International Student Life at OHIO

International Student Shuttle at Ohio University

Many roads lead to Athens. Join "Zak" in welcoming International students bound to Ohio University at the Port Columbus Airport! The shuttle service provides transportation to and from the airport at the beginning of each quarter for a minimal charge.

International Week

Every year, Ohio University holds International Student Week to educate and celebrate the international students at or interested in Ohio University. This years theme is Building a Legacy Peace by Piece . It is from May 15th-May 22nd 2011. The week is filled with special events (including a "Word Cup" Soccer tournament), performances, guest speakers and then wraps up with the International Street Fair. The fair is a day-long, community-wide celebration of international food, culture and arts.

Your 'Home Away from Home'

Ohio University has a long history as a global community, and embraces students from more than 100 countries. International students are an essential part of OU's identity, and your presence and contributions will be valued in the classroom and on campus. You will also have unique opportunities to make life-long friendships with students and faculty from around the globe.
The University provides various support services to assist you in achieving your educational goals and objectives. Numerous active international student organizations sponsor cultural events and activities for the campus and community, allowing you to share your culture and traditions.

Ohio University is a special place-exceptional opportunities, academics, environment and people-the ideal place to pursue a graduate degree-the ideal place for you

"Studying at OHIO afforded me the opportunity to meet and interact with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. It opened me up to ideas and perspectives I wasn't aware existed before this experience."-Kwabena Owusu-Kwarteng, Business, Ghana

Life at Ohio

Caring and Personal Atmosphere

Ohio University combines all the advantages of a major university with the appeal of a caring and personal atmosphere. If there ever was a college town, Athens is it. The university's intellectual and cultural environment blends well with Athens' lively small-town atmosphere to create a setting where students enjoy a quality of life that is difficult to match.

Residential Campus

Ohio University is a residential campus which serves as the center for the University's academic, social, cultural, and recreational activities. The vast majority of students live on or near campus. All first- and second-year students live in one of the university's 42 residence halls. Ninety percent of all students living in the residence halls stay on campus over the weekend. With classes, friends, and academic resources all within walking distance, Ohio University is sure to become your home away from home.

Residence Halls

The residence hall is not just a place to sleep at night. It is a great place to make friends, find study partners, and become part of a close living-learning community. Residential facilities have both freshman and upperclass halls. Most are coed. Students have the opportunity, upon completing a housing contract, to indicate their preference of room size and location. A variety of living environments are available to choose from, including academic emphasis and substance-free halls. You can even arrange to room with a friend.

Resident assistants (RAs) staff each residential hall. RAs oversee floor sections of about 25 students and exist as an important resource to residents. The residential housing staff is committed to students' academic and social success.

Dining Halls

Students with meal plans may access any of the four operating dining halls on campus with a valid student I.D. card. First-year and second-year students choose one of the following five meal plans to meet their needs: Flex 20, Flex 14, Traditional 20, Traditional 14, and Traditional 10 (not available for first year students). Students who have completed the two residential requirement, including those who live off-campus, have additional flexible meal plan options, including the Destination Dining, Block 20, and Block 10 Plus plans. Each dining hall offers a variety of food options including salad, wok, waffle, pasta, and potato bars. Three main courses, of which one is vegetarian, a fast-food line, and desserts are available at each meal.

Other dining venues include grab-and-go options, the West 82 food court in Baker Center, Cafe Bibliotech in Alden Library, and the Atrium Cafe in Grover Center. OHIO students find quick, easy access for meals, snacks, and late night meals. Students with special diet needs may contact our Assistant Director for Menu Planning. We can accommodate almost all requests.

Housing Contracts

After you've been admitted to Ohio University, you will be directed to the Path to the Promise website, which, along with providing loads of valuable information, details the process of making Ohio University your college home. Your housing contract not only reserves your space in a residence hall, but it also reserves your place as a Ohio University student. A deposit will be required with the submission of your housing contract.

Freshman students are required to live on campus for a minimum of two years after high school graduation. Exceptions to this policy are detailed on the Residential Housing web site.

Bobcat Cash

Bobcat Cash is a prepaid debit card-money you have put on account-that you can use in a variety of locations around campus, such as dining halls, snack bars, convenience stores, vending machines, and laundry centers. You can increase your card's balance throughout the quarter, and any unused balance carries over to the next quarter.

Vehicles

Because parking is limited in and around Athens, freshmen are not permitted to register vehicles with the university. However, the compactness of our campus dictates no more than a 10-minute walk to any class or the uptown business area. Parking Services maintains a list of private vendors who rent parking spaces near the university campus for a fee.

Campus Safety

The Department of Campus Safety consists of the Ohio University Police Department and the SAFE-T patrol, our campus escort service. The SAFE-T provides safe, cost-free transportation around campus to all students. This service is especially useful to students who would like a walk or ride home from an evening class or a late night visit with a friend. Annual Security Compliance documents can be obtained by mail from the Ohio University Police Department or online at the web site below.

As an additional safety precaution, call boxes with emergency buttons are strategically positioned around campus, and each residence hall space offers multiple levels of security access. Ohio University wants you to feel safe in your community, so it is continuously improving and developing new methods to deal with safety on campus.