How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at The Ohio State University: Biology, Biochemistry and Neuroscience in Arts and Sciences, a Separate College of Public Health, Pre-Major Entry for Nursing and Neuroscience, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The Ohio State University (“Ohio State”) has its main campus in Columbus, Ohio. This guide covers undergraduate life-science and health-related programs on the Columbus campus. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and Ohio State’s pre-health site says so itself: “pre-med” and similar labels are not majors but officially recognized areas of academic interest, and there is no preferred major. Below, for fall 2027 entry, we explain the route for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students. Two relevant hosts could not be used: the Biology department site (clse.osu.edu) and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences site (cfaes.osu.edu) returned 403 for the pages we requested and we did not retry, and the College of Nursing’s robots.txt disallows Claude, so we did not visit it. Course details for those programs are therefore thin; please check Ohio State’s website.

1. Relevant undergraduate programs

• The College of Arts and Sciences major list includes: Biology (BA, BS), Biochemistry (BA, BS), Microbiology (BS, with a BS/MS), Molecular Genetics (BS, with a BS/MS), Neuroscience (BS), Zoology (BA, BS), Evolution and Ecology (BS), Medical Anthropology (BA, BS), Forensic Anthropology (BS), Psychology (BA, BS) and Speech and Hearing Science (BA).
• The Biology page says Biology is Ohio State’s “largest major”, offered by the Center for Life Sciences Education, with considerable latitude in the choice of major courses so students may devise a broad or specialized program with an adviser. The pages we read do not explain how the BA and BS differ; not published there.
• Neuroscience is a joint venture of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Medicine.
• The College of Public Health offers the Bachelor of Science in Public Health with three specializations (environmental public health, public health methods and public health sociology), plus a 3+2 combined BSPH/MPH.
• Nursing, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Education and Human Ecology: the enrollment-criteria and transfer pages mention Nursing (BSN), Dental Hygiene, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (including Medical Laboratory Science, Respiratory Therapy, Radiological Sciences and Therapy, Health Information Management and Systems and others, per the transfer page), Human Nutrition and Exercise Science Education. We did not read course details for these colleges.
• Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: the enrollment page says admitted students enroll directly in the major, except professional golf management; the major list was not read because the site returned 403.
• College of Engineering: biomedical engineering is there; we only mention it. The enrollment page says aerospace, biomedical and mechanical engineering are highly competitive and require indicating interest on the Common App; one of Engineering’s “Explore Paths” is “Biotechnology, Biosystems and PreMed”.
• Whether these programs are STEM-designated, and whether any combined bachelor’s/medical-degree program exists, is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.

2. Admission: admitted to the university first, then enrolled in a major

• Ohio State says that once you are determined to be admissible, your record is reviewed for enrollment in your intended major, and that some colleges have requirements more rigorous than university admission in class rank and test scores. You select a major when you apply.
• If you are not eligible for direct enrollment you start in a pre-major in your college or in University Exploration. A pre-major does not guarantee the major; if you are not admitted to it, your adviser helps you find an alternative. All criteria are subject to change.
• Arts and Sciences, natural and mathematical sciences: direct enrollment, except actuarial science, computer and information science and data analytics (pre-majors, competitive). The page lists programs by these groups and does not map Biology, Biochemistry and the like to a group one by one; confirm with the department. Social and behavioral sciences: direct enrollment, except international studies and neuroscience, which are pre-majors with competitive admission.
• College of Public Health: admitted students with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher OR in the top 60% of the class enroll directly in the major; others start as pre-majors. Internal change into the major: 2.5 GPA, 12 graded hours and a C or higher in PUBHLTH 2010; students in good standing who do not meet this go into the pre-major.
• College of Nursing: admitted students with ACT composite 25+ or SAT EBRW + Math 1200+ and a top-10% class rank enroll as pre-nursing; others go into Health and Human Services Exploration. Pre-nursing students with ACT Math 26+ (SAT Math 610) are automatically considered for direct admission to the BSN; applicants must meet the early action deadline and be 18 by 1 October of the autumn semester of their first clinical course. Nursing admission is competitive and the pre-major does not guarantee it.
• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Dental Hygiene: admitted students enter as pre-majors; the major is competitive.
• Education and Human Ecology: direct enrollment, except exercise science education, human nutrition and sport industry (pre-majors).
• Pharmacy: the enrollment page says admitted students enroll directly in the major.
• Undecided: University Exploration or an undecided program within a college (for example Arts and Sciences Undecided, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Undecided, Agriculture Exploring). Ohio State states that, due to visa requirements, international students may not declare University Exploration or undecided programs as majors.
• Pre-neuroscience conditions: the neuroscience site says that after admission you work with a Neuroscience advisor on a plan for the pre-major and major coursework; it lists no GPA threshold, so confirm with NeuroAdvising@osu.edu.

3. Pre-med: what the pre-health site says

• The Pre-Health Program says “pre-med”, “pre-dentistry” and so on are not majors but recognized areas of academic interest; there is no preferred or “right” major, and professional schools recommend a major in which you have interest and aptitude.
• Pre-medicine prerequisites (Ohio State course numbers): General Chemistry 1210 and 1220; Organic Chemistry 2510 and 2520 (lecture) with labs 2540 and 2550; Physics 1200 and 1201; Biology 1113 and 1114; Biochemistry 4511, or 5613 and 5614. Math 1148 or higher is a prerequisite for these sequences. Anatomy, Psychology 1100 and Sociology 1101 are recommended, not required. Requirements at other schools may differ.
• Competitive candidates: the site says a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above is generally desirable (institutions differ), plus high scores on admissions tests, volunteer and clinical exposure, strong letters (types “may include” two science faculty, two non-science faculty and two personal), well-prepared applications and interviews.
• Timetable: first year, take the pre-professional survey course, choose a major, begin core science courses; sophomore year, open an Interfolio letter file and research schools; junior year, take admissions tests and file primary applications; senior year, interviews.
• The Arts and Sciences FAQ adds that the college’s pre-health program also serves students interested in four-year health programs such as nursing, dental hygiene, respiratory therapy and medical laboratory science.
• Combined bachelor’s/medical-degree programs, separate pre-health guidance for international students and any limits on international applicants to U.S. medical schools: not stated on the pages we read; email preprofessional@osu.edu.

4. High school preparation

• Minimum college-prep curriculum (first-year applicants): English 4 units; math 3 (4 recommended); natural science 3 with significant lab experience; social science 2 (3 recommended); foreign language 2 of the same language (3 recommended); visual or performing arts 1; plus 1 additional unit in any of these subjects. Going beyond the minimum in math, natural science and foreign language earns “additional consideration”.
• Ohio State says most admitted students exceed the minimums: last year 99% exceeded the math requirement, 89% the natural science requirement and 85% the foreign language requirement.
• The neuroscience site suggests high school biology, mathematics, psychology and chemistry, together with writing and critical reading.
• AP / IB / A-Level: the international admitted-student page says AP, IB, AS-level or A-level results may earn credit if official scores are sent to Ohio State. Which courses and scores qualify is not on the pages we read; see Ohio State’s credit-by-exam page.
• First two years: the Biology required course sequence was not read because clse.osu.edu returned 403; for pre-med courses see the previous section. Arts and Sciences students must complete a third world-language course (1103) or equivalent.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Action (non-binding): 1 November 2026; decisions 11 December for Ohio residents and 22 January 2027 for non-residents and international applicants. Ohio State says to meet it for university merit scholarships, Engineering, the College of Nursing direct admission program and Honors and Scholars programs.
• Regular Decision: 15 January 2027; decisions on 5 March.
• Acceptance: $100 non-refundable acceptance fee by 1 May 2027 (international admitted page). Priority date for financial aid: 1 February.
• Platform: Common App. The first-year pages we read state no application-fee amount (transfer: $60; international transfer: $70).
• Materials: official transcript including senior-year courses; ACT or SAT; optional recommendation from a teacher or counselor (maximum two); English proficiency if English is not your native language. The “what we review” section mentions a personal essay.
• Testing: ACT or SAT is required (unless you have been out of high school two or more years). The ACT science section and writing are not required, and Ohio State superscores both tests. Middle 50% of admitted students last year: ACT 27–33, SAT 1280–1470. Ohio State states there is no minimum GPA, class rank or test score.
• Review: holistic, including coursework and rigor, grades, test scores, experiences (leadership, work, family responsibilities, community), first-generation status and talent.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost (2026-27, first-year, Columbus): tuition $14,050 for Ohio residents and $44,271 for non-residents (includes the out-of-state surcharge); housing and food $15,738 (the most common plan). For Ohio residents tuition, general fees, housing and dining are held steady for four years under the Ohio State Tuition Guarantee.
• Residency: non-residents who want in-state tuition must meet the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s qualifications, explained on the Registrar’s site, which we did not read.
• Program-related fees (Registrar’s 2026-27 table for students beginning summer 2026 or later): Nursing learning technology fee $16.60 per credit hour ($199.20 for 12–18 hours) and program fee $52 per credit hour ($624 for 12–18); Health and Rehabilitation Services program fee $16.60 per credit hour; Psychology program fee $8.70; Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science learning technology and program fees $4.10 each; Dental Hygiene (entry-level BSDH) $852 flat regardless of credits (not charged in summer terms); Education and Human Ecology learning technology fee $7.50; Animal Science program fee $6.50. Course fees are separate; Arts and Sciences programs such as Biology and Biochemistry do not appear in those fee lists.
• Scholarships: applying by 1 November automatically considers you for most merit awards. Non-Ohio-resident U.S. citizens and permanent residents can be considered for the National Buckeye Scholarship (up to $13,500 a year); Ohio residents have awards such as the Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship; Morrill and Stamps Eminence need extra steps. File the FAFSA by 1 February for need-based aid.
• Research: the Arts and Sciences site says students can develop their own project or join an existing one, with support from an Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry. The number of placements is not published.

7. International applicants

• Deadlines: the same as U.S. first-years: Early Action 1 November 2026 (decisions 22 January), Regular Decision 15 January 2027 (decisions 5 March); spring entry 1 October 2026. Ohio State “strongly recommends” 1 November for Engineering, the College of Nursing direct enrollment program and Honors and Scholars.
• Transcripts: official transcripts, documents or examination certificates for the final four years (grades 9–12), uploaded by your counselor through Common App, Naviance or another secure service or emailed to ugdocs@osu.edu; faxes are not accepted. Non-English documents must be translated into English by the issuing institution, an authorized translator or a teacher of the language.
• English: TOEFL 79 (before 21 January 2026) or 4.0 (on or after that date), IELTS 6.5, ACT English 21, SAT EBRW 550, Duolingo 120. Exempt: three full years at a U.S. regionally accredited high school, or citizenship of, or a bachelor’s degree from, listed countries such as Australia, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ireland, Singapore and South Africa. The site contradicts itself: the first-year page says “SAT 27 or higher on the Reading Test” while the international page says “SAT EBRW 550+”. Ohio State does not offer conditional admission through its American Language Program.
• Proof of funds: only after you are admitted and have accepted and paid the fee, submit the Visa Request Form and support documents (autumn entry: by the first week of June, with a passport picture page). Documents sent earlier are not reviewed.
• Cost (international, 2026-27): tuition $47,374 (includes a $3,103 annual International Undergraduate Student Fee), housing and food $15,630, books $1,020, health insurance $4,108, miscellaneous $4,046. International students must buy the student health insurance, with exemptions for some government-sponsored students and dependents of U.S. employees.
• Scholarships: Ohio State says international students are not eligible for its university merit scholarships. The Financial Aid page for international students lists only Scholarship Universe and departmental awards; whether need-based aid exists for international applicants is not stated on the pages we read.
• Housing: first-years must live on campus for two years unless exempted.
• Limits on international students in restricted majors such as nursing or in clinical placements: not stated on the pages we read. The one explicit rule is that international students cannot enter University Exploration or undecided programs.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say how the Gaokao is used. Contact admissions (askabuckeye@osu.edu).
• Transcripts and translation: see the previous section: final four years of transcripts or exam certificates, translated into English by the school, an authorized translator or a teacher of the language. Whether a credential evaluation or provincial exam records are required is not stated.
• Testing and English: ACT or SAT is required; see the previous section for English scores.
• Math and science: the minimum high school curriculum is in U.S. units; Ohio State gives no mapping for the Chinese curriculum, so confirm with admissions.
• Choosing a major: because international students cannot choose an undecided program, choose a specific major when you apply; the number of places for international students in competitive majors such as nursing or neuroscience is not published.

9. Transfer

• Deadlines: U.S.-resident transfers to the Columbus campus: autumn 1 March 2027, spring 1 November 2026, summer 15 May 2027. International transfers: autumn 1 March 2027, spring 1 October 2026. Application fee $60 ($70 for international transfers).
• Criteria: with 30 or more earned semester hours, a cumulative college GPA of 2.5 or better is typically competitive, and grade trends and key major courses are considered; with fewer than 30, a holistic review that also uses your high school record and ACT/SAT (if required).
• Credit: courses from a regionally accredited institution, non-remedial, with C- or better transfer; a D or D+ may transfer in a few cases. For international transcripts a ratio may convert credit. Transfer students are not eligible for university merit scholarships.
• Entering a major: some programs require a higher GPA, prerequisite coursework or a secondary application. If you already meet the prerequisites you can apply directly to programs such as Nursing (BSN and RN-BSN), Public Health (BS), Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Dental Hygiene. For Public Health, get admitted to Ohio State first and then see an adviser. For Neuroscience, work with the advising office and a transfer-credit advisor; no GPA is published.
• Required course sequences for transferring into Biology and other Arts and Sciences life-science majors are not stated on the pages we read.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Choose a major; Early Action 1 November, Regular Decision 15 January; ACT or SAT required
• For competitive majors such as nursing and neuroscience, check the direct-enrollment criteria; use the pre-health site’s prerequisites for pre-med planning

International applicants (including China):

• You cannot choose an undecided major; prepare four years of transcripts, English translations, ACT/SAT and an English score
• Send the visa request form and funds documents only after you are admitted and have paid the $100 acceptance fee; university merit scholarships are closed to international students; confirm how the Gaokao is used with admissions

Transfer students:

• Autumn 2027 deadline 1 March 2027; cumulative GPA typically 2.5+; C- or better transfers

Sources: The Ohio State University, Enrollment criteria for majors; Who gets in and high school courses; First-year application steps; International first-year steps; International: after you are admitted; Undecided students; Costs; Merit scholarships; Student Financial Aid: scholarships; Registrar: 2026-27 fee table; Transfer admission criteria; Transfer application steps; International transfer steps; Arts and Sciences majors; Biology major; Neuroscience major; Neuroscience major and curriculum guide; Arts and Sciences FAQ; College of Public Health undergraduate admissions; College of Public Health undergraduate programs; Pre-Health Program; Pre-health: majors; Pre-health: prerequisites; Pre-health: competitive candidates. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27); check Ohio State’s website for the latest.