Requirements

Application Fee Waivers

Our program is unable to provide application fee waivers. Domestic applicants can apply for a waiver through the OSU Graduate School. International applicants can check with their local EducationUSA advising office to see if there are educational opportunity programs or local recommendations to fund study in the United States.

Academic Requirements

Our program follows the OSU Graduate School's minimum academic requirements for admission. See Graduate Admissions - Minimum Academic Requirements for full details. 

We encourage applications from students across diverse science and engineering disciplines. Our successful candidates have joined the program with Bachelor’s degrees in fields such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Molecular Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Marine Biology, Microbiology, and various pre-medical and pre-health sciences, among others.

We utilize a holistic application review that takes into account multiple factors, including field of interest, when making admissions decisions.

Documents Needed for Application Review

Please review Graduate Admissions - Application Process before beginning your application. 

• Academic Records/Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are accepted for initial application review. If offered admission, applicants will be required to provide official transcripts.

• Test Scores

The GRE is not required for admission to our program.

International students may need to submit a qualifying English language proficiency exam score. See International Applicant Requirements below for additional details.

• Letters of Reference

Applicants should plan to include the name and email address of three reference writers. The letter of reference system triggers an email to each reference writer and enables them to submit a confidential electronic letter. More information about selecting letter writers can be found here.

• Personal Statement

Applicants will answer a series of questions within the application that asks you to describe your education and research background, goals, and preparation for graduate education. The answers to these questions create a 'personal statement'. An additional statement is not required as a separate document upload.

International Applicant Requirements

The Country Specific Academic Requirements tool is available to international students to confirm minimum academic requirements based on country of citizenship or country of degree granting institution.

International applicants will either need to submit a minimum English language proficiency exam score for regular admission, or qualify for a waiver from English language testing. See English Language Proficiency Requirements for full details.

The OSU Graduate School accepts scores from TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo.

• TOEFL PBT - 550
• TOEFL iBT - 80 (Minimum score of 18 on each sub-section.)
• IETLS - 6.5
• Duolingo - 110 (Must include sub-scores.)

Waived from English Language Testing

The English language proficiency exam requirement is waived for applicants who hold either citizenship or a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a recognized or accredited institution in any of the following countries:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Overseas Territories, British Virgin Islands, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Montserrat, Namibia, Nigeria, New Zealand, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe.