Frequently Asked Questions

The time of entry for students is Summer only. For specific dates, please refer to the University Registrar.

No, we award either a PhD or a combined PhD/MD

There are 11 areas of research emphasis. They can be found under “Areas of Research Emphasis” on our website

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by December 1. The final deadline for both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens/ international applicants is February 1.

No. All applications must be completed online through the grad school admissions website.

Yes. You can submit all of this information electronically online in the supporting documents part of the application. The recommendation letters must be sent through the online application process.    *The Graduate School does accept faxed or scanned copies of official transcripts for initial application review. If admission is later offered, official complete transcripts and proof of degree(s) in sealed envelopes from the issuing institution will be required. If you have already applied and did not upload your transcripts you can email them to gradadmissions@osu.edu 

Yes. The application fee due to the graduate school is $60 USD for US citizens, permanent residents or asylees, and $70 USD for International students. The fee is paid by credit card or e-check at the time that an applicant submits the online application. Payment should not be sent separately to the Graduate Admissions Office. 

There are not any specific requirements for the personal statement. Applicants are encouraged to include information about your background, extracurricular activities, and previous research experience, as well as information about your career goals.  Most statements are one page. 

You must list the reference's e-mail address and name when you complete the online application. An e-mail will automatically be sent to your reference with instructions on how to complete the required reference form and also how to submit their letter of support. (Please contact graduate admissions with electronic reference questions or issues at (614) 292-9444.)

Between January and March. If you are invited for an interview you will arrive on Wednesday afternoon and depart on Friday afternoon.

Please contact Graduate Admissions directly at 614-292-9444.

You can upload your transcripts online with your application. If you have already applied you can e-mail them to gradadmissions@osu.edu or mail them to the Graduate Admissions Office at this address: 

The Ohio State University
Graduate Admissions
PO BOX 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004   

The Graduate School does accept faxed or scanned copies of official transcripts for initial application review. If admission is later offered, official complete transcripts and proof of degree(s) in sealed envelopes from the issuing institution will be required.

No, as of 11/14/18, the GRE is no longer required.

Yes. You must find a faculty member who commits to funding you for 5+ years before applying. 

Yes. However, they MUST have a designated faculty mentor willing to fund a stipend, tuition and fees for 5+ years of the program before applying. In order to do this they would have to find an OSU faculty member on their own that is willing to sponsor them. The international student deadline is February 1.

Yes. On the recommendation of the Graduate School, Ohio State is implementing a graduate conditional admission policy for international applicants whose English language proficiency is marginally below the university’s required levels, i.e. below TOEFL 79-80 iBT, or 550 PBT. 

We typically accept approximately 10-14 international students that have identified a faculty mentor willing to fund them prior to applying. For those that do not identify a faculty mentor willing to fund them prior to applying, we only average admission of one international applicant.

Please visit the Graduate Admissions webpage regarding International application requirements. This webpage has information regarding transcripts in particular.

On average, 25 students are admitted/year.

Rarely. Because students are admitted as a cohort, once/year, it is difficult to transfer into the Program. 

An earned cumulative grade-point average (GPA) equivalent to at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in all previous undergraduate college-level course work is required by the OSU Graduate School. The average GPA of students accepted is typically 3.6. 

Part of the admission decision is based on undergraduate and graduate GPA, level of difficulty and relevance of coursework to the program, extent, nature and productivity of previous research experience (e.g., publications and presentations), and quality of the educational institutions at which the student studied. Also taken into consideration are: personal statement, letters of reference, the student’s commitment to research, understanding of graduate education, commitment to a career in research, personal maturity, and an on-campus interview. 

You might be a great candidate for Discovery PREP. The Discovery Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) is an National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program that provides an intense paid research experience in outstanding research facilities with leading investigators at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. This one-year program also provides comprehensive professional development experiences and workshops to strengthen professional skills in order to excel in research and graduate school. Overall, this experience is designed to prepare individuals for admission into a biomedical sciences PhD program.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

No, lab rotations and courses during your first year will give you an opportunity to explore many types of research before you have to select your dissertation lab and project.   

Yes. If a student fulfills the course requirements for both areas of research emphasis, then they will receive dual transcript designations. 

Our courses are designed for the program's students but sometimes other students may be permitted to take the course as well. However, this is rare and in order for other students to be enrolled in a Biomedical Sciences program course, they need special written permission.  

Please see Appendix Q of our student handbook for a description of the research process, requirements, and the defense process. (The student handbook is located under the Current Students section of the website) 

Every student accepted is offered an annual stipend and a full waiver of tuition and fees. During the first year, this has been paid by the program, but in subsequent years the student’s dissertation advisor pays the stipend from a research grant. Currently, we have funds to support 30 students during the first year of study, and we have been successful in obtaining fellowships for many. (Note: this does not apply to international students). 

Yes. There are many opportunities for extramural fellowships for more senior students.  

No. We do not have a teaching requirement.

Yes, if you are selected for an interview, we will provide an in-depth look at Ohio State and the opportunity to talk with current students and faculty members.

Take a virtual campus tour now!

Picture yourself as a student in Columbus, Ohio, view video.

And learn about Columbus neighborhoods.

OSU has several resources for you to find on and off-campus housing, roommates, family housing, and more!

Yes. All students are eligible for health insurance.

For information about the application, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 614-292-9444.  For more information about the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program you can contact bsgp@osumc.edu