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Admissions

FAQs About The Application Process

  1. How do I apply to Ohio State and the School of Educational Policy and Leadership?
  2. Do I need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?
  3. What is the deadline date for submitting my application?
  4. Can I apply to more than one program in Educational Policy and Leadership or at Ohio State?
  5. How can I check the status of my application?
  6. What types of information should I include in my statement of intent?
  7. Who should write my reference letters?
  8. Do I really need a previous professor to write one of my letters?
  9. I am an international student. Do I need to submit my TOEFL scores?
  10. As an international student, what special information do I need in order to apply?
  11. What do I need to do if I am already admitted to Ohio State and the Graduate School, but want to transfer to Educational Policy and Leadership from another program?
  12. What should I do if I applied for admission in one quarter but have to defer my admission to a later date?
  13. Whom should I contact if I have questions about my application?

Listed below are frequently asked questions about applying to The Ohio State University and the School of Educational Policy and Leadership. Some questions will be answered directly. Others will refer you to other Web pages at the University. In all cases, if you need additional help, please call or email us.
School of Educational Policy and Leadership
Phone: 1-614-688-4007
1-888-678-3382
Fax: 1-614-292-7900
Email: edplssgs@osu.edu

1. How do I apply to Ohio State and the School of Educational Policy and Leadership?

You can apply on-line from Ohio State's web site. Just click on "Future Students" and then "Graduate." Application links are available at the bottom of the Graduate Admissions home page.

Application fees are $40 for domestic applicants and $50 for international applicants.

Instructions for applying to Ohio State are available by clicking on the "Download Application Materials" link. Separate links are available for domestic and international applicants to download appropriate information.

Follow the directions on both the Graduate Admission web site and the Educational Policy and Leadership web site to insure you are turning in all necessary documents prior to the published deadlines. Please use the College of Education Graduate Program Supplement posted on the Graduate Admissions web site (pdf) for an accurate list of program deadlines.

Checklists for completing application files are available for each section in our School:

2. Do I need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?

All Ph.D. applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam to be admitted to the University. Master's degree applicants in Educational Psychology and Philosophy, Higher Education and Student Affairs and in Quantitative Research, Evaluation and Measurement must also submit GRE scores. Master's degree applicants to all other programs must submit GRE scores if their combined undergraduate grade point average from all undergraduate colleges and universities is less than a 3.0.

3. What is the deadline date for submitting my application?

Deadline dates vary by program area. The College of Education program supplement has a list of deadline dates (pdf) posted on the Web. It is updated every August.
Generally you should remember the following guidelines.

  • If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, all application materials, including all required documents, should be in no later than November 30for international applicants and January 1 or domestic applicants.
  • The College of Education and Human Ecology Scholarship deadline is January 31. To be considered for those scholarships, your application, including all required documents, must be complete by that time. Information about applying for these scholarships and applications are available at http://ehe.osu.edu/academics/scholarship.php. Information is update in November each year.
  • Please note that some programs do not admit new students every quarter. Carefully review the College of Education Graduate Program Supplement (pdf) to note the quarters that students are admitted and the deadline dates for respective quarters.

4. Can I apply to more than one program in Educational Policy and Leadership or at Ohio State?

You may apply to one or more specialization within the School of Educational Policy and Leadership. Be sure to note all your choices on the application in the space marked specialization. You should write a separate statement of intent for each specialization. You do not need to pay more than one application fee if you apply to more than one program within the School of Educational Policy and Leadership.

You may also consider applying to more than one College or program acrss the University. You should also note that on your application in the space marked "major" and/or "specialization." If you decide to apply to more than one College, School or Department across the University, you may be expected to pay a $40 application fee for each application. Please note the directions on the Graduate Admissions web site.

If you decide to make a change after you have mailed in your application, you should call the Graduate Admissions office at 614-292-9444. If you are an international student, you can email an admissions counselor at international.grad@osu.edu. If you are a U.S. citizen, you can contact an admissions counselor by email at domestic.grad@osu.edu.

5. How can I check the status of my application?

You may check the status of your application on line.

You will need only your social security number  or applicant number and your date of birth to check your status.

If you are an international student, you will need the applicant number that you were assigned when you applied.

If you have trouble accessing the web, you can call the Office of Student Services and Graduate Studies at 614-688-4007 or send us an email at edplssgs@osu.edu. We will be happy to assist you.

6. What types of information should I include in my statement of intent?

When writing your statement of intent, it is important to include the following information:

  • Quarter of intended enrollment
  • Intended program section
  • Area of concentration

You should also include any biographical information that is important and pertinent to your decision to pursue this area of study. An important aspect of your statement of intent is to include your educational and professional goals, particularly as they relate to the pursuit of this degree. Be sure that your statement of intent is focused on the area of concentration or specialization you would like to pursue. If your statement is vague or so general that it could apply to any area of specialization, the faculties are likely to deny admission.

If you are applying to an Administrative Licensure Program for Principal or Superintendent and a degree program, there are specific items we want addressed in the Statement of Intent. For a list of those items, please download the Application Checklist.

It is important for doctoral students to clearly articulate their research interests and show how there is a fit between their interests and the expertise of our faculty. To determine if your research interests and the expertise of the faculty are aligned, please spend some time reviewing our faculty information pages and their faculty web pages. Consider searching professional journals to read abstracts of faculty publications. When an abstract is interesting, spend time reviewing the full article. All of these efforts will pay off as you write your statement of intent.

7. Who should write my reference letters?

At least one letter should be written by a professor who previously taught a course you completed.

Other letters of recommendation can be from supervisors or co-workers when appropriate. Examples of when such references are appropriate include those applicants who are applying for admission to the Educational Administration program and want to work on Principal Licensure. Letters of reference from your building principal or other school district supervisors or coworkers attesting to your leadership potential and other qualifications to become a principal would be helpful. Applicants to the Higher Education and Student Affairs program who have worked on a college campus may also find this type of reference letter helpful.

8. Do I really need a previous professor to write one of my letters?

It is very important for a previous professor to write a letter of recommendation because the faculty who review your file are looking for some indication that you are suited for graduate study and research. This is particularly important for Ph.D. students. The letters should thoroughly and directly address your academic ability.

9. I am an international student. Do I need to submit my TOEFL scores?

All international students must submit TOEFL scores unless they meet one of the following exemptions:

  • Applicants who have been educated primarily in one of the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL requirement: Australia, Belize, the British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, the United States and Wales.
  • For most graduate programs, applicants are exempt from English proficiency requirements if they have received a bachelor's or higher degree from a university in one of the above countries.

Information about the TOEFL is available online or you can email them at toefl@ets.org.

10. As an international student, what special information do I need in order to apply?

The Graduate Admissions Office and the Office of International Affairs have helpful information for prospective international graduate students. Please link to those sites for any other questions you may have.

11. What do I need to do if I am already admitted to Ohio State and the Graduate School, but want to transfer to Educational Policy and Leadership from another program?

If you have already been admitted to the Graduate School and are just looking to change Colleges or Departments within the University, you should fill out a "Request for Transfer of Graduate Program" form. These forms are available in the Student Services Office, Ramseyer 122, from the Graduate School in University Hall, Room 247 or on-line. You should complete Section 1 and return the completed form to the Graduate School. After the Graduate School completes Section 2, the form will be returned to the Student Services office. The Graduate School will let the School of Educational Policy and Leadership know if you are in good standing and eligible for transfer.

At the same time, you should fill out a separate transfer application for the School of Educational Policy and Leadership (EPL). The EPL transfer application is available from the Office of Student Services and Graduate Studies in Ramseyer 122 or contact us by email at edplssgs@osu.edu. To complete your transfer application, you should complete and turn in the following information:

  • A copy of your file from your current department
  • Transcripts of previous course work if not included in the file from your previous department
  • The one page EPL transfer application
  • A new statement of intent
  • Two new letters of recommendation
  • A writing sample (for students applying to the Ph.D. program in Cultural Foundations, Technology and Qualitative Inquiry, the Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology and Philosophy, or the Ph.D. program in Educational Administration).
  • Resume or CV.
  • GRE scores are required if:
    • You are applying to any Ph.D. program
    • You are applying to the M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs
    • You are applying to the M.A. in Quantitative Research, Evaluation and Measurement in Education
    • You are applying to the M.A. in Educational Psychology and Philosophy
    • Your previous scores are more than 5 years old

12. What should I do if I applied for admission in one quarter but have to defer my admission to a later date?

If you find that it is necessary to defer your admission to a later quarter, you should first contact your assigned adviser to let him or her know. First, be sure to request the deferral in writing before the start of the quarter to which you were admitted. Let them know when you were admitted and to which quarter you would like your admission deferred. A brief explanation of why the deferral is necessary should be included. Your adviser will review your request and let you know whether you can defer your admission or not. You will receive a response from your adviser, either by mail or email as to the final decision to defer your admission.

If you have been awarded a fellowship or a Graduate Associateship, there is no guarantee that it will be carried over to a later quarter. In most cases, the faculty will decide whether to re-nominate you for the next year's fellowship competition. Any associateship you may have been awarded is not be guaranteed in the future either.

13. Whom should I contact if I have questions about my application?

You should contact the Office of Student Services and Graduate Studies, (Phone: 1-614-688-4007; email: edplssgs@osu.edu). In most cases, the person answering the phone will be able to assist you. If you need additional help, you will be referred to Nadine Denton (email: denton.1@osu.edu), our admissions coordinator, or Deb Zabloudil (email:zabloudil.1@osu.edu), Director of Student Services.