Take your next steps!

New students who don’t already have their username and password must complete this step. You will receive an email from the university once your identity is created. At that time, follow the directions below to set up your account.

To activate your Ohio State Username:

1. Visit my.osu.edu
2. Select the Activate Now button
3. Follow the instructions to activate your Ohio State Username (last name.#)

All students are required to use BuckeyePass (Duo Mobile) as a two-factor authentication tool in order to access BuckeyeLink, BuckeyeMail and Carmen Canvas. This should be done using the student’s personal device and not a parent or guardian’s device.

Red button – Join BuckeyePass

Confirm your enrollment by paying your nonrefundable $100 acceptance fee as soon as you decide. If you complete this step by May 1 before your Autumn semester, you are eligible for early orientation, which means you have access to the most classes in your first semester.

From now on, important business communications from Ohio State — like your financial aid offer and housing contract — will be emailed to your BuckeyeMail account. Check your email several times a week until school begins, and then daily.

If you already activated your username and created a password (you may have done this as an applicant in order to check your application status), your final step is to set up your BuckeyeMail account. Do not forward anything to a personal email account, you will miss out on most information. 

1. Log in to my.osu.edu.
2. On the left side of the page, click Change Email Delivery.
3. Select Create my BuckeyeMail account and submit.

Review your “To Do List” on My Buckeye Link for specific items you need to complete throughout the admissions process. Check this frequently as items on your “To Do List” will be added each week.

Financial aid awards for autumn semester roll out starting in early spring and continue as admissions decisions are made. 

• Check your BuckeyeMail (link) account for your aid notification email and follow the instructions to view your package.
• Pay attention to deadlines, especially for financial aid verification. You may not receive financial aid if you have missed a deadline.

To apply for financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA, a federal form that determines need-based aid. Spring and summer admitted students must complete the FAFSA for the current academic year, as well as the upcoming academic year. Call our Office of Student Life at (419) 755-4317 to set up an appointment with our Financial Aid Specialist for help with applying for aid.

Graduating high school seniors should follow-up with their counselors to ensure final transcripts will be sent to the university they are attending. Students with CCP or transfer students with credit must request transcripts be sent as well. Regardless of campus, send transcripts electronically to gpadocs@osu.edu. We cannot consider transcripts sent via mail, emailed to any other inbox or delivered in-person to be official.

Official test scores from the ACT/SAT are optional for regional campuses. Some scholarships may require the information and certain scores may award you credit in a general education course. It is entirely up to the student if they would like to submit scores.

Orientation and enrollment information for Autumn 2025 students is not yet available. Be on the lookout for To-Do list reminders from us in mid-April 2025 with information on how to register. Students beginning in the spring or summer semesters will be contacted directly. 

ScholarshipUniverse is a single, secure and easy-to-use source for Ohio State scholarships and thousands of other opportunities. Applications will open December 1, every year, but scholarships will have various deadlines. Keep in mind that some scholarships are campus-specific (only Mansfield student may receive Mansfield campus scholarships) and others are university-wide and campus of attendance will not matter.

Living on campus or in off-campus housing is optional. Students will receive a link to the housing contract to their BuckeyeMail once they are admitted usually beginning in mid-March for autumn students and late-October for spring students. 

You may use Transferology.com to review what courses will transfer between different institutions. Some questions about transfer credit may require an advisor’s answer. 

As required by law, males must register for Selective Service at the age of 18 year old. Failure to register will result in the student begin charged out-of-state tuition costs.

Once you have your courses scheduled you may start ordering textbooks and materials. Information can be found through course syllabi on Carmen, your professor may email you in the weeks leading up to the first day of class, or through our campus bookstore website.

Get tech ready by referring to the recommended minimum requirements updated by our Office of Technology and Digital Innovation or explore the tech loan program.