Application Process

Ideally, you should begin planning for your education abroad experience at least one year before you depart. Program application deadlines vary greatly, and applications for entry visas may take a long time to process.

Review your program

• Review the Program Costs paragraph for the program you have applied to and review the withdrawal policy carefully. Monitor your Ohio State email account – notifications regarding program admittance are communicated via email.
• Make an appointment with your academic advisor. You should inform your advisor of your plans to study abroad as soon as possible, so that you can work together to ensure that your program fits into your academic plan.
• Review your chosen program online and make note of any credit evaluation needs.
• As applicable, research your global education program location’s entry, exit and visa requirements and be prepared to provide proof of any required vaccinations and/or any testing requirements and other protocols, especially related to COVID-19.

Prepare needed documents 

• A copy of your Ohio State advising report.
• An academic recommendation letter if required by your program. This recommendation, due no later than the application deadline, should come from a professor or graduate teaching associate who has taught you in the classroom and is able to comment on your qualifications for education abroad. Your application allows you to notify your chosen professor or GTA that you will be requesting a recommendation and the deadline by which you need it. Instructions will be sent to them to electronically submit your recommendation.

Other key steps

• Apply for your passport if you have not done so already. A valid passport is required for all Ohio State global education programs.
• Apply for grants and scholarships.

General Eligibility

At a minimum, students must meet the following eligibility criteria in order to apply for a global education program that is managed by the Office of International Affairs.

• Must be a degree-seeking, Ohio State student who will graduate no less than one term after the education abroad program concludes. Students admitted to The Ohio State University who have not yet begun their degree program may, in limited circumstances, be able to participate in a global education program. Please contact us for more information.
• Students who participate in May session programs can graduate at the end of summer term in August, in most cases.
• Must have a 2.0 GPA or higher.
• Must be in good disciplinary standing as described below.
• Students who are under the age of 18 at any time of application process, admission process or their education abroad program must have a parent/guardian sign all forms requiring a signature as part of the application, admission and participation process. Students should notify their education abroad specialist of their status and appropriate forms will be provided to the parent/guardian.

Disciplinary Eligibility

Registered sexual offender status

Students falling under the requirement to register as sexual offenders in Ohio are excluded from participation in faculty-led programs.

To the extent that their legal status permits them to travel abroad, the measure does not exclude these students from possible international educational opportunities; individually organized, informal and third-party provided options may be open to them under current regulations.

Felonies

Students who are convicted felons or who have a felony charge pending against them are excluded from participation in faculty-led programs.

To the extent that their legal status permits them to travel abroad, the measure does not exclude these students from possible education abroad participation; individually organized, informal and third-party provided opportunities may be open to them under current regulations.

Disciplinary probation and suspension

A disciplinary record review is submitted to the Office of Student Conduct at the time of application to an Ohio State supported program. A secondary review of all students admitted to programs is completed prior to program departure. The review also includes sanctions determined by the Office of Residence Life and the Office of Institutional Equity. It does not include sanctions determined by the Committee on Academic Misconduct.

Disciplinary probation

• Students serving a current sanction of disciplinary probation that will end prior to the start date of travel for their intended program abroad:
  • are eligible to apply to Ohio State supported programs.
  • Admission and participation in travel is contingent on completing the requirements of the current sanction and no subsequent infractions.
• Students serving a current sanction of disciplinary probation that overlaps any dates of program travel:
  • are ineligible to participate in Ohio State supported programs.
  • Students issued a sanction of disciplinary probation after their admission to a program will have their admission retracted if the dates of the sanction overlap any period of the program travel.
• Students with an active sanction of disciplinary probation until the end of their academic career (career probation):
  • are ineligible to participate in Ohio State supported programs.
  • However, students who have completed three full terms at Ohio State following the term career probation was assigned and who have completed the additional requirements of their sanction, may appeal to apply to programs. For an appeal to be considered, the terms need to be completed prior to the point of application to the program.

Students who are unsure of their conduct status or the dates of the period of a sanction may submit a Disciplinary Record Request to the Office of Student Conduct.

Suspension

• Students serving a sanction of suspension:
  • are ineligible to apply to or participate in an Ohio State approved program during the period of their suspension.
• Students who have completed a sanction of suspension and are reenrolled at the university
  • are eligible to apply to and participate in Ohio State programs.
  • Admission and participation contingent upon not serving a current sanction of disciplinary probation during the dates of the program and having completed the additional requirements of the suspension.

Appeals

Apart from the appeal of career probation, there is no appeal of the eligibility criteria. Students planning to pursue education abroad, or currently enrolled in a program, are encouraged to discuss their travel plans during the hearing phase of any conduct case.

Applicability

The eligibility requirements established by the International Travel Policy Committee apply to Ohio State staff or faculty-led programs, university supported international exchanges, direct enrollment and third-party provider programs. The eligibility criteria apply to all university supported international travel, including opportunities through the Office of International Affairs, the Office of Student Life and other academic or administrative units. 

The protocol does not entirely exclude students serving a current sanction of disciplinary probation from possible education abroad participation. Individually organized opportunities including direct application to foreign universities or non-Ohio State supported third-party programs are not subject to an Ohio State conduct review. However, these programs may require applicants to submit a disciplinary records check. Students may obtain these directly from the Office of Student Conduct, and the individual program retains the right to determine the applicant’s eligibility.  

If you do not meet all of these requirements, even after you have been accepted, you will not be permitted to participate in your global education program and will be subject to the OIA Cancellation Policy. Please contact your global education specialist with any questions.

Your acceptance to an Ohio State global education program and your participation in the travel portion of the program is contingent upon the following conditions:

• You must complete the Acknowledgement of Understanding by the date indicated in your acceptance letter.
• You must submit the OIA Health Information form, along with other required program-specific documents by the date indicated by your global education specialist.
• You must have a 2.0 GPA or higher.
• You must observe the Student Agreement, informing you that the Ohio State Code of Student Conduct extends to global education and you are obliged to participate in the program as designed, and Release of All Claims that you signed as part of your global education application.
• You must pass all required pre-departure and/or prerequisite courses with the grade stated in your acceptance letter.
• You must make full payment of all tuition and fees by the due date on your University Statement of Account.
• If applicable to your global education program, you must meet all entry, exit and visa requirements of your global education program destination, any countries while in transit, and the U.S. upon return, including but not limited to possessing a valid passport, obtaining the appropriate visa, and providing proof of any required vaccinations and/or any testing requirements and other protocols. Entry, exit and visa requirements are established by each individual country and the Office of International Affairs, The Ohio State University and its visa provider, Travisa, have no control over visa denials, immigration and visa regulations, and/or any changes in the Embassies/Consulates’ policies. Please refer to the U.S. Department of State and the respective Embassy or Consulate websites for the most up to date travel information.
• Any student who is a registered sexual offender or has current or pending felony charge is excluded from participating in global education programs managed by Ohio State.
• Any student with a student a sanction of disciplinary probation or suspension is ineligible to participate in global education abroad programs overlapping the dates of their sanction. Please be advised that the Office of International Affairs confirms student eligibility for global education through the Office of Student Conduct upon application to the global education program and at the end of the term immediately preceding the global education program.
• You must enroll and maintain enrollment in the global education course(s) required for your program of admittance.
• You must maintain compliance with any and all university mandates.

If you do not meet all of these requirements, even after you have been accepted, you will not be permitted to participate in your global education program, and will be subject to the OIA Cancellation Policy. Please contact your global education specialist with any questions.