the Graduate College, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701.

Transcripts from non-U.S. institutions must be official or registrar-certified, in envelopes sealed by the issuing institution if possible. If original documents are not in English, also provide an official certified copy of all documents in English. The transcript must bear the seal and original signature of the school and school official and clearly show the name and address of the institution, the date you entered and left the institution, the date any degree was earned, all courses taken and grades received, and the system of grading used, indicating the highest mark and the lowest passing mark. Summary documents listing only classes passed are not accepted. The transcript/mark sheets must show all course attempts with grades earned. If the transcript/mark sheet does not name the degree and date earned, an official or registrar-certified copy of the diploma or graduation certificate that indicates the degree and date awarded must also be provided, with a certified English translation if the original is not in English.

Ohio University transcripts will be obtained by the Graduate College on your behalf.

Some academic programs require supporting evidence of your ability in the form of the Graduate Record Examination, Graduate Management Admission Test, Miller Analogies Test, or other college ability tests. Consult the specific department about necessary test requirements. College ability test scores older than five years will not be accepted.

Scores for GRE, GMAT, TOEFL or other required tests must be reported directly from the testing agency to Ohio University. Unofficial copies of student score reports may be included with submitted application purposes for preliminary evaluation, but are not accepted as official.

The Ohio University reporting code is 1593. Program/department codes are not required, but can be found at the testing service web site. The Graduate College must have official copies of any required test score before any admission offer can be processed.

•  www.gre.org

•  www.mba.com

• www.milleranalogies.com

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

•  www.ets.org/toefl

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

•  www.ielts.org
   

The language of instruction at Ohio University is English. Therefore, proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English is essential to academic success. All applicants (except those identified below) for whom English is not a native language are required to submit evidence of proficiency by submitting official results of one of two standardized tests: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS academic).

The minimum TOEFL for unconditional admission is 80 (iBT) (550 paper-based). The minimum IELTS for unconditional admission is 6.5 minimum across all bands. Some departments require a higher score. English language proficiency test scores older than two years are not accepted.

Applicants with a TOEFL score between 61 and 80 (iBT) (500-550 paper-based) or an IELTS composite score of 6.0 may be conditionally admitted on a case-by-case basis. Applicants admitted will be retested upon arrival for possible placement in additional language training. Conditionally admitted students are not eligible for University financial aid until they have been cleared for full-time academic study. Therefore, university funds cannot be used for any part of the financial guarantee required to issue a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019).

Applicants with a TOEFL score below 61 (iBT) (500 paper-based) or an IELTS composite score below 6.0 are not eligible for graduate admission (no exceptions under any circumstances). Persons with a TOEFL below 61 or and IELTS composite below 6.0 may apply separately to the Ohio Program of Intensive English for additional English language study.

The following non-native English speakers are not required to submit official test scores as part of an application packet but will be tested for proficiency upon arrival (through the TOEFL), and are subject to additional English Language instruction based on campus test scores:

•    Applicants who, within the past two years, have received a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or a foreign college or university accredited by a Regional U.S. accrediting organization (where English is the language of instruction);
•    Applicants who, within the past two years, have completed at least three years of full-time study at a governmentally-accredited institution of higher education where English is the primary language of instruction; or
•    Participants in Ohio University exchange programs who have met university requirements through alternate means as approved by Graduate Council.

The results of this on-campus test will determine if additional English language training is required through the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE). Students who are required to enroll in OPIE English courses are financially responsible for all associated tuition and fees. University financial aid (e.g. graduate assistantships/ scholarships) cannot be used to cover OPIE expenses.

At the discretion of individual academic programs, the following non-native English speakers may be exempt from the English Proficiency Testing Policy:

•    Applicants who are US citizens/permanent residents and who meet one or both of the following criteria:

o   Within the past two years have received a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or a foreign college or university accredited by a Regional U.S. accrediting organization (where English is the language of instruction), and/or

o   Who have significant and recent work experience in an English-language environment.

All students may be tested for academic writing proficiency upon arrival. Individual academic programs may require on-campus English proficiency testing for any student for whom English is not a native language. Failure to achieve a passing score may result in dismissal from the program.

Graduate Teaching Assistants

Students with a Graduate Teaching Assistantship are required by Ohio law to demonstrate English proficiency prior to assuming instructional duties. If you are awarded a TA appointment, Ohio University will assess your oral proficiency before you assume your instructional duties.

International applicants who are recommended for admission must submit evidence of the financial responsibility as stated on the Affidavit of Financial Support before a certificate of elegibility can be issued. If you are awarded a University-funded assistantship, fellowship, or scholarship the value of that award will be deducted from the total amount of money required to issue a Certificate of Eligibility, and you will need to document access to funds only in the amount which is the difference between the Uniersity award and the amount of funding required to issue the Certificate. Please note, all university funding awards will be cancelled if you do not demonstrate English proficiency upon your arrival.

A required international student orientation is held prior to the start of each academic semester for all new students. All new international students, as well as returning students starting a new degree program, must report to the Office of International Student and Faculty Services upon arrival.

Immigration regulations require that international students, while in the United States, be full-time students in the first two semesters after arrival. International students are not required by immigration regulations to enroll during the summer. You must be making reasonable progress toward the completion of your degree. In the event that a problem should arise with enrollment, you are required to consult with your academic advisor and the international student advisor.

International students admitted to Ohio University with F1 or J1 visa status are required to update their addresses through their My OHIO portal to meet immigration reporting requirements.

Students must hold an appropriate academic study-eligible visa status by the first term of enrollment in a degree or certificate program. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that proper status is maintained.

Admission requires a bachelor’s degree (or its foreign equivalent) from an accredited college or university. Bologna-compliant Bachelor’s degrees are accepted as U.S. bachelor’s equivalent. Other factors considered include undergraduate scholastic GPA (both overall and in the proposed graduate major), selection of courses, pattern of grades, recommendations, test scores, work experience, and other relevant matters. Each department gives appropriate weight to the factors pertinent to its academic field.

If you have a bachelor’s degree from an unaccredited college or university located in the United States, you usually will be required to supplement your undergraduate record with a satisfactory score on an acceptable standard college ability test such as the GRE. Consult the specific department about necessary test requirements.
 

To register for graduate-level courses, you must apply for and be admitted as a degree or non-degree seeking graduate student through the normal application process. Ohio University employees who are admitted to graduate study may not hold simultaneous appointments as University employees and graduate appointment contracts.

Limitations on hours of enrollment per term are outlined in the University Policy and Procedure Manual, No. 40.015. Course loads taken during breaks in regular employment, however, such as summers for 9-month faculty, will be limited only by Graduate Catalog regulations. See the stipulations regarding residency requirements in the catalog.

All Ohio University faculty and administrators on full-time presidential contract, except senior administrators (vice presidents, vice provosts, associate provosts, and deans) are eligible to apply for admission to a graduate program or to non-degree status. The Graduate Council will review all applications for potential conflict of interest. See the stipulations regarding conflict of interest in the Faculty Handbook, Section IV-F. If the Graduate Council determines that a conflict exists, the faculty member or administrator shall not be admitted to a graduate program. It is the responsibility of the Dean of the Graduate College to see that this review takes place at the earliest possible date.

No academic employee above the rank of Instructor, Research Assistant, or equivalent may receive from the University the Master’s Degree or the Doctor’s Degree in any graduate program where the faculty member has membership, teaches courses, serves on Master’s or Doctoral Committees, has, or is expected to have, other supervisory responsibilities which might give rise to conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest. Faculty members or senior administrators on full-time presidential contracts at Ohio University seeking a terminal degree must enroll in academic programs outside the colleges in which they are employed. Appeals regarding this policy follow the guidelines established in accordance with the “Faculty Grievance Committee”’ procedures (see Faculty Handbook, Section II.G).

If you are currently in a graduate degree program and are offered a presidential contract appointment, your situation will be reviewed by the Graduate Council at the earliest possible date. The Graduate Council will determine whether conflict of interest or unfair competition would result from your dual status as a student and a presidential contract employee that might affect your academic performance and evaluation. If the Graduate Council determines that such a conflict would exist, they will inform you that you may not continue in your graduate program if you accept the presidential contract appointment.

It is your responsibility to notify the University of your employment on the Graduate Admissions Application. If you are a current graduate student and are offered a presidential contract appointment, it is your responsibility to notify the Graduate College of that appointment.

Ohio University has four categories of graduate student admission: degree, non-degree, postbaccalaureate, and transient.

A degree-seeking student is one who is working toward a graduate degree at Ohio University.

To take graduate courses if you have no intention of working toward a graduate degree at Ohio University, apply for admission in the regular manner but as a non-degree student. Approval for such admission does not constitute admission to a degree program. Credit earned prior to admission to a degree program cannot normally be applied toward a graduate degree at Ohio University. In exceptional cases the appropriate academic department will determine which courses, if any, that you take while in non-degree status may be applied subsequently toward degree requirements.

You may take no more than 12 hours of academic work, within a time limit of six years, as a non-degree student.

Graduate Certificate Programs: Persons applying for non-degree status for the purposes of earning a graduate certificate program must submit all applicable application materials and be admitted to the certificate program prior to starting coursework. Graduate status will cease with completion of the certificate unless another valid status is in place.

This status is applicable to the regional campuses for all semesters and to the Athens campus for summer only. The conditions of postbaccalaureate admission are the same as for non-degree graduate status: (a) admission status terminates after completion of 12 graduate hours, or six years, whichever comes first (b) admission to non-degree status does not constitute admission to a graduate degree program, and (c) credit earned cannot normally be applied toward a graduate degree at Ohio University. A new application must be submitted upon termination of status as noted in (a) above. Some graduate courses are not open to students admitted to postbaccalaureate status. If in doubt about the acceptability of postbaccalaureate status for a specific course, check with the department offering the course.

A student currently working toward a graduate degree at another university may earn graduate credit at Ohio University to be transferred to the other university.

You may be admitted to transient status by submitting a transient student application and Residency Information form, the appropriate application fee, and an official statement of good standing from the dean of the graduate school of the university in which you are enrolled.

You must request permission each semester to register at Ohio University as a transient student.

Admission to any category may be granted on provisional or conditional basis. All admission requirements must be completed to attain final admission status. Admission status must be final to receive final Ohio University transcripts and the degree diploma.

Unconditional (Final) Admission

Students approved by the major department for unqualified admission to a graduate degree program are given unconditional admission.

Provisional Admission

Any admission to a graduate program is provisional until you have provided a final official transcript from any institution where a bachelor’s degree or higher has been earned, showing receipt of that degree and official transcripts from any other postsecondary school attended. It is your responsibility to see that final official transcripts are on file in the Graduate College no later than the end of your first semester of registration in a graduate program. Provisional status is removed when all final documents are received by the Graduate College and any other provisions of admission have been fulfilled. Failure to produce final documents will result in a registration hold being placed on your account and may result in dismissal from graduate status.

Conditional Admission

Students who have some deficiency in the entrance requirements may be recommended by the department for conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students must meet the stipulations set forth at the time of admission to achieve unconditional admission status. Failure to meet terms of admission will result in dismissal from the degree program. Students are eligible for University-funded assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships only after they have received unconditional admission. The two policies below are not mutually exclusive.

Conditional admission due to academic deficiency

Students who have some academic deficiency in the entrance requirements, such as a low grade-point average or missing prerequisite coursework, may be recommended by the department for conditional admission. Students admitted conditionally based on an academic deficiency must achieve unconditional admission status by satisfactorily completing a prescribed program to remove any academic deficiencies and attaining a 3.000 or better grade-point average in the first 10 semester hours of graded graduate course credit. Unofficial withdrawals (FN/FS) are factored into this calculation. The department graduate committee will specify whether undergraduate courses required as further preparation for admission will be taken for audit or credit. Grades earned in such courses may be used by the graduate committee in evaluating a student’s capability for graduate work. Undergraduate or audited courses will not satisfy requirements for any graduate degree.

Conditional admission due to deficiency in English language competency

Non-Native speakers of English who have a deficiency in English language competency (at least 61 TOEFL iBT but below university unconditional and department entrance requirements) may be recommended by the department for conditional admission with concurrent admission to the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE). Students admitted in this category must achieve unconditional admission by satisfactorily completing a prescribed program to attain the required level of language competency. A student who fails to achieve unconditional admission within one academic calendar year (12 months) of the original admission will be dismissed from the academic program. Readmission to the academic program requires a new application. Students who will be visa holders and are admitted conditionally with concurrent admission to OPIE must demonstrate they have sufficient funds for the first year of study before a Form I-20 or DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility can be issued.

English Provisional Admission 

Non-native speakers of English who do not have a TOEFL score and are not exempted from having to submit a score with their application or who have a TOEFL score less than the university minimum may apply for English Provisional admission. English Provisional admission is a combination of admission to the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) and future admission to a graduate degree-seeking program.



If you are admitted as English Provisional, you will enroll in English language courses through the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) upon your arrival at Ohio University. You will have up to two years to achieve an English proficiency score of at least 550 TOEFL (or as specified by the graduate degree program). Students admitted under English Provisional status are not eligible to register for graduate courses or apply for any type of graduate appointment (such as a tuition waiver and/or stipend) until full admission status has been achieved.

Requests to change or add degree programs must be accompanied by a new application and application fee, except in cases where the department is updating program codes. Students who are in Ph.D programs who wish to apply for the conferral of the Master’s degree in that program must submit a new application for the Master’s degree. Contact the Graduate College for assistance.

You may pursue more than one graduate degree at a time. Please refer to the Dual/Second Degree information elsewhere in this catalog. If you are admitted to multiple degree programs, you will be assessed technology fees for each degree program even if you are not taking courses in that program. Students who wish to remove technology fees must withdraw from the program with a written request to the Graduate College. Technology fees are not removed retroactively from previous semesters. A student who has withdrawn must reapply and be readmitted to the program dropped. 

Graduate status is granted for a specific program and is tied to that program. Status ends when the student graduates, is formally separated from the program, or exceeds the time to degree. Students without active graduate status who wish to take additional graduate-level coursework must complete a new application and be admitted to a new degree or non-degree status.

Students working toward graduate degrees are required to enroll in graduate courses that are part of their degree programs. You may earn a graduate degree only in a program to which you have been admitted and in which you have enrolled.

Except for Honors Tutorial students and those who meet the conditions listed below, no undergraduate student may take a graduate course for credit. Honors Tutorial students seeking to obtain graduate credit for courses must complete a Senior for Graduate Credit application as described below.

Students in a recognized departmental honors program may take a maximum of two graduate courses in their major department during their senior year (i.e., after earning 90 or more hours of credit). Hours earned in these courses will count toward total hours required for the undergraduate degree only and the grades will be calculated into the undergraduate GPA Registration in graduate courses requires written permission from the instructor. Participation in this option is at the discretion of the department or school. Students process this special registration by obtaining permission from the departmental honors coordinator and submitting the approval form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

An Ohio University student who has not yet completed all requirements for the bachelor’s degree may be eligible for graduate study as a senior. Generally, no more than two graduate courses may be taken in this way, and graduate courses will not fulfill any undergraduate requirements. This privilege is normally granted for one semester only. You must have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and be within six credits of completing all requirements for your bachelor’s degree. The graduate credit becomes part of your graduate record only; it does not affect undergraduate course requirements, hours earned, or GPA. Senior for Graduate Credit courses are equivalent to graduate coursework taken in non-degree graduate status. Approval for Senior for Graduate Credit does not constitute admission to a degree program, and credit earned may not automatically apply toward a graduate degree program.

You may apply to take graduate courses carrying graduate credit by securing the written recommendation of the dean of your undergraduate college and the graduate chair of the departments offering the graduate courses through the Senior for Graduate Credit Form, which can be downloaded from the Graduate College web site. If you are admitted as a senior for graduate credit, you pay undergraduate fees and are not eligible for graduate assistantship or scholarship support. A $10 application fee is charged for this privilege, and you must apply in advance of registration through the Graduate College. This privilege may also be extended to a well-qualified senior at another university who has six or fewer semester credits to complete for the bachelor’s degree.

Early Admission to a Graduate Degree Program

A superior undergraduate student may seek early admission to a graduate degree program. You must have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 and have completed all undergraduate requirements, except the total credit hour requirement, by the time of your entry into the graduate degree program. After obtaining the written recommendation of your department, the departmental graduate committee, and the dean of your undergraduate college, you may be admitted into a graduate degree program and enroll in graduate courses for graduate credit. You can use these courses to satisfy both graduate degree requirements and undergraduate total credit hour requirements. You must apply for this privilege in advance of registration through the Graduate College. The application for early admission is available on the Graduate College web site. If you qualify for early admission to a graduate degree program, and you are admitted to graduate status, you are eligible for graduate assistantship or scholarship support.