Admissions and Application

Application Process

Admission to The Ohio State University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program involves two major components: submission of the application and completion of an in-person interview. Interviews take place during the months of January – April and will be conducted via audiovisual teleconferencing.

The Ohio State University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program is participating in the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match through National Matching Services (NMS). The GC Admissions Match has been established to enhance the process of placing applicants into positions in masters-level genetic counseling programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC). The Match uses a process that takes into account both applicants’ and programs’ preferences. All applicants must first register for the Match with NMS before applying to participating genetic counseling graduate programs. At the conclusion of all program interviews, both applicants and programs will submit ranked lists of preferred placements to NMS according to deadlines posted on the NMS website. The binding results of the Match will be released to both applicants and programs simultaneously in late April.

GCEA has established a waiver for the $100 fee associated with the NMS Match. Prospective students who demonstrate financial need AND have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater can apply for a match fee waiver. Prospective students should apply for a fee waiver BEFORE registering for an NMS number. Match fee waivers cannot be awarded to applicants who have already registered for the Match and paid the registration fee.

Applications for the match fee waiver are due by October 4, 2024. Applicants will be notified by October 30, 2024 as to whether they have received a waiver. There are a limited number of waivers, so not all applicants will receive a waiver. Instructions for how to register for the NMS match will be provided to those who receive a waiver.

Prospective students who are applying for a match fee waiver will be required to write a short essay and to upload at least one of the following documents demonstrating financial need:

1. A copy of a letter verifying unemployment benefits received within the past two years.
2. A copy of a letter on official letterhead from a government agency verifying that you or your family have qualified for public assistance based on low income criteria anytime within the past 5 years
3. A copy of your financial aid award letter from another / previous institution dated within 5 the past years
4. A copy of your approved GRE fee waiver (for tests taken within 5 years of the application deadline)
5. A copy of your federal Student Aid Report (SAR) that verifies you qualified for financial aid within the past 5 years based on a family contribution of:
   • Not more than $1,500 if the student is a dependent student
   • Not more than $1,900 if the student is an independent student

To apply, please visit the NMS website. 

Requirements

In accordance with ACGC, the OSU GCGP adheres to the admission requirements as defined by The Ohio State University. According to the Graduate School, applicants are required to have a four-year baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university and must submit a formal application to the Graduate School, including official copies of all transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement of career goals and motivations for graduate work, a CV/resume (do not list GPA) and an application fee.

The OSU GCGP program also requires the following:

• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in the majors of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, any of the biological sciences or related areas or a combination of majors. Psychology and other majors will be considered provided they have completed all other requirements.
• Shadowing or meeting with a genetic counselor (if feasible, exposure in a clinical setting is highly recommended). Please do not include shadowing experience on your CV. There is a question about shadowing in the application itself, and you can discuss shadowing experience in the personal statement if you feel it is appropriate.
• Counseling experience (e.g. advocacy work, paid or volunteer work on a crisis hotline, pregnancy/reproductive counseling service, and other forms of community engagement)
• Registration with the NMS
• One semester each of genetics, statistics, psychology and biochemistry.
• Pre-requisites coursework:
  • The OSU GCGP Admissions Committee will accept Pass/No Pass grades from applicants enrolled in required coursework prerequisites for the 2020/2021 academic year.
  • AP credit from high school courses does not count toward this requirement.
  • All coursework must be completed in good standing by the end of the academic year (spring semester) before matriculation.

Review Prerequisite Content Requirements

GRE scores are no longer required as part of the OSU Genetic Counseling Graduate Program's admissions process.

We also encourage prospective applicants to review the following requirements for students in the program:

• Graduation Requirements
• Technical Standards for Admission, Retention and Graduation
• Self-Disclosure and Background Check Policy

 

International Admissions

All international applicants must also provide a 550 on the written TOEFL, 79 Internet Based TOEFL, 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, or 82 on the MELAB. You can read more about these requirements and others for international admissions on the OSU Graduate and Professional Admissions website here.

The Ohio State University requires proof of financial ability to pay for the programs international students are admitted to. Please note that should you match to Ohio State through the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match administrated by National Matching Services, matriculation is contingent upon passing the financial eligibility requirements of the University.

Apply

All applications are available online. Applicants are required to formally re-apply in future years if denied admission.

All application materials, including Letters of Recommendation, must be received by the posted deadlines. We encourage you to submit your portion of the application early to give recommenders time to submit their letters.

Questions regarding submission of transcripts should be directed to the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office at gpadmissions@osu.edu or 614-292-9444.

Information about transcripts

If sending from U.S. institutions

Graduate and Professional Admissions 
P.O. Box 182004 
Columbus OH 43218-2004 

If sending from international institutions

Graduate and Professional Admissions 
The Ohio State University 
281 W. Lane Ave 
Columbus OH 43210-1132 USA

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications for the Genetic Counseling Graduate Program open on September 1.

Deadline for application materials:
Fellowship application: December 1
General application: December 15

For more information regarding fellowships, please refer to the Graduate School.

Interview applicant selection begins in January, with interview dates occurring mid-January through early April.

Tuition and Reimbursement

At Ohio State, approximately 55 percent of graduate students are supported by graduate associateships or fellowships from the Graduate School or local graduate program. Still other graduate students are funded through research grants or external funding sources. Most of these students are doctoral students. For more information about these opportunities visit the Financing a Graduate Degree page from the Ohio State Graduate School.

Graduate students can be supported through fellowships, personal finances, employer programs and loans. In the Division of Human Genetics, there are some paid employee positions with division faculty for which students are eligible to apply.

Interested applicants can use the Graduate and Professional Cost of Attendance section of Student Financial Aid as a resource for researching cost of living in Columbus. Tuition information for the Master of Genetic Counseling program can be found on the University Registrar's Student Tuition and Fees Tables for graduate and professional students.

Ohio State academic programs are designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information here for online programs and here for on-campus programs.

As a condition of enrollment, all applicants who match and are admitted in to Ohio State University’s Genetic Counseling Graduate Program are asked Ohio State’s Community Enrollment Question when they log in to accept admission. This question asks students if they have any prior or pending academic or behavioral misconduct charges or felonies to disclose. Answering yes to the question is not an automatic bar to enrollment. Ohio State reviews each case holistically and seeks to understand the context of each student's situation. To learn more about this process, please see the UCERC website.