PhD Application Requirements

For all applicants:

Due to high application volume, please allow 10-14 business days for items to post to your checklist.

For applicants currently or previously enrolled through OSU Graduate School:

Do NOT submit your application online if you are currently or were previously enrolled in the OSU Graduate School. Instead, complete a "Transfer of Graduate Programs Form." Have a copy of the file from your previous OSU graduate program (including copies of all transcripts from your current OSU file) sent to the Fisher College of Business Graduate Programs Office, PhD Admissions, 100 Gerlach Hall. (If you are a currently enrolled student in a Fisher graduate program, you need only to complete the "Transfer of Graduate Programs Form.")  In addition, you need to provide to the Fisher College the following items:

1. Three new recommendation letters
2. A Statement of Intent
3. An up-to-date resume/vita
4. Appropriate official standardized test scores if not included in your previous file (see below).

There is no new application fee for applicants who have previously been admitted and enrolled in another graduate program at Ohio State University.

For NEW applicants to OSU Graduate School, you must complete the following to submit a complete application for any of the PhD programs:

1. A completed online application form
2. Non-refundable application processing fee. The online application accepts either credit card or debit card payment of the mandatory application processing fee.
3. One official (original or certified, not notarized) transcript from each post- secondary institution attended. This must be unopened. Certified English translations must be enclosed if the originals are not in English. Your official transcript must be sent to: PhD Admissions, Graduate Programs Office - Fisher College of Business, 100 Gerlach Hall, 2108 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.
4. Official GRE (General) or GMAT Test scores for all PhD programs other than A&MIS. (If you are applying to the accounting PhD program, you must submit official GMAT scores.) The Ohio State/Fisher PhD GRE institution code is 1592 and department code is 4299. The test code for GMAT is ZLJ-9D-98. You may send us a copy of your student-issued scores if you wish; however, official scores must be received directly from the test administrator by The Ohio State University before the application will be reviewed/considered complete.
5. OSU Graduate Admissions requires official TOEFL scores from all international applicants unless that applicant has received a degree from a U.S. based institution or an institution in a country where English is the native language spoken (click here for list of exempt countries). The Ohio State University will also accept the IELTS and/or MELAB in lieu of the TOEFL.
6. Three (3) Recommendation Letters. The online application allows you to submit each reference letter electronically or via paper. If submitting via paper, the letter(s) must written on the recommender's letterhead, attached to the Ohio State Reference forms and returned in sealed envelopes. (The forms, instructions, etc., are included in the online application instructions.)
7. A Statement of Intent highlighting academic and work experience, career objectives and motivation for pursuing a PhD. You will submit your statement electronically with the rest of your online application.
8. A current resume/vita. You will upload this document (MS Word or PDF format are acceptable) as part of your online application.