Ohio Means Science STEM Scholars Program

The Ohio State Newark Ohio Means Science (OHMS) STEM Scholars Program is made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation and invites applications from students with financial need majoring in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). Students selected as OHMS scholars will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000 per year ($5,000 per semester) for up to two years; attend a short, no-cost immersive research retreat at a field station just before classes begin each fall; and participate in a year-long learning community with diverse, STEM-centered activities. OHMS scholars will be invited to participate in undergraduate research and will have access to optional summer research internships. The strongest applicants will have an established record of interest/participation in STEM, and letters of support will be critical.

Application deadline

Applicants who submit all required materials (application form, letters of support, optional personal statement) by midnight, April 19, 2024, will be given priority consideration for placement in the 2024-25 OHMS Scholars Program. New applications and letters of support will continue to be accepted until all available openings have been filled.

We have several openings in our second-year cohort so if you are finishing your freshmen year, are interested in a STEM degree and are staying on at Ohio State Newark for the 2024-25 academic year, we encourage you to apply.

Who should apply?

Students who are fascinated by science, technology, engineering, or math, should apply! We are especially interested in people who might have had other responsibilities that impacted their grades, but can show us they have a longstanding, strong interest and talent in STEM subjects. Are you known for always asking “why” at your job? Do you have scouting or 4-H badges in STEM-related activities, have you participated or volunteered in museum or after school science programs (robotics, tutoring, rocketry, engine repair, gardening for food or pollinators, fossil collecting, are examples), can you navigate by the stars, or do you otherwise strongly connect with the world around you? This might be the program for you!

Application process expectations and requirements

In addition to up to $10,000 in scholarship funding for each of two years, the program includes opportunities to meet and work with scientists at Ohio State Newark, Columbus campus and in industry and non-profits in Central Ohio. Scholars selected for the program will participate in a research retreat before the start of the school year, be part of a learning community, participate in research, and have an option for summer internships after their first year in the program. Scholars will be expected to participate in most of the presented opportunities, which will usually occur during regular business hours. Continuing scholars must have maintained a first-year grade point average of 2.7 in their STEM courses and a 2.3 GPA overall to qualify for the second year of funding.

1. Fill out the FAFSA, which will determine your Pell eligibility; only Pell-eligible students may apply.
2. Fill out the application form.
3. As soon as you decide to apply, ask at least two people to complete references for you to this program. Please give this reference writing guide to anyone who you ask to write a letter of reference for you. References must be received by the current application deadline for your application to be considered complete.
4. If you graduated high school in the U.S. in the last two years, your Grade Point Average needs to have been at least 2.5 (out of 4.0) to apply.
5. If it’s been more than two years since you graduated high school, you are applying with a high school equivalency (GED or HiSET), you did not attend high school in the U.S., or your transcripts are unavailable for any reason, you can still qualify for the program by providing an extra reference letter (that is, submit at least three letters instead of two).
6. Only U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens may apply.

Eligible majors

When you apply for admission to Ohio State University, you will be asked to select a major. There are three options that qualify you for the OHMS program:

1. Select one of the majors in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pathway.
2. Select one of the pre-major programs in Engineering and Technology (students must apply to these majors later), AND enroll in one or more of the following courses:
   1. Engineering 1181
   2. Engineering 1182
   3. Math 1172
   4. CSE 1223
   5. Physics 1250
3. Select university exploration – meta-major of science, technology, and environment, AND enroll in one or more of the following courses determined by math placement
   1. Math placement N:
      1. Math 1148
   2. Math placement M (or higher):
      1. Biology 1113
      2. Chem 1210 (or higher)
      3. Math 1149 (or higher)
      4. Physics 1250 (or higher)

What will be covered by this scholarship/what will not

1. The scholarship can be applied to any cost of attendance, which includes tuition, housing, meal plans, books and supplies, and fees.
2. The cost of commuting to campus (gas, oil, bus fare, but not the purchase of a car), or childcare for students who are parents, may be considered a cost of attendance but would need to be validated by the Financial Aid office.
3. The scholarship will be applied first to the student tuition gap between Pell and full tuition, if any. If the student is in OSU housing and meal plans, those will be covered next. If there is a remaining balance after these are paid, the student will receive that balance directly.
4. The amount of the scholarship is the amount of the student’s unmet need, up to $10,000. For example, if the Financial Aid office determines your unmet need to be $8,265 the amount of the scholarship will be $8,265, and if the office determines your need to be $11,315 the scholarship will be $10,000.

Where should questions be directed?

Andy Roberts, PhD
ohms@osu.edu
740.366.9178
u.osu.edu/ohms