Diversity in Graduate Studies

Arts and Sciences works in partnership with departments, research centers and other campus units to ensure a supportive and thriving intellectual environment for diverse populations of students as they pursue advanced degrees. 

For more information about Arts and Sciences graduate diversity services, contact Brian Orefice, assistant dean for graduate studies, orefice.1@osu.edu.

Resources and Support

Big Ten Academic Alliance Fee App Program

The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) FreeApp program offers you the opportunity to apply to graduate programs at The Ohio State University for free.

By using the BTAA FreeApp program, you can request an application fee waiver (a savings of $40) and apply to one of the Master of Fine Arts or doctoral programs offered in the 39 academic units in Arts and Sciences at no cost.

To be eligible for a FreeApp Waiver, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a member of a population underrepresented in graduate education
  • Apply for admission to a MFA or PhD program
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Complete a bachelor’s degree by the August preceding enrollment in the graduate program
  • Must intend to pursue an academic and/or research career

Priority Deadline: Submit online request by ______

For more information, visit the BTAA FreeApp program page.

McNair Scholars

McNair Scholars are eligible for application fee waivers. Applicants should note their participation in the McNair program on the Ohio State 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 graduate admission application and follow the instructions for verification.

The College of Arts and Sciences actively recruits students that have been admitted from the National GEM Consortium database. Students that have a background that is historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native American) and plan to pursue a degree in one of those fields should consider applying to the GEM program.

The SROP Graduate School Fellowship program supports the recruitment and retention of this talented group of students to Ohio State doctoral programs. It is designed as a partnership between the Graduate School and the admitting graduate program.

The Graduate Enrichment Fellowship Program recruits diverse individuals to the Graduate School. These fellowships provide a monthly stipend, academic tuition and fees, and a subsidy of 85 percent of the student health insurance premiums. These fellowships are nonrenewable and are restricted to U.S. citizens.

For more funding opportunities, visit the Ohio State Graduate School's funding information.

The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at Ohio State is designed to help historically underrepresented students explore opportunities for graduate study and academic careers. Over the course of nine weeks during the summer, Ohio State SROP participants will conduct research with a faculty mentor on a topic of mutual interest, and participate in activities crucial to preparation for graduate school, including a professional development series. At the end of the summer program, participants present their research at the Research Symposium to faculty, staff and summer scholars.

For students considering graduate studies at The Ohio State University, the Graduate/Professional Students Recruitment Initiative (GPS) serves as the premier diversity recruitment program. GPS plays an integral role in contributing to the ethnic, cultural and academic diversity within Ohio State's Graduate School and Professional College programs. The Graduate and Professional Student Recruitment Initiative (GPS) is hosted and coordinated out of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in collaboration with The Graduate School and academic units (including Professional colleges).

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion offers several programs for current graduate students including the Dissertation Boot Camp, the Preparing for the Professoriate Retreat, the Leadership Initiatives for Women of Color (LIWOC) and the Bell Fellows Program.

Multicultural Graduate Student Organizations

The purpose of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Caucus at The Ohio State University is to promote academic, cultural, service and social programs for the university community, the Black community, and for Black graduate and professional students in particular.

The caucus also provides a forum in which the Black graduate and professional student body may present, discuss and act upon issues relative to its role in the academic and non-academic aspects of the university community.

For more information, visit us online or send an email.

The Black MBA Association focuses on the needs of African American students in graduate business programs.

Providing support and awareness of issues related to the African American culture, fostering success within a business environment.

For more information, email us or visit us online.

The Fisher Indian Student Association strives to provide a platform for continuous dialogue and interaction amongst members with a goal of improving student life and enabling career opportunities for the students.

For more information, visit our Facebook page.

The purpose of FIGSA is to develop in its members an understanding of the organization and functioning of the Department of French and Italian, to meet the every-day concerns of graduate students in their work as students and as graduate teaching or research assistants, to ensure the fair treatment of its members in the department, to ensure adequate representation of graduate students in department governance, to promote career development of the graduate students and to provide a forum for intellectual and social exchange among them.

For more information, send us an email.

Latino Health Corps is an interprofessional health science student organization dedicated to improving the health of Latino communities in Ohio and beyond through service.

For more information, visit our Facebook page.

The mission of Multicultural Public Health Student Association is to bring public health students together to create an environment in which everyone has the ability to experience, learn and embrace a tangible meaning of diversity.

For more information, email us or visit us online.

NOBCChE at The Ohio State University is committed to the discovery, transmittal and application of knowledge in the fields of science and engineering.

The mission of NOBCChE therefore is to build an eminent community of scientists and engineers by increasing the number and retention rates of minorities in these fields on the Ohio State campus.

NOBCChE will achieve its mission through diverse programs designed to foster professional and social development and encourage students to pursue careers in science and technical fields.

Also NOBCChE is focused on helping to create a conducive atmosphere for minority students to prosper.

To this end, NOBCChE will establish educational partnerships with other organizations on campus, municipalities, businesses, industries, other institutions and organizations in the public and private sectors.

For more information, visit us online.

Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists — from college students to professionals — to attain advanced degrees, careers and positions of leadership in science.

For more information, please visit us online.

The South Asia Graduate Study Association aims to foster an intellectual space for graduate students working on South Asia to discuss their research, coursework and writing.

Likewise, we aim to further the awareness of the academic study of South Asia on campus through supporting academic events and lecturers that align closely align with our interests.

For more information, please visit us online.

The purpose of the Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Student Organization is to provide a higher level of Spanish and Portuguese culture, history and art awareness at the university as well as to improve and foster more student participation in our annual conference held at The Ohio State University.

For more information, visit us online.

The purpose of the Taiwanese Student Association is to maintain and improve the well-being of Taiwanese students at The Ohio State University.

For more information, please email us or visit us online.

The goals of the Thai Student Association are to organize social activities among its members and others who are interested in Thai cultures, to advocate its members to promote Thai cultures, to aid Thai students and personnel who study and/or work in the state of Ohio, and to seek the exchange idea and information between Thais in the state of Ohio and in other states.

For more information, please visit us online.

The purpose of the Turkish Students’ Association is to represent The Republic of Turkey through social and cultural activities, to establish a cultural exchange between Turkish students and students of other nationalities, to celebrate the anniversary of Oct. 29, The Republic Day; and to commemorate Ataturk, the founder of The Republic of Turkey every year on the 10th day of November, and to maintain unity among Turkish students and to encourage cooperation with similar student associations.

For more information, email us or visit us online.

Voices of the Black Academy (VBA) is an organization composed of undergraduate, graduate and professional students with a mission to promote academic scholarship and critical research on Africa and the African diaspora.

VBA also seeks to promote the uplift of and activism within black communities as well as foster relationships within the black academy. For more information, please send us an email or visit us online.