SUMMER 2024
- Begin to write your personal statement and CV or resume
- Prepare for and register to take either the IELTS or TOEFL (if your native language is not English AND you do not have a degree from a US college or university)
Resources:
Writing a personal statement: https://cstw.osu.edu/writing-center/handouts/personal-statements
TOEFL Test Prep: https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare or IELTS Test Prep: http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare
Applying to Graduate School: Tips, Timeline and Tools of the Trade: http://www.btaa.org/docs/default-source/diversity/gradschoolguide.pdf
SEPTEMBER 2024
- Ask your advisor, another faculty member, and/or a staff member at your university's writing center or career services office to review your personal statement and resume
- Take the TOEFL or IELTS (If your native language is not English AND you do not have a degree from a US college or university)
- Order official transcripts from all colleges or universities at which ANY college credit has been earned
Transcript Information:
Transcripts can be sent electronically through a service such as eScrip or they can be mailed to OSU Graduate Admissions. Alternatively, an applicant can obtain official transcripts from all college or universities he/she has attended and then those transcripts can be scanned (both sides of the transcript) and uploaded within the online application.
If mailed, transcripts should be sent to:
Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
The Ohio State University
SAS Building, 1st Floor
281 W. Lane Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210-1132
OCTOBER 2024
- Ask 3 faculty members (one must be the advisor) and/or former employers to write you a letter of recommendation
- Submit the online application
- If you haven't already taken the GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS, take it this month
Recommendation letter information:
Within the online application, an applicant will enter each referee's contact information. It is only AFTER the application is submitted and the application fee is paid that each of the referees will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to upload their letter of recommendation for you.
By submitting your online application well in advance of the December 1st application deadline, your recommendation letter writers will have plenty of time to write and upload their letters, thus ensuring that your file will be 100% complete by or on the deadline. Your referees will appreciate your preparedness and respect for their time and you will be able to rest easy knowing that you are on track to completing your application on time.
*Helpful Tip* - The online application can be submitted even if you have not yet completed your personal statement or resume or you haven't received your transcripts yet. You can submit these items after submitting the online application by using the Admissions Uploader.
NOVEMBER 2024
- Check your application status and follow upon items that have not yet been submitted
- Fix any problems that may be occurring with your application (e.g. a referee is having trouble uploading a letter, your TOEFL/IELTS scores have not been reported, your transcript was not uploaded correctly or is invalid)
DECEMBER 2024
- Check your application status during the first week of December to make sure that all required items have been submitted
- Fix any problems that may still be occurring with your application (e.g. a referee is having trouble uploading a letter, your TOEFL/IELTS scores have not been reported, your transcript was not uploaded correctly or is invalid)
JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2025
- Check your e-mail daily; offer letters will be e-mailed directly from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to the applicant. Applicants who are declined admission will see their application status change from "applicant" or "pending" to "cancelled" and will receive an e-mail notice from the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
- If you receive an offer and currently live in the United States, please register to attend one of our visitation weekends
FEBRUARY & MARCH 2025
- If you currently live in the United States, attend one of our visitation weekends
APRIL 2025
- Notify us as to whether you will be accepting or declining your admission offer (Deadline TBA). Decisions can be posted through your Applicant Center on BuckeyeLink.