Orientation Information
Congratulations on your admission to Ohio University! We look forward to welcoming you as you start your journey as a Bobcat. Please look over the following information for details about arrivals and orientation. If you have any questions, please email us at iso@ohio.edu.
Orientation | Pre-Arrival Communication | Transportation | Housing | Immigration Check-In | Immigration Documents | What Next
Orientation
Schedule
Pre-Arrival Virtual Sessions and PDFs
1. Cost of Living in Athens - June 13, 2023
Presentation PDF // Session Recording
2. Finding Housing in Athens, Ohio - June 15, 2023
Presentation PDF // Session Recording
3. Prepping for Your Visa Interview - June 16, 2023
Session Recording
4. Graduate Assistantships - The ins and outs - June 20, 2023
Presentation PDF // Session Recording
5. Medical Care in the United States - June 22, 2023
Presentation PDF // Session Recording
Transportation
Getting to the State of Ohio
Your final flight destination should be to John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. The airport code is CMH. Learn more about John Glenn International Airport.
Getting to Ohio University
You can travel to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with GoBus, a public bus service that offers three daily trips to the Ohio University campus. Please carefully read the bus schedule to confirm that a GoBus departure from John Glenn International Airport is available close to your expected arrival time. You may be unable to pre-book depending on the type of bank or credit card you have. If you are unable to pre-book, please plan on paying with U.S. currency and you may need exact change. Please note that you should plan to debark from the GoBus at the Baker University Center stop. If your arrival is after the last GoBus trip for the day, you should plan for a hotel stay in Columbus, Ohio for the night. There are taxis and a university shuttle as travel options, however those may cost in excess of $120 per trip. If you are staying off-campus, you may need to call a taxi to take you from the GoBus Baker University Center bus stop to your final destination. If you or your family is driving to the Ohio University campus, please see our driving directions.
Housing
As a student at Ohio University, there are two options for housing: on-campus housing or off-campus housing. On-campus housing is required for incoming first and second year undergraduate students. Third- and fourth-year undergraduates and graduate students will likely live off-campus.
On-Campus Housing
On-campus housing is also referred to as residence halls. Residence halls are a great place to make new friends. OHIO's residence halls are furnished with basic amenities which include a bed, desk, chair, and closet. Students will share rooms, bathrooms, and public spaces in residence halls. Most dorms are co-ed, meaning that both men and women will live in the same building.
For students living off-campus, we recommend that you begin looking for housing before your arrival in Athens. To begin researching your options, view our off-campus housing web page or check out our Off-Campus Housing Map. If you have any questions about off-campus housing, please contact us at iso@ohio.edu.
Temporary Housing
On- Campus
Because you must arrive at OHIO for International Student Orientation before the start of the fall semester, temporary housing is available on-campus as early as August 1, 2023. Temporary housing will be available from August 1 at 9:00AM until August 15 at 12:00PM.
Any student in temporary housing continuing with us for fall semester will move on August 14 to their fall assignment space, and those not residing on campus will have to checkout by 12:00 p.m. noon on August 15 so we are able to turn the rooms for early arrival and traditional move in.
The application for newly arriving international students will open up July 1 at 9:00AM on their Housing Self-Service page (www.ohio.edu/myhousing).
Temporary on-campus housing costs $30 per day or $125 per week. If you would like more information or have specific on-campus housing questions, please email housing@ohio.edu.
If you are an off-campus student who needs temporary housing beyond August 15, 2023, consider reserving a room in an Athens hotel.
Off-Campus
If you are unable to find on campus options or have family with you, you may wish to reserve a room in an Athens hotel. (ISSS does not endorse any hotel listed in the table.)
|
Hotel |
Distance from Campus |
Transportation Options |
|
.6 miles / .97 km |
Walking/City Bus |
|
|
.6 miles / .97 km |
Walking/City Bus |
|
|
1.2 miles / 1.93 km |
Walking / City Bus / Biking |
|
|
1.5 miles / 2.41 km |
Hotel Shuttle / City Bus / Biking / Walking |
|
|
1.7 miles / 2.74 km |
Car |
|
|
2.1 miles / 3.38 km |
City Bus / Biking / Walking |
|
|
2.4 miles / 3.86 km |
City Bus / Biking / Walking |
|
|
2.5 miles / 4.02 km |
City Bus / Biking |
|
|
3.7 miles / 5.95 km |
Car / City Bus/ Biking |
Immigration Check-in
The Immigration Check-in should only be completed by students who are physically inside of the U.S. Once you have entered the country, please log into iCats.ohio.edu. Under the gray “Requests” banner click on the entry that starts with “Admitted Fall…”. Complete and submit the “Confirm Arrival” eform. In order to complete this check-in you will need to have the following items available:
- The date you entered the U.S.
- An email and phone number for your emergency contact person
- A copy of your passport ID page
- A copy of your visa stamp (unless you are a citizen of Canada)
This step must be completed before International Student and Scholar Services can report your arrival to the U.S. Government
Still Awaiting your Immigration Documents?
Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) students who have not yet received their I-20 or DS-2019 will need to contact OPIE admissions at 740-593-4575 or opie@ohio.edu.
Undergraduate Students who have not yet received their I-20 or DS-2019 will need to contact undergraduate admissions at 740-593-4100 or admissions@ohio.edu.
Graduate Students who have not yet received their I-20 or DS-2019 will need to contact graduate admissions at 740-593-2800 or graduate@ohio.edu.
Please complete all missing paperwork prior to arriving at Ohio University.
Not Sure What To Do Next?
Undergraduate Students - For a step-by-step guide to completing necessary information to prepare for your arrival, please visit Undergraduate Admissions. You will find the information on activating your OHIO ID and email, housing, health insurance, and more here.
Graduate Students - For more information on what it is like to study at Ohio University as an international graduate student, please visit Graduate College.