ohio state chemistry phd acceptance rate

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Apply to the Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D Program

Application Instructions

Graduate Admissions Coordinator Nick Rodgers will be holding Zoom Office Hours every Thursday from 3-5 PM EDT to answer any questions about the program/application process. Please email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

Before beginning the application process, please note the following:

• The program only admits one time per year for the Autumn semester.
• The minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA requirement for applying is 3.0/4.0. The same requirement applies to the cumulative graduate GPA, if graduate-level courses have been completed.
• Students must have at least a 4-year Bachelor’s degree or a 5-year combined BS/MS degree in order to apply.
• The minimum total TOEFL score required in order to be eligible to apply is 79 on the Internet-based test and 550 on the paper-based test. Applicants who achieve a total score of 100 and a 20 or higher on the speaking section of the Internet-Based TOEFL will be most competitive. The minimum allowable score on the IELTS is a 7.0.
• The GRE is NOT required to be eligible to apply to the Graduate School or the Chemistry PhD Program.
• Without exception, TOEFL or scores must be officially reported to OSU by ETS. If you are submitting scores for the IELTS, those scores must be reported to OSU directly by IELTS.
• The application fee is $60 for Domestic applicants and $70 for International applicants. Application fee waivers may be granted to applicants who meet specific eligibility criteria as indicated on this web page:  http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/apply/waiver.html
• Answers to the most frequently asked questions can be found here .

December 1, 2023 is the deadline for submitting the online application and all required supplemental materials for Autumn 2024 admission. Before or on this date, all required application materials MUST be submitted ( submitted  is defined as available for committee review and not on order for or en route to OSU). Please SUBMIT the online application well in advance of the deadline so that your referees will receive their links in plenty of time to submit their letters before the December 1st deadline. Recommendation letter upload links do not get sent to referees until the application is submitted and the fee is paid. Please be certain to take the TOEFL early enough to ensure that your scores are reported to OSU by ETS before or on December 1st. Please follow the instructions below to complete your application and consult our timeline to help you navigate our application process.

You may upload scans of your transcripts on the "Academic Data" tab of the online application. Scans of original transcripts from every college or university you have ever attended are required to be submitted before your application can be reviewed. Transfer credit indicated on a transcript does not satisfy the transcript requirement for the school at which the credits were originally earned. Scans of original, official transcripts are required to be uploaded while completing the online application or submitted via the document uploader by or on the application deadline. Online advising reports or degree audits cannot be used to satisfy the transcript requirement for the application. 

The program requires submissions of your resume and personal statement on the "Final Steps/Submit" tab of the online application. If you would like to submit an updated personal statement or resume before the application deadline, please email that updated version to: [email protected]

You should address the following in your personal statement:

• Describe your research experience in some detail.  Describe research products, like oral presentations and papers related to your research experience.
• We are interested in learning about your independence, strengths and weaknesses, goals, and community involvement.  Tell us examples of times you have overcome challenges and where you got support to work through them.  Give us some examples of how you learn outside the classroom.
• Tell us about what you want to study and about your research interests.  Identify some faculty with whom you would like to work.
• Be sure to explain things in your history, academic career, or resume that might raise questions about your suitability for graduate study and research.  If you had some weaker grades or less successful terms, explain what was happening.  If you didn't have access to extensive research experiences at your institution, explain that, and what you've done to know that graduate school is right for you.

Our aim is to admit students who will be successful in our Ph.D. program.  We are obviously interested in admitting students with high academic ability and research aptitude. But it also takes self-motivation, perseverance, and teamwork to be successful in graduate school.  Don't worry about having a perfect record.  Show us how you know this is the right path for you, and why you are going to succeed.

We require the submission of three letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation must be submitted through the online system. Applicants will enter their referees' contact information within the online application. It is only after the application is submitted that each referee will receive a link by e-mail indicating where they can submit their letter of recommendation for the applicant. For this reason, please submit the online application well in advance of the deadline so that your referees will receive their links and have ample time to submit their letters before the deadline.

The most useful letters of recommendation come from Ph.D. chemists and biochemists who can comment on your research and intellectual ability and potential. We typically want to hear from all your research advisors (such as, from capstone/thesis projects or summer/REU experiences).  Chemistry, biochemistry, or other science professors who can comment on your academic ability and potential are the next best choice.  Letters from professors in other areas, employers (unless they are for a science research position), coaches, graduate students, family, friends or peers are of more limited value to us, in general.  Be sure that at least one reference can specifically comment on your research potential, and we suggest that at least two references be scientists.

The most useful letters of recommendation will tell us about your research and academic ability and potential, as well as your independence, strengths and weaknesses, goals, community involvement, perseverance, and how you learn outside the classroom.  Your references can also help us understand anything in your record that could raise questions about your potential in graduate school.

You may check on the status of your letters and send reminders to your letter writers at: go.osu.edu/lor

If you are not an United States citizen, the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department requires the submission of official  TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to The Ohio State University before your application may be reviewed. The institution code for submission is: 1592 Only applicants who are citizens of, or who have received a bachelor’s degree or higher from, one of the following countries are exempt from the English proficiency 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.

• Please make sure that you input your name on the online application exactly how it appears on your TOEFL score report. Doing so will ensure that your official scores can be electronically matched to your application. 
• If you are submitting scores for the IELTS, those scores must also be directly reported to OSU by IELTS.
• The Admissions Committee for the PhD Program in Chemistry does not offer conditional admission to students who either have not taken the TOEFL or IELTS or whose TOEFL or IELTS score does not meet the minimum requirement.
• If the Admissions Committee deems it necessary to further evaluate an applicant's spoken English proficiency, the applicant might be asked to participate in an oral proficiency assessment administered via Skype by a trained staff member from OSU's ESL program.

Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring the completion of their application before or on the December 1st deadline. Each applicant should review their  application status page  to ensure the receipt of required materials. Please allow several business days for submitted items to appear as completed on the application status page. If submitted items do not appear within 3 business days, please e-mail Nick Rodgers  at [email protected]. 

Ohio State University--Columbus

Ranked in 11 program s and 10+ specialt ies

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Biological Sciences

Program and Specialty rankings

• # 37 in Biological Sciences  (tie)

College of Biological Sciences Contact Information

484 W. 12th Avenue , Columbus , OH 43210-1292

(614) 292-8772

Biostatistics

• # 21 in Biostatistics  (tie)

Biostatistics Division Contact Information

190 N. Oval Mall , Columbus , OH 43210

• # 20 in Chemistry  (tie)
• # 3 in Analytical

Department of Chemistry Contact Information

100 W. 18th Avenue , Columbus , OH 43210-1173

(614) 292-8917

[email protected]

Computer Science

• # 27 in Computer Science  (tie)
• # 23 in Systems  (tie)

Computer Science and Engineering Contact Information

395 Dreese Laboratories , Columbus , OH 43210-1277

(614) 292-5813

[email protected]

Earth Sciences

• # 33 in Earth Sciences  (tie)

School of Earth Sciences Contact Information

125 South Oval Mall , Columbus , OH 43210

(614) 292-8746

[email protected]

• # 27 in Mathematics  (tie)
• # 23 in Algebra / Number Theory / Algebraic Geometry  (tie)

Department of Mathematics Contact Information

231 West 18th Avenue , Columbus , OH 43210-1174

(614) 292-6274

[email protected]

• # 28 in Physics  (tie)
• # 17 in Condensed Matter  (tie)

Department of Physics Contact Information

191 W. Woodruff Avenue , Columbus , OH 43210-1117

(614) 292-7675

[email protected]

Statistics (Department of Statistics)

• # 24 in Statistics  (tie)

Department of Statistics Contact Information

1958 Neil Avenue , Columbus , OH 43210-1247

(614) 292-2866

[email protected]

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Ohio State University: Statistics

Updated: February 29, 2024

Quick Review

Ohio state university acceptance rate and admissions statistics.

Ohio State University has an acceptance rate of 53% and is among the top 17% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.

34,616 students enrolled in some distance education courses.

3,835 enrolled exclusively in distance education.

Among admitted applicants 1,241 or 15% submitted SAT

25% of them had 1310 or below

75% of them had 1480 or below

Typical SAT scores of first-years in Ohio State University are 1310-1480 (middle 50% range).

Among admitted applicants 3,220 or 40% submitted ACT

25% of them had 29 or below

75% of them had 32 or below

Typical ACT scores of first-years in Ohio State University are 29-32 (middle 50% range).

Admissions requirements

Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity, costs per year: tuition, housing, fees.

The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.

Tuition and fees

Room and board costs, ohio state university majors.

Ohio State University has granted 11,398 bachelor's degrees across 156 programs, 2,802 master's across 112 programs, and 1,788 doctorate degrees across 92 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Ohio State University.

Ohio State University has a graduation rate of 88%, which is among the 6% highest for universities in the US.

Publications & Citations

Ohio State University is a world-class research university with 292,556 scientific papers published and 7,539,631 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Biology, Medicine, Chemistry, Engineering, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Physics, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, and Biochemistry.

Publication / Citation count by topic

Annual publication & citation counts, ohio state university alumni.

Jesse Owens

James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games.

J. K. Simmons

Jonathan Kimble Simmons is an American actor. He is considered one of the most eminent character actors of his generation, having appeared in over 200 films and television roles. He is the recipient of various Supporting Actor accolades for his performance as the music instructor Terence Fletcher in Damien Chazelle's Whiplash (2014), including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Joseph Lee Burrow is an American football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint at Ohio State, Burrow played college football at LSU, winning the Heisman Trophy and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a senior. He was selected by the Bengals first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Tyler Joseph

Tyler Robert Joseph is an American singer, rapper, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman for the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside bandmate Josh Dun. Across his career he has recorded seven albums: one solo, and six with Twenty One Pilots. He has been nominated for six Grammy Awards as a member of the duo, of which he has won one.

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PhD Application Instructions

The application for autumn 2024 is now closed. the application for spring 2025 is open., the gre test is no longer required for our department.

Graduate Admissions Checklist and Requirements

Students with a strong background in chemical engineering or related field are encouraged to apply. A bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering, or closely related field (another engineering field, chemistry, etc).

An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Our most competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or 88% out of 100% or 1st Class with Distinction. If applicable, a graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Application

• Apply online at the  OSU Graduate Admissions Office website .
• Application fees are paid as a part of the online application process. This fee cannot be waived or deferred.

​​​​​​​Supporting Documents to be uploaded with your online application 

• A one to two page statement of purpose outlining your motivation for attending our program and your goals after receiving the degree. This essay allows you to express your interest in chemical and biomolecular engineering, describe what area(s) interest you the most, and goals that you have for applying the training received here. Since most of the material supplied with the application is little more than numbers, data, and grades, this statement allows you to "speak" to the faculty reviewing your file and gives them a glimpse into your motivations. Please be sure to include your full name on this document.
• Resume or CV: Serves as a helpful means of summarizing the background of an applicants. Please keep the length of this document to under two pages. If possible, please include class rank in your CV
• Uploaded via the prompt in the online application
• Submited electronically
• Submitted by postal mail. The mailing address is located at the side of this page.
• To read more, visit the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office Transcript Requirement page . 
• Official scanned copies of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions are required. We will not review an application for admission consideration without scans or physical copies of official transcripts on record. Anything other than scans of official transcripts will result in a delay in processing your application.
• If you are an international applicant, you must upload scans of official transcripts with degree statements (proof of degree) in their original language, along with English language translations that follow the format of the original documents.
• For questions surrounding transcripts, including what is acceptable or not, contact the  Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions . They oversee all transcript related questions.
• Ohio State students are only required to submit transcripts from other institutions attended, if any. Ohio State transcripts will be obtained internally for the review process and do not need to be submitted with your application.
• If admitted, a final official copy of all transcripts will be required at that time by the Graduate Admissions Office. A hard copy is not required as a part of the application process.

Three Letters of Recommendation

• During the application process, applicants will be prompted to enter the e-mail addresses of their recommenders. The Graduate Admissions Office will automatically send an e-mail to these addresses with details on how to submit an online reference letter once you submit your online application. Applicants are encouraged to contact their references to be sure they received the instructions from the Graduate Admissions Office and have provided a recommendation.

Submit official TOEFL (if applicable) Scores

• ​​​​​​​ TOEFL scores are required of all applicants whose native language is not English. No student will be considered for admission until proof of English is received. If a student receives a degree from a U.S. institution, TOEFL scores are not needed. Our most competitive applicants have scores of at lest 100 (TOEFL iBT.) The minimum TOEFL score to apply is 79.
• We also accept the IELTS test. The minimum IELTS score to apply is 7.0.
• Note: Applicants must submit official scores via Educational Testing Services (ETS) to the OSU Admissions Office (institution code 1592, no department code is necessary).
• To read more, please visit the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office Additional Requirements Page - Proof of English Proficiency . We cannot waive this requirement. 

Prerequisites for non chemical engineering majors:

We do occasionally admit students who have undergraduate degrees in subjects other than chemical engineering. However, these students will need to take make-up course work to succeed in our graduate program. These students must take the following undergraduate courses or have equivalent coursework in the following subject areas:

• Thermodynamics: CBE 3508 and 3509
• Transport Phenomena (Momentum and Mass Transfers): CBE 2420, 3421 and 3422
• Chemical Engineering Kinetics: CBE 3610
• Engineering Mathematics (Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations): Math 2177 or equivalent

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit  Frequently Asked Questions for more info.

Application Status

After completing your submission, you may monitor your application status .

As a chemistry major at Ohio State, you will be taught by internationally recognized faculty and trained in world-class research labs. Along the way, you will receive a first class education, be exposed to cutting edge science, and develop valuable critical thinking skills. For many students, this exposure to research opportunities will culminate in an Undergraduate Research Thesis. Today, the most important and challenging problems facing society require interdisciplinary solutions. Chemistry is sometimes referred to as the “central science” because it plays an important role in a wide range of fields.

When you graduate from Ohio State with a degree in chemistry, you will be positioned to pursue a variety of career paths. You may choose to seek job opportunities immediately upon graduation, enter a graduate program where you can pursue a PhD in chemistry or chemistry-related areas, or seek a professional degree in a field such as medicine, pharmacy, engineering, business, or law. With two paths to a degree , students have the flexability to choose the options that best fit into their future plans. We look forward to getting to know you and helping you realize your career aspirations.

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Statistics Doctor of Philosophy

The Department of Statistics offers several graduate degree programs, including the MS and PhD in Statistics and the Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) degree. It jointly administers a unique Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Biostatistics  with the Division of Biostatistics in the College of Public Health.

The department aims to contribute to virtually all areas of statistical science, including the development of novel statistical theory and methodology. Specific areas of excellence include Bayesian statistics, spatio-temporal statistics, statistical learning and biostatistics.

Research is directed toward modern and emerging areas of interest. A large portion of the department’s faculty and students are involved in interdisciplinary research and make significant scientific contributions beyond the field of statistics. Faculty members are highly successful at securing competitive grants from various research funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition, the department is a partner in administering the NSF-funded  Mathematical Biosciences Institute  on the Ohio State campus.

PhD in Statistics

The core of the PhD program consists of course work in mathematical statistics, as well as a variety of applied and theoretical courses in various topical areas. In the early part of the program, students complete required and elective course work in addition to qualifying examinations. Note that we admit students to the statistics department to work in statistics, but not to work with a particular faculty member. For a student’s first two years in the program, the Graduate Studies Chair of the department serves as the advisor and students are encouraged to take independent study courses with faculty members they might like to work with.

After the second year, students, together with faculty members, decide who will be their PhD dissertation advisor(s) and committee members. After completing the qualifying exams and course work, students focus on research and finish the program with their dissertation and defense. Students typically complete the program in about five years although it is possible to finish in less time, depending on the student’s dissertation progress.

For more information, visit stat.osu.edu .

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

International graduates of this major are approved by the Department of Homeland Security for three (3) years of work permission in the United States after graduation. Visit the Office of International Affairs website for more information.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please contact [email protected] .

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Programs in OHIO’s College of Health Sciences and Professions ranked among top in state and nation; several other graduate programs ranked among best in latest U.S. News rankings

Several programs in Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, including audiology, physical therapy and speech language pathology, were ranked in the top in the state and nation in the latest U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. 

A total of 10 graduate programs, spanning numerous academic colleges, were recognized in the U.S. News’ 2024-2025 rankings list. The audiology program tied at #38, the physical therapy program tied at #53 and the speech language pathology program tied at #59.

“We are proud to have so many incredible graduate programs recognized by U.S. News and World Report,” President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said. “OHIO’s graduate programs provide educational, research and experiential learning opportunities that are both innovative and impactful to the communities and world around us. Students who graduate from these programs go on to accomplish remarkable things.” 

In addition, OHIO’s public affairs program was also ranked at #65 and OHIO’s Graduate Business Programs were ranked second in Ohio out of public institutions and tied within the #115-124 range in the nati on.  

Recently, OHIO’s online Master’s in Business programs were tied at #97 and online MBA programs tied for #193 in U.S. News and World Report’s latest online rankin gs.  

OHIO’s complete national and state rankings include:

• Best Health Graduate Programs –  Audiology (College of Health Sciences and Professions): tied at #38, third in Ohio
• Best Health Graduate Programs –  Physical Therapy (College of Health Sciences and Professions): tied at #53, third in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best Health Graduate Programs –  Speech Language Pathology (College of Health Sciences and Professions): tied at #59, fourth in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best Public  Affairs Programs (Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs): tied at #65, third in Ohio
• Best  Public Health Programs (College of Health Sciences and Professions): tied at #115, third in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best  Business School Programs (College of Business): tied at #115-124, second in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best  Social Work Programs (College of Health Sciences and Professions): tied at #120, second in Ohio out of public institutions 
• Best  Computer Science Programs (Russ College of Engineering and Technology): tied at #132, third in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best  Education Programs (Patton College of Education): tied at #140; fifth in Ohio out of public institutions
• Best  Part-time MBA Programs (College of Business): #183; fifth in Ohio out of public institu tions  

The complete U.S. News & World Report graduate program rankings can be found on their  website .

The rankings for Best Medical School, Clinical Psychology and Engineering being will be released at a later date.