Admission information for DACA/undocumented applicants

Source: https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/information-for-daca Parent: https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/freshmen-columbus/after-you-are-admitted

Admission information for DACA/undocumented applicants

Information last updated July 2025

The information on this page applies to you if you've been approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Ohio State supports our DACA students unequivocally, and we are committed to your success.

Applying

You'll follow the same steps as other applicants, but there are a few things to be aware of. (If you are an undocumented applicant, email int.undergrad@osu.edu for more information about how to submit an application.)

You should apply as an international student. Determine if you are applying as an international first-year applicant (you have taken no college courses after graduating from high school) or an international transfer applicant (you have taken college courses after high school; dual enrollment credit earned through high school does not apply), then follow the step-by-step admission instructions for that student type.
You may be eligible for an application fee waiver if you meet one of the criteria.
Have ACT or SAT scores sent to Ohio State directly from the testing agency.
Freshman applicants: Students who finished high school two or more years prior to their intended term of enrollment are not required to submit an ACT or SAT score.
Transfer student applicants: If you have earned ANY post-high school college credit, you do not need to submit an ACT or SAT score.
Some undergraduate programs at Ohio State have competitive criteria for direct enrollment into the college or major, and students may be admitted to the university without being enrolled in a specific academic program. Learn more about enrollment criteria for first-year students or enrollment criteria for transfer students. \
If there are items on your application checklist that you're unsure about, contact us at int.undergrad@osu.edu, and be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student.\

Application tips

First-year applicants

International freshman applicants complete the Common Application, an application platform offered by over 1,000 colleges and universities worldwide.
Complete the citizenship questions on the Common Application to the best of your ability. Be sure to accurately list your country of citizenship and place of birth.
The Ohio State supplement to the Common Application will ask if you are an international student — be sure to mark "No."
The Ohio State supplement to the Common Application will ask if you are a DACA student — be sure to mark "Yes."

Transfer applicants

International transfer applicants use an Ohio State-specific application. \
The following citizenship questions are asked of you:
Country of Citizenship: Make sure you accurately list your country of citizenship. Do not select the United States since, as a DACA recipient, you are not a U.S. citizen.
Country of Birth: List the country where you were born. \
City of Birth: List the city where you were born. If you're unsure, list the capital city of the country where you were born. \
Under Citizenship Status select “None of the above.” This will trigger another question to appear. From that menu, select the option that applies to you: “I currently have DACA status” or “I am currently in the process of receiving DACA status" or "None of the above."
Under the Address Outside the USA section, select "No" to requesting a I-20 or DS-2019. Leave the country blank. \
Answer all other questions to the best of your ability.
Even if you've earned more than 30 hours of post-secondary work after you graduated from high school, you should submit your high school transcript.

Other requirements

Your application may be flagged for proof of English language proficiency. After you have submitted your high school transcript (yes, even transfer students should submit their high school transcript), if the requirement is still on your checklist, contact us at int.undergrad@osu.edu to have it removed (be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student). \
If you're asked to submit a bank statement, Visa Request Form or passport, please contact us at int.undergrad@osu.edu so we can get these documents waived (be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student).

Residency and eligibility for financial aid

If you have current or pending DACA status and you grew up in Ohio, you may be eligible for Ohio residency.

Eligibility for in-state tuition\ If you apply using the instructions above under Applying, we'll automatically send your file to our residency office to be reviewed for residency. You will also be directed to submit your I-797 notice of DACA application or approval. If you meet the criteria, the residency office will designate you as a "resident for tuition purposes." \
Submitting your residency documents\ It is very important that you submit your high school transcript, even if you are a transfer applicant. This is one of the documents used to determine Ohio residency. If you are admitted, you will be asked to upload your I-797 notice of DACA application or approval. \
*Eligibility* for merit scholarships \ At this time, merit scholarships are only for freshman applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.\
*Eligibility* for Pell Grant and associated programs at Ohio State \ The Pell Grant is federal financial aid that is awarded to eligible U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Regional campuses

If you're designated as an Ohio resident for tuition purposes, you may be eligible to be considered for a regional campus.

First-year applicants

If you'd like to be considered for admission to a regional campus, follow the guidelines under Applying above. Note that your application will be for the Columbus campus.

Once you've applied, you have two options:

Contact us after you've applied: After receiving confirmation that your application has been received, contact us at int.undergrad@osu.edu and request that your application be switched to a regional campus (be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student). At this time, we may request residency information in order to make the switch.
Contact us after you receive your admission decision: No matter what decision you received, contact us at int.undergrad@osu.edu to let us know you wish to be considered for a regional campus. Be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student.

Transfer applicants

When you submit your application to transfer to Ohio State, you will need to select the Columbus campus. If you would prefer a different campus, please contact us at 614-292-3980 or int.undergrad@osu.edu after you submit your application (be sure to identify yourself as a DACA student). Note that as a transfer applicant, denial to one campus precludes you from being considered for another campus.

Resources

Whether you have questions or want to explore, you may find the following resources helpful: