Admission Decision Procedures

Application Worksheet Form. Once the applicant’s application material is complete, the graduate program requests from the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions a GPA calculation for those applicants the program wishes to review. The GPA calculation is reflected on the Application Worksheet form. The applications are then reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee of the program for an admission recommendation. 

Admit. If the Graduate Studies Committee recommends admission as a regular student and if the applicant meets minimum Graduate School admission criteria, the Admissions Office notifies the applicant of admission by e-mail. If the Graduate Studies Committee recommends admission as a regular student but the application requires additional consideration (e.g., the student’s last degree earned was from an institution that does not utilize a grading scheme where a numerical cGPA can be calculated, etc.), the program refers the application, via petition, to the Graduate School for a final determination. 

Provisional. If a required document (e.g. an official transcript) is missing in the application material of a student who is recommended for regular admit, or for incoming international students under an approved ICGDA, the Admissions Office notifies the applicant of provisional admission by e-mail.

Conditional. If the Graduate Studies Committee recommends the conditional admission of a student whose record does not meet published Graduate School admission criteria, the program refers the application, via petition, to the Graduate School for a final determination. The candidate is ineligible to hold an appointment as a GA. The Admissions Office notifies the applicant of the final admission decision by e-mail.

Denial of Admission. If the Graduate Studies Committee or the Graduate School recommends denial of admission, the Admissions Office notifies the applicant of that decision by e-mail.

Admission Notice. Graduate School admission is valid only for the autumn or spring semester or summer term and year indicated in the letter/e-mail from the Admissions Office. Admitted students wishing to defer enrollment should contact their graduate program office to see if the program can accommodate the request. All application material becomes the property of The Ohio State University and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another institution.