Our Resources

The Office of International Affairs oversees the Study Abroad program, International Student and Scholar services, the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, and five Area Studies Centers. We sponsor and administer grants for faculty and graduate student travel and conferences, develop international agreements with foreign institutions, and initiate and coordinate international education outreach activities and special events. Additionally, we support the International Affairs Scholars Program, which provides opportunities for students from all majors who are interested in global themes.

Study Abroad

The Office of International Affairs administers over 100 study abroad programs in more than 40 different countries. These programs give students an opportunity to become involved in cross-cultural interaction and enjoy a rewarding educational experience in fields from language studies to agriculture, engineering to business, and many more. A variety of options is available to support and augment students' progress in their curriculum. There are short-term study programs in conjunction with an academic course to longer experiences such as quarter- to year-long stays in an international environment. Study Abroad coordinators and faculty resident directors help students learn about what programs are available in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, South America, Europe, and Africa; how to earn college credit; how to affordably finance their study abroad program; and what to expect when they arrive in another country and when they return home to Ohio State.

International Students and Scholars

When international students and scholars first consider affiliating with Ohio State, the Office of International Affairs is one of their initial points of contact. Through oia.osu.edu, students and scholars can find information about the types of visas needed for their stay in the United States, links to academic programs, how to pay their tuition, housing options, an overview of the campus and life in Columbus, and much more.

When international students and scholars arrive at Ohio State, we provide them with a warm welcome to the campus community. We support their transition with a wealth of information that helps them comfortably adjust to their new life on campus and in Columbus. Advisors coordinate orientation sessions and administer social, cultural, and educational programming. Students also meet one-on-one with a representative from International Student and Scholar services to get answers to questions about cultural differences, immigration regulations, and financial matters. All of these services help ensure that international students, scholars, and their families have the greatest opportunity to achieve their academic and personal goals during their time at Ohio State.

Mershon Center for International Security Studies

The mission of the Mershon Center for International Security Studies is to advance the understanding of national security in a global context. The center focuses on three core dimensions of national security:

• Use of force and diplomacy.
• Ideas, identities, and decisional processes that affect security.
• Institutions that manage violent conflict.

Some ways the Mershon Center accomplishes its mission include:

• Hiring world-class faculty members in collaboration with their home departments.
• Contributing to the university's distinctive presence by funding interdisciplinary faculty and student research.
• Enhancing the student experience by hosting an array of speakers, conferences, and workshops on national security issues.
  

The Mershon Center is the fulfillment of a bequest by Col. Ralph D. Mershon to The Ohio State University for the civilian study of matters pertaining to national security. It is also supported by community gifts and grant money.

Area Studies Centers

The Area Studies Centers advance knowledge and awareness of international cultures and world regions. The centers work with departments to identify programmatic needs, sponsor a wide range of academic activities, including lectures, symposia, conferences, and library resources, as well as conduct outreach activities for P-12 students and teachers. Area Studies Centers are funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Title VI National Resource Center (NRC) and Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships. Ohio State has five
Area Studies Centers, three with full Title VI NRC and FLAS funding*:

• Center for African Studies
• Center for Latin American Studies
• Center for Slavic and East European Studies*
• East Asian Studies Center*
  • Institute for Chinese Studies
  • Institute for Japanese Studies
  • Korean Studies Initiative
• Middle East Studies Center*

Grant Programs

The Office of International Affairs funds grants that are made available to faculty members and graduate and undergraduate students for interdisciplinary conferences and workshops on international themes, travel, international collaborative research, pre-dissertation research, as well as study abroad programs. We also administer the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays grants and serve as the campus representative for the Fulbright Scholars program.

The Fulbright-Hays program provides grants for graduate students and faculty members to travel for specific research, study opportunities, or dissertation research in modern languages and specific area studies that must be conducted in another country. The Fulbright Scholars program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the United States and other countries and promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas among students, faculty, professionals, and teachers.

All of these grant programs serve to promote international educational opportunities that will have a lasting impact on increasing global awareness and understanding.

International Agreements

Formal agreements with international institutions are critical tools to enhance collaborative instruction, scholarship, and research for faculty and students. Frequently an outcome of individual faculty initiatives, such agreements help build a strong alliance and facilitate cooperation and collaboration among Ohio State and its academic departments with universities and other learning institutions around the world. The Office of International Affairs works with foreign delegations when they visit campus and facilitates meetings and events during their stay at Ohio State.

International Education Outreach

Engaging P-12 teachers and students in learning more about international cultures plays a vital role in broadening global perspectives. Outreach programming that focuses on language, culture, and interactive themes are tailor-made to teach a wide variety of audiences about life in another country. A host of global education resources is available for teachers, including in-service workshops, study abroad opportunities to experience the language and culture firsthand, video loan libraries, a speakers' bureau, as well as exhibits that can be used in the classroom.

Special Events

Special events held throughout the year support the international dimension of the Ohio State campus. The Office of International Affairs helps sponsor numerous lectures and conferences featuring prominent international scholars and experts from many disciplines that are initiated through the Area Studies Centers. Additionally, we are actively involved with cultural events such as Taste of OSU, International Education Week, International Thanksgiving, and International New Year's Eve that enable the campus community to experience different cultures and make new friends in a fun and inviting atmosphere.

Contact Us

The Office of International Affairs is committed to providing international educational experiences to students, faculty, and staff, sharing global opportunities whenever and wherever we can, and learning through the exchange of ideas.

If you would like more information about the international activities on the Ohio State campus and the services that we provide, please contact us at (614) 688-5482, oia@osu.edu, or visit oia.osu.edu.

International at a Glance

• Over 3,600 international students attend Ohio State each year.
• Ohio State students come from 113 countries around the world.
• Close to 20% of undergraduates have a study abroad experience before they graduate.
• 1,500 international scholars visit Ohio State each year.
• More than two-thirds of Ohio State faculty have been involved in international professional activities.
• 30 languages are offered in more than 600 courses.
• Over 800 courses are offered with international content.
• International Affairs reaches 3,500 students annually through its speakers' bureau.