Ohio State moves 15,500 students for fall term; president says university is reviewing long-term housing strategy

President Ted Carter said Ohio State expects to move about 4,500 to 5,000 undergraduate students during the first day of move-in and about 15,500 students over the next four days as the university begins the fall term.

"I think we're moving about 4,500, 5,000 ish today, just today. And that's over 4 days. We'll move 15,500 students into housing over the next 4 days," Carter said at a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum.

Carter acknowledged that some residence halls are aging and that a small number still lack air conditioning. He said university leaders are reviewing the long-term balance between housing scale and housing quality: "Is housing 15,500 students the right answer long term? Is it better to have a few thousand left and have a higher quality level dorm? These are the questions that we are really exploring."

Carter discussed affordability pressures beyond tuition, saying the cost of living for students — housing, food and other expenses — now exceeds the relative share it once had compared with tuition. He cited the university’s scholarship and aid totals: "Last year, we gave $525,000,000 between state, federal, and our own philanthropic dollars to scholarships. That's 80% of our students."

Carter also said the university is working with community partners and landlords to improve off-campus housing options for students and staff. He noted that the university requires or strongly encourages first-year students to live on campus and that about 60 to 65 percent of second-year students live on campus in some form.

Why it matters: Housing availability and costs are a central concern for students, staff and local communities as enrollment and regional population growth increase demand for rental housing.

Carter said the university will continue to evaluate housing policy and investments and that student experience and quality of life are priorities during any housing changes.