Join IBE
Open to Ohio State Honors students in Fisher and Engineering — 72 seats, two tracks, one cohort.
How Admission Works
Application to IBE is open to prospective students already accepted into the Ohio State University Honors Program and either the Max M. Fisher College of Business or the College of Engineering. From that pool, IBE admits a cohort of 72 — 36 in the Traditional track and 36 in Software Innovation.
Invitations to apply are emailed in waves starting in January — they occasionally land in junk mail, so check that folder. Admission offers follow in waves beginning early March, and the application closes April 3, 2026.
Fill out the interest form to receive more information about IBE, invitations to virtual information sessions, and reminders about important deadlines.
Eligibility
University Honors admits in Fisher or the College of Engineering
Cohort size
72 students — 36 Traditional, 36 Software Innovation
Invitations
Emailed in waves starting in January
Offers
Sent in waves beginning early March
Deadline
April 3, 2026
Application Timeline
From the Early Action deadline to the April 3 close, here is how the application season unfolds.
November 1
November 1
Ohio State Early Action Deadline
Priority deadline for applying to the OSU Honors Program — a prerequisite for IBE consideration.
January – March
January – March
Honors Decisions Released
Honors decisions are released on a rolling basis. If you're accepted into Honors, expect an email invitation to apply to IBE.
January – April
January – April
Virtual Information Sessions
The IBE recruitment team holds virtual information sessions throughout the spring. Fill out the interest form above to be invited.
Early March
Early March
Admission Offers Begin
Offers of admission into the IBE Program are released in waves starting in early March.
Late March
Late March
All Honors Decisions Out
All University Honors decisions should be released by the end of March. Watch your inbox — and your junk folder — for the invitation to apply.
April 3, 2026
April 3, 2026
IBE Application Deadline
The final day to submit your IBE application. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
Keep Exploring
Frequently Asked Questions
In the IBE Program, Business Majors earn an Engineering Sciences Minor and Engineering Majors earn a Business Minor. In the IBE-SI track, Business Majors earn a Computer Science Minor and Engineering Majors earn a Business Minor. Additionally, the IBE-SI project-based classes focus on software and app solutions vs. traditional design/prototypes of the IBE classes.
IBE offers many benefits in addition to custom coursework and dedicated faculty. IBE's small cohort size allows for students to enjoy a more personal college experience, as the same individuals will be in IBE core classes throughout all four years of college. IBE also provides a tight-knit community to students; with access to exclusive professional development, networking, and social events for IBE students.
It depends on cohort size and availability within each track. Since the IBE and IBE-SI programs are honors programs, maximum capacity is 36 students per year for each track. Requests will be considered but are generally accommodated if space permits.
Yes, students can change majors within the program, but the feasibility of such a change can vary greatly depending on the completed coursework and age of a student.
Report your best individual score for a single test. The IBE admissions review does not account for super score.
IBE's acceptance rate is 10-15% depending on application volume, with roughly a 50-50 split of engineering and business majors admitted annually.