Higher Education in Ohio
Each year, about 17,000 international students come to Ohio's 130 colleges and universities to take advantage of the quality academic programs and diverse campus experiences in the American Midwest.
Ohio's traditional position as a leader in industrial innovation is a strong draw for many of these students. They benefit from the experience of researchers who are working side-by-side with industrial leaders as they explore 21st century technologies to make manufacturing more efficient. From steel making to information technology, Ohio's economy provides a laboratory for testing new solutions to modern issues.
Ohio's higher education system provides a range of types of institutions as well as institutional settings, including: 13 publicly supported four-year universities, 23 public two-year regional branch campuses affiliated with a four-year main campus, two freestanding public medical colleges, 15 public two-year community colleges, and eight public two-year technical colleges. The public system is complemented by 35 excellent independent colleges that offer graduate training and 58 independent colleges that offer undergraduate advocation.
These institutions can be found in Ohio's major urban areas, rural areas, and quaint towns built around the campuses. More than 550,000 students were enrolled at these Ohio institutions last year, seeking advanced skills, certification, and/or associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees.
The state's rich tradition of advocating for education dates back to the formation of Ohio in 1803, from a portion of the Northwest Territory. In fact, the oldest institution of higher education in the Midwest - Ohio University in Athens, Ohio - was chartered on Feb. 18, 1804, less than a year after Ohio joined the Union as the 17th state. In this bicentennial year, many events across the state will celebrate Ohio's pioneering spirit that has endured for two centuries.
"Two hundred years ago, settlers transformed Ohio wilderness into civilization," said Ohio Governor Bob Taft in his 2002 State of the State speech. "Generations later, the pioneers of flight and light conquered another frontier to make Ohio a powerhouse of the industrial revolution. Now it's our turn. We are the pioneers of Ohio's third frontier-a frontier of exploration and discovery where knowledge is king."
As we move into Ohio's third century, a new knowledge-based economy is emerging - growing alongside the agricultural and manufacturing economies that have dominated the state's economy for the past 200 years.
To succeed in this new economic setting, Ohio higher education has led the charge for the state's citizens to become better educated, for the state's citizens to obtain advanced job skills to meet the workplace demands that have been ratcheted up throughout our society, and for the state's citizens to be able to access the benefits of research universities whose discoveries will lead to the creation of new jobs and fuel economic growth.
International students can be an important part of the exciting transformation and promise of Ohio in the Knowledge Economy by attending one of the Buckeye State's colleges or universities.
In Ohio, you will experience the heart of America and thriving cities that are filled with cultural opportunities in a safe and affordable environment. Ohio reflects the nation's cultural diversity and our citizens welcome newcomers warmly.
Ohio's system of higher education is coordinated by the Ohio Board of Regents, a nine-member board created in 1963.