The following information applies to the Master of Applied Statistics, MS in Statistics and PhD in Statistics programs. Information on our PhD in Biostatistics can be found on the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Biostatistics website.
If you are a current graduate student in another department at Ohio State and you want to pursue one of our graduate degrees simultaneously, see our dual degree page.
If you have been previously enrolled at Ohio State as a graduate student, you should follow the instructions below on how to apply with a few exceptions. You will not be required to pay an application fee. The Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions may have your previously sent test scores and transcripts depending on the timing of your application. To check with the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, you can contact their office at gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Admission Requirements
The following are the standard minimum requirements to be eligible for admission into any of our graduate programs though lower scores can be considered. Note that successful applicants typically have scores that meet or are higher than those required to be eligible for a University Fellowship or Graduate Enrichment Fellowship. Though fellowship eligibility requirements do include certain test scores, our admissions committee does take into consideration all submitted application materials. Our admission and funding decision is based on a holistic review of the application taking into consideration the applicant’s potential for success as well as the overall contribution that the applicant can bring to our program.We do not conduct pre-evaluations prior to seeing the fully submitted application. See our Frequently Asked Questions below for more information. The department receives approximately 300 applications a year and admits approximately 10% of the applications. Current student numbers can be seen on our Life at Ohio State page.
- four-year baccalaureate or higher degree (in any subject area) from an accredited college or university
- course work in multivariable calculus and linear algebra
- 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA (or equivalent on another scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate work
- GRE General Test (no minimum score requirement)
- 100 on the TOEFL iBT or equivalent IELTS or MET score (required of international applicants who do not meet exemption requirements listed below)
Application Deadline
Autumn 2024 Application Opens: September 1, 2023
Autumn 2024 Application Priority Deadline: December 15, 2023*
Autumn 2024 Application Final Deadline: February 1, 2024
*Complete applications received by the priority deadline December 15, 2023 will receive full consideration for funding, although applications received after December 15 will be reviewed based on space availability.
Note: The Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions recommends that you plan to take the GRE no later than six weeks prior to your application deadline to allow official test scores to arrive at the university by the deadline.
Note: Spring semester starts in January and autumn semester starts in August. See the academic calendar for details.
How to Apply
(See the Graduate School Application Instructions [pdf] for additional details).
- Online Application and Application Fee | Complete the online application and pay the application fee ($60 for U.S. students and $70 for international students).
- Personal Statement | Upload your personal statement to the online application.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae | Upload your resume/curriculum vitae to the online application.
- GRE | Request that ETS send official GRE General Test scores to The Ohio State University using our institution code 1592 (no department code). Photocopies of test scores are not accepted.
- English Proficiency Scores | If your native language is not English, you have been educated primarily outside of the United States, and you do not meet requirements for exemption, have official TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS scores sent directly from the testing agency to The Ohio State University using our institution code 1592 (no department code). See the FAQs below for details on exemptions.
- Letters of Recommendation | In the online application, list contact information for three recommenders. At least one letter should be from an academic reference.
- If you wish to use the online recommendation process, select that option. After you have submitted your online application, your recommenders will receive an email with a link to upload their letters. The link cannot be sent until you have an online application on file. We strongly recommend that you provide official institutional email addresses for your recommenders (e.g., @osu.edu address rather than a yahoo.com address). The online process is preferred.
- If you do not wish to use the online process, letters of recommendation must be sent directly from your recommender to our program office (address below). Paper letters must be written on recommenders' original letterhead stationery and each letter should be accompanied by a completed Reference Form [pdf].
Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Statistics
The Ohio State University
404 Cockins Hall
1958 Neil Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Transcripts | Upload one copy of your official transcripts to the online application. If you do not have a copy of your official transcript, have your institution send an electronic copy to gpadocs@osu.edu or have paper copies sent to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions (address below). See the Graduate School Application Instructions [pdf] for additional details.
- Advising reports or web printouts are NOT acceptable; they must be images of official transcripts (front and back)
- Make sure to mark out all U.S. social security numbers before scanning
- Even if transfer credit is listed on your final transcript, you must submit the transcript from each individual institution you attended for post-secondary coursework
- International credentials should include certified educational records and degree certificates or diplomas in the original language with English translations
- If you have not completed your degree yet, submit your transcript as it is currently
- If admitted, you will be required to submit final, official transcripts prior to the start of your term.
- If you attended Ohio State previously or if you currently attend Ohio State, you do not need to upload an Ohio State transcript, however, you are required to submit transcripts for credit earned at other institutions even if the credit was transferred to Ohio State. If you submitted non-Ohio State transcripts prior to submitting your admission application, you can contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadmissions@osu.edu to inquire whether these transcripts are available and valid to use for your application. Be sure to list Ohio State in the "Previous Education" section on the application.
Regular postal address for mailing within the U.S.
Graduate and Professional Admissions
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218
Express mail address for mailing from outside the U.S.
Graduate and Professional Admissions
Student Academic Services Building
281 W. Lane Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210 USA
- Note: To be considered for the Graduate Enrichment Fellowship program (see below for eligibility requirements), you will be asked to write a short essay in the online application. The following is the essay prompt: "please briefly describe how you would bring diversity to the Graduate School community. The Graduate School considers diversity to be a broadly defined concept. Examples include but are not limited to ethnic background, social or economic disadvantage, nominee status as a McNair Scholar, disability, or other characteristics or attributes that may contribute to the diversity of the Graduate School. (maximum 500 words)"
Monitor Your Application Status Online
Your initial status will first become available two to three days after we receive your application and you should monitor the status of your application at appstatus.osu.edu. First time applicants are sent an email assigning an Ohio State ID and username. Previous Ohio State students will use their regular Ohio State login. If you did not attach all documents to your application, you can use the Admissions Uploader to submit additional items. Note that this will add to your application and not replace previously uploaded documents. Updated transcripts should be sent to gpadocs@osu.edu or to the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office mailing address above. Test scores and transcripts typically take a couple of weeks to be processed. Note that during the months of December and January, we do receive an influx of applications and processing time may take longer. If your status shows missing letters of recommendation, you can manage your recommendations at go.osu.edu/lor.
Your status will say “pending” until a final decision has been made. In addition to the online status update, an email will be sent to the email address you provided in the online application. Note that our admissions committee does not review applications on a rolling basis. Decision notifications will begin going out in January and the majority of decisions are made in March and April.
If you have questions about your test scores, transcripts or filling out the online application, you can contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadmissions@osu.edu for more information.
If you have other questions about the admissions process, you can contact the Department of Statistics Graduate Program at gradinfo@stat.osu.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can My Application Fee Be Waived?
I Have Not Earned My Bachelor’s Degree Yet. Can I Still Apply?
My Undergraduate Major Was Not Statistics or Math. Can I Still Apply?
Are There Any Course Prerequisites to Be Eligible for Admission?
What Are the GPA, GRE, and English Requirements for Admission?
What Are the Requirements to Be Considered for funding?
Am I Required to Submit English Proficiency Scores?
Do You Accept WES Evaluations?
Am I Eligible for Admission with a Three Year Undergraduate Degree?
What Should Be in My Personal Statement?
Do I Need to Submit Financial Documents As Part of the Application?
I Don't Know If I Want a Master’s or PhD Degree. For Which Should I Apply?
Can I Edit My Application After I Have Submitted It?
I Can’t Log into My Application. How Can I Get Help?
Can My Application Fee Be Waived?
The department cannot waive the application fee, however, the following are ways that an application fee could potentially be obtained. U.S. appplicants may qualify for an application fee waiver based on your participation in any of the diversity initiatives through the Graduate School or through Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, or because of economic hardship. See the Graduate School Application Instructions and the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions website for additional details. The following are examples of ways that the application fee could be waived.
McNair Scholars: McNair Scholars are eligible for application fee waivers. Applicants should note their participation in the McNair program on the Ohio State online graduate admission application and follow the instructions for verification.
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) Scholars: SROP Scholars are eligible for application fee waivers. Applicants should note their participation in SROP at any CIC institution, including Ohio State’s SROP program, on the Ohio State online graduate admission application and follow the instructions for verification.
Big Ten Academic Alliance FreeApp: FreeApp is designed to increase access to graduate education for students who possess qualities and experiences that enhance the diversity of the intellectual, cultural and social environments at Big Ten Academic Alliance universities. Through this program, prospective students from underrepresented populations can request a graduate application fee waiver.
I Have Not Earned My Bachelor’s Degree Yet. Can I Still Apply?
If you will have earned your bachelor’s degree by the time you begin your graduate studies in our program, you are eligible to apply. For instance, if you will complete your coursework in May 2018, you can apply for our autumn 2018 admission term, which begins in August. Submit your current transcript when you apply. If admitted, you will be required to submit your final transcript with your final grades and earned degree by your first semester in our program.
My Undergraduate Major Was Not Statistics or Math. Can I Still Apply?
While an undergraduate degree in mathematics has been the traditional route to graduate work in statistics, it is not necessary. We are fortunate in having statistics graduate students from many undergraduate disciplines currently in the department. These include accounting, biology, business, computer science, economics, engineering, finance, genetics, management, medicine, psychology, music and even Latin! We find that this mix of students' backgrounds creates a great atmosphere in the department, and we believe that this is a real strength of the department. To be eligible for admission into any of our graduate programs, applicants must have at least a four-year baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university prior to beginning our program. The important features of your undergraduate education for our graduate programs will be a strong mathematics background that includes advanced math and good quantitative skills.
Are There Any Course Prerequisites to Be Eligible for Admission?
Required prerequisites include coursework in multivariable calculus and linear algebra equivalent to the Ohio State courses MATH 2153 (Calculus III) and MATH 2568 (Linear Algebra). Applicants must complete these prerequisites prior to beginning our program (not necessarily prior to application). For PhD applicants, additional background in mathematical analysis is highly desirable but not required.
What Are the GPA, GRE and English Requirements for Admission?
GPA: Ohio State requires a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA (or equilvalent on another scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate work for regular admission to graduate school. Note that undergraduate and graduate GPAs are calculated separately and each GPA is calculated from all credit earned at the corresponding level. When filling out the online application, applicants are asked to include a self-reported GPA. If your GPA is on a scale other than 4.0, please do not convert your self-reported GPA to a 4.0 scale, but rather list your GPA and the respective scale.
GRE: We require the GRE General Test; we do not require any of the GRE Subject Tests. We do not have a minimum score requirement for the GRE. GRE scores are valid for five years.
English: For international students who are required to submit English proficiency scores, we require at least a 600 on the paper-based TOEFL (100 on the iBT) or equivalent on the IELTS or MET. TOEFL scores are valid for two years. IELTS scores are valid for three years.
Note: When making Teaching Associateship offers, we typically look for TOEFL scores that are higher than these departmental minimums. Most successful applicants to our programs have GPA and GRE scores at least as high as those required for the University Fellowship competition as described below.
What Are the Requirements to Be Considered for Funding?
All applicants for admission are considered for funding through the department. Applicants do not apply separately to be considered for a fellowship or teaching associateship. Eligibility requirements are listed below, though, sometimes exceptions can be made for exceptional applicants.
The typical requirements for students to be nominated in the University Fellowship competition (and typical for admitted applicants) include the following:
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.6 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on another numerical scale, such as 4.5 on a 5.0 scale, 5.4 on a 6.0 scale, etc.); or First Class rank in a British-based grading system; or overall percentage of at least 88% for percentage graded systems.
- An average of at least the 75th percentile on the Verbal and Quantitative components of the GRE General Test and at least a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing component.
To be nominated in the Graduate Enrichment Fellowship competition, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- U.S. Citizen who demonstrates significant potential to contribute to the diversity of the Graduate School
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.1 on a 4.0 scale
- An average of at least the 40th percentile on the Verbal and Quantitative components of the GRE General Test and at least a 3.5 on the Analytical Writing component.
To be considered for a Teaching Associateship (TA), applicants must meet the following requirements:
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on another scale)
- A minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL or equivalent score on the IELTS or MELAB (for international applicants who are required to submit English proficiency scores for admission purposes)
Can the GRE Be Waived?
No. The GRE is required of all applicants and cannot be waived.
Am I Required to Submit English Proficiency Scores?
The university requires any applicant whose native language is not English, and who has been educated primarily outside of the U.S., to submit official TOEFL, MELAB or IELTS scores. Applicants who are citizens of, or who will have received a 4-year bachelor’s degree or higher prior to starting our program, in one of the following countries are exempt from the IELTS, TOEFL or MELAB requirement: Anguilla, United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, United Kingdom, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Quebec exceptions: McGill University and Concordia University, Cayman Islands United Kingdom,Dominica, England United Kingdom, Falkland Islands United Kingdom, Gibraltar United Kingdom, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Liberia, Montserrat West Indies, New Zealand, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Scotland United Kingdom, Tasmania, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Wales United Kingdom. Refugees, asylees, and permanent residents should contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions to determine if this is a requirement. If you have questions about this requirement, you can contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Do You Accept WES Evaluations?
We do not accept the evaluation portion of a WES document because our admissions office does our own evaluation of your GPA. If the WES package includes scans of the official documents, we will accept these as certified, official transcripts.
Am I Eligible for Admission with a Three Year Undergraduate Degree?
The minimum qualification for consideration for graduate admission is a bachelor’s degree requiring at least four years of university study. Three-year bachelor’s degree holders are not eligible to apply unless they have already completed a master’s degree program or a postgraduate diploma (PGD) program representing the completion of at least one year of postbachelor’s degree study. A three-year bachelor’s degree holder must provide proof of completion of a master’s degree or PGD program before an application can be processed. If you have questions about this requirement, you can contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Should I Seek Out an Advisor?
No. Unlike some other departments, we admit students to the statistics department to work in statistics, but not to work with a particular faculty member. Master’s students are typically advised by the Graduate Studies Chair. PhD students, together with faculty members, decide who will be their PhD dissertation advisor(s) and committee members, typically in their third year of the program.
What Should Be in My Personal Statement?
The personal statement should describe why you want to study statistics and what you plan to do with your degree. The statement is used by us and, for the fellowship candidates, by the university committee to assess the applicant’s interest in statistics, motivation to obtain a graduate degree, and potential alignment with our program goals. The statement is extremely important in the fellowship competition and often makes or breaks the case for a fellowship candidate.
Do I Need to Submit Financial Documents As Part of the Application?
Any international applicant who is admitted and not offered full funding must submit documents to prove that you have sufficient financial resources to fund your academic program. If admitted, you will be sent additional information regarding the financial review. Financial documents are not required until after you have accepted your admission. Domestic applicants are not required to complete a financial review. Additional information can be found on the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions website.
I Don't Know If I Want an MS or PhD Degree. For Which Should I Apply?
It is better if you apply for the PhD degree if you are undecided. One real advantage of our degree programs is the ease of switching among them in the first year of the program. Many of the required first-year classes for the MS in Statistics, PhD in Statistics, and PhD in Biostatistics degrees are the same or similar.
Can I Edit My Application After I Have Submitted It?
If you need to correct any information you filled out in the online application, you can contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadmissions@osu.edu with the updates. If you would like to update your personal statement or your CV, you can upload them via the Admissions Uploader. Updated transcripts can be sent to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gpadocs@osu.edu.
I Can’t Log into My Application. How Can I Get Help?
If you do not remember your ID, Username, or password, help is available at my.osu.edu. If you need assistance, please visit ocio.osu.edu/help; or, contact the IT Service Desk by e-mail at 8help@osu.edu or calling (614) 688-HELP (4357).
I Want to Earn a Master’s Degree in Statistics While I Work Simultaneously on Another Graduate Degree at Ohio State. What Do I Need to Do?
See our dual degree page for details.
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