Ohio University campus
Athens, United States
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Ohio University

Athens·university

#801

QS Rank

73%

Acceptance rate

$25,796

Tuition/yr

30,000

Enrollment

18:1

Student:Faculty

About Ohio University

Public research university in Ohio. Strong engineering, business, and education programs.

Ohio University was chartered in 1804, making it the oldest university established by federal legislation in the United States under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The public research university is based in Athens, Ohio, and offers more than 250 academic programs to approximately 16,500 undergraduates on its main campus, with additional regional campuses and online options bringing total enrollment to over 29,000 students across all formats.

The university is particularly well-regarded for its E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, whose alumni and faculty have won or shared in at least 60 Pulitzer Prizes. Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology, College of Health Sciences and Professions (which houses one of the top-10 largest Schools of Nursing in the country), and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine are also notable. The student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1 across more than 900 full-time Athens faculty.

Athens, a mid-sized college town in southeastern Ohio, has been ranked the best college town in the state. The campus sits in a region of wooded hills adjacent to Wayne National Forest, roughly 75 miles southeast of Columbus. Ohio University has been rated the #1 Best Value Public University in Ohio by U.S. News and World Report for six consecutive years.

World University Rankings

QS World University Rankings (2026)#801
Times Higher Education (THE) (2025)#801
US News Best Global Universities (2025)#229

Campus & Location

Province

OH

Campus setting

Suburban

Cost of living: Housing: USD 900–2,500/mo | Food: USD 380–650/mo | Costs vary widely by city.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.

For Nepali students

  • Ohio University has a documented history of supporting Nepali students: the Vishwa S. Shukla Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to Nepalese students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, named after a late OHIO economics professor who mentored Nepali students.
  • International undergraduate tuition and fees for 2025-26 are approximately $25,796 per year, with an estimated total cost of attendance (including housing, meals, and health insurance) of around $44,794, placing OHIO in a more affordable tier compared to flagship state universities in larger US cities.
  • Merit scholarships are available to international students who gain direct admission, providing partial fee relief beyond the Shukla scholarship. After graduation, international students in STEM and other qualifying fields are eligible for OPT (up to 12 months) and STEM OPT extension (up to 36 months total) for US work experience.
  • The Scripps School of Journalism and the College of Business are strong draws for Nepali students interested in media or management careers with global exposure, and Ohio University's location in a smaller college town can mean lower living costs and a closer-knit international student community compared to larger urban campuses.

Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents

A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:

GPA 3.060%+ in NEB +2, B+ average in Cambridge A-levels, or Second Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.370%+ in NEB +2 or First Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.675%+ in NEB +2 or First Division with Distinction in a TU bachelor's degree.
IELTS 6.5The most common graduate minimum — achievable with 2–3 months of focused preparation. IELTS 7.0+ needed for the most competitive programs.

Use our GPA converter to translate your exact score to the 4.0 scale.

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Data last verified: 2026-06-18 · Source: https://www.ohio.edu. Information may change — verify with Ohio University’s official website before applying.