Ohio State University-Main Campus application deadlines for Fall 2027
Columbus, OH
Ohio State University-Main Campus's next deadline is Ohio State merit scholarship consideration deadline (apply Early Action) on November 1, 2026. All 6 dates are checked against Ohio State University-Main Campus's own pages, and each one links to the page it came from. The financial aid deadline is often weeks before the application deadline, so check both.
- Cost of attendance
- $64,990
- published for 2026‑27
- Admitted
- 61%
- of applicants
- Typical SAT
- 1345
- midpoint of admitted students
- Undergraduates
- 45,638
What families actually pay
Average paid after grants and scholarships, by family income. The full bar is the sticker price.
- Under $30k$4,885
- $30k – 48k$5,751
- $48k – 75k$9,807
- $75k – 110k$20,461
- $110k and up$27,359
U.S. Department of Education figures for 2024‑25. An average, not a quote: what you pay depends on your own aid offer.
Admission and enrolment figures are the U.S. Department of Education's for 2024‑25. Confirm anything you are deciding on with the school.
- Scholarshipsin about a month
Ohio State merit scholarship consideration deadline (apply Early Action)
Ohio State doesn't have a separate merit scholarship application for its big awards. Instead, you're only considered for them if your complete application arrives by the November 1, 2026 Early Action deadline. That gate covers University merit scholarships, the Morrill Scholarship Program, the President's Ohio Scholarship Program and the Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program. Treat November 1 as your real deadline even if you feel ready to wait.
If you miss it: If your application arrives after November 1 you are simply not reviewed for Ohio State's University merit scholarships or its named scholarship programs, no matter how strong your file is. For an out-of-state student facing a roughly $65,000 sticker price, that is potentially tens of thousands of dollars a year gone with no appeal.
- Early Actionin about a month
Ohio State Early Action application deadline (Columbus campus)
This is Ohio State's nonbinding Early Action deadline for autumn 2027, and it's the one you should aim for. Your complete Common Application, the fee or fee waiver, transcripts and test scores all have to be in by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 1, 2026. Nonbinding means you can still say no if you're admitted, so there's essentially no downside to applying by this date. Ohio State still requires an ACT or SAT score, so plan to test by October 3 for the SAT or October 17 for the ACT.
If you miss it: Miss this and you drop into Regular Decision, which cuts you out of consideration for University merit scholarships, the Morrill Scholarship Program, the President's Ohio Scholarship Program, Stamps Eminence, Honors and Scholars, College of Engineering majors, and the College of Nursing Direct Admission Program. Those are worth real money and cannot be recovered later.
- Regular Decisionin about 4 months
Ohio State Regular Decision application deadline (Columbus campus)
This is the final deadline to apply to Ohio State's Columbus campus for autumn 2027. Everything has to be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on January 15, 2027, including your Common App, application fee or waiver, transcript with senior year courses, and official ACT or SAT scores. If you apply by this date you'll get your admission decision on March 5.
If you miss it: Apply after January 15 and you won't be considered for autumn 2027 at the Columbus campus at all. There's no late or rolling round for first-year Columbus applicants.
- Financial aidin about 4 months
Ohio State FAFSA financial aid priority date
February 1 is Ohio State's priority date for financial aid, and it comes well after you apply but still matters a lot. File the FAFSA with Ohio State's school code 003090 by then to get maximum consideration for grants, need-based aid and Federal Work-Study. Note that the FAFSA opens December 1 for this cycle, so you have about two months. You can still file after February 1, but you'll be considered for whatever is left rather than the full pool.
If you miss it: Filing late doesn't disqualify you from federal aid, but Ohio State explicitly says filing before the priority date gives you maximum aid consideration. Limited-pool institutional grants and Federal Work-Study can be exhausted, so a late FAFSA can quietly cost you thousands in aid you would otherwise have received.
- Scholarshipsin about 4 months
Ohio State Scholarship Universe priority date (institutional scholarships)
Scholarship Universe is Ohio State's matching tool for hundreds of special-eligibility scholarships from the university plus more than 12,000 outside sources. It's separate from your admission application, so nobody enters you automatically. Build your profile and submit your matched applications by the February 1 priority date. This is the step most students skip, which is exactly why it's worth doing.
If you miss it: Miss the priority date and you fall outside the main award cycle for most institutional scholarships distributed through Scholarship Universe. These are awards you can only get by applying, so skipping it means leaving money on the table that had your name on it.
- Depositin about 7 months
Ohio State acceptance fee (enrollment deposit) deadline
Once you're admitted for autumn 2027, you lock in your spot by paying a $100 nonrefundable acceptance fee by May 1, 2027. You pay it through your Applicant Center or by following the directions in your notice of admission. This is the national candidates' reply date, so you can hold your Ohio State offer while you compare other schools right up until then.
If you miss it: If you don't pay by May 1 you aren't enrolled, and Ohio State can release your place to someone else. You'd also lose your position in housing and orientation scheduling, which are tied to being a confirmed student.
Last checked against Ohio State University-Main Campus's own pages on . We re-read every source page weekly, and a date that stops appearing on it is pulled from this list rather than left standing.
Common questions about Ohio State University-Main Campus
When is the Ohio State University-Main Campus application deadline for Fall 2027?
January 15, 2027, for Ohio State Regular Decision application deadline (Columbus campus). Apply after January 15 and you won't be considered for autumn 2027 at the Columbus campus at all.
When is Ohio State University-Main Campus's Ohio State merit scholarship consideration deadline (apply Early Action)?
November 1, 2026. If your application arrives after November 1 you are simply not reviewed for Ohio State's University merit scholarships or its named scholarship programs, no matter how strong your file is.
When is Ohio State University-Main Campus's Ohio State Early Action application deadline (Columbus campus)?
November 1, 2026. Miss this and you drop into Regular Decision, which cuts you out of consideration for University merit scholarships, the Morrill Scholarship Program, the President's Ohio Scholarship Program, Stamps Eminence, Honors and Scholars, College of Engineering majors, and the College of Nursing Direct Admission Program.
When is Ohio State University-Main Campus's Ohio State FAFSA financial aid priority date?
February 1, 2027. Filing late doesn't disqualify you from federal aid, but Ohio State explicitly says filing before the priority date gives you maximum aid consideration.
How much does Ohio State University-Main Campus cost?
About $34,142 a year in state and $64,990 out of state for 2026-27. That is the published sticker price, before any grants or scholarships.
How hard is it to get into Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Ohio State University-Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants, with a typical admitted SAT near 1345.
How many students go to Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Around 45,638 undergraduates.
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