Ohio University

Athens, OH · Public

Official website

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Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1100–1280
ACT (mid-50%)
22–28
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.254.00

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Ohio University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $43,868/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$24,838
Fees, housing, food, books & other$19,030
Sticker cost of attendance$43,868/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$1,691
$30k–48k$2,178
$48k–75k$4,438
$75k–110k$5,927
Over $110k$7,490

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • OHIO Premier ScholarshipCovers non‑resident surcharge (up to $26,000 per year) (Merit)
  • OHIO Distinction Award$10,000–$14,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ohio University Gateway ScholarshipUp to $10,000 per year (Merit)
  • OHIO Excellence AwardUp to $8,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ohio University Academic Excellence ScholarshipUp to $5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ohio University Honors Tutorial College Scholarship$2,500 per year (Departmental)
  • Ohio University Access Ohio ScholarshipVaries (Need Based)
  • Ohio University National Merit ScholarshipFull tuition, fees, room, and board (Full Tuition)
  • Ohio University OHIO GuaranteeFull tuition and fees (Full Tuition)
  • Ohio University Presidential ScholarshipCovers full non-resident tuition (Presidential)
  • Ohio University Trustee ScholarshipFull tuition plus $2,000 per year (Full Tuition)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • OHIO Premier ScholarshipCovers non‑resident surcharge (up to $26,000 per year) (Merit)
  • OHIO Distinction Award$10,000–$14,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ohio University Gateway ScholarshipUp to $10,000 per year (Merit)
  • OHIO Excellence AwardUp to $8,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ohio University Honors Tutorial College Scholarship$2,500 per year (Departmental)
  • Ohio University Presidential ScholarshipCovers full non-resident tuition (Presidential)

Ohio University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Official high school transcript
  • SAT or ACT scores (optional)
  • Essay (optional)
  • Letter of recommendation (optional)
  • List of extracurricular interests and activities (optional)
  • Application fee

International applicants

  • Official high school transcript
  • SAT or ACT scores (optional)
  • Essay (optional)
  • Letter of recommendation (optional)
  • List of extracurricular interests and activities (optional)
  • Application fee
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Ohio University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

  1. <strong>Optional Essay&nbsp;</strong><br><br>This essay is optional. You may use this space to describe any academic challenges you have faced, your preparation for success in your academic and career objectives, any work experience and credentials, or any additional information that you would like to have associated with your application. You may also use this space to explain any discrepancies in your academic history that you believe are not representative of your potential for academic success. Recommended essay length: 250-500 words.800 words · Optional
  2. Complete the following two Honors Tutorial questions for the Honors Tutorial major you selected. Recommended length is 500 words each.<br><br> 1. Please explain why you have chosen your particular program of study.600 words · Optional
  3. Applicants to the College of Business are encouraged, though not required, to submit an essay detailing their preparation for study in OHIO's College of Business.&nbsp;<br><br>OHIO’s College of Business students are both academically prepared and engaged in a hands-on, applied learning experience. Rigorous academics matter in our College of Business, but we also value our students’ contributions beyond GPA. We want to understand your leadership potential and how you’ll engage as a student in OHIO’s College of Business. So, in addition to the qualifications present in your academic materials, how has your academic, extracurricular, community service or work experience shaped and prepared you to succeed in OHIO’s College of Business?600 words · Optional
  4. Applicants to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism are encouraged, though not required, to submit an essay detailing how you want to help shape the future of journalism.600 words · Optional
  5. 2. We expect that one reason you seek a tutorial education is for the one-on-one interaction with faculty, but other than that, what interests you about pursuing a tutorial-based undergraduate education? What aspects of your education and life experience have prepared you for a tutorial education with its emphasis on research and creative activity?600 words · Optional

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Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$52,581
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
20.6%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
84.1%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$21,056
At graduation

Ohio University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News National: #198
  • Forbes: #475
  • Niche: #268
  • QS: #1001

Deadlines

  • 2026-11-01Early DecisionBinding early round
  • 2026-11-15Early ActionNon-binding early round
  • 2027-02-01Regular DecisionStandard deadline

Ohio University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (13%), Psychology (6%), Biological & life sciences (5%).

Student–faculty ratio: 18:1 · 27% of class sections have under 20 students.

Ohio University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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