Bowling Green State University opened in 1910 to train teachers and is now a large public university in north-west Ohio. It had the first popular culture department in the United States, and it runs a flight programme at the local airport and a forensic science programme that works alongside a state crime lab on campus. Bowling Green itself is a small city in flat farmland, 25 minutes south of Toledo.
Bowling Green, Ohio, United States
Official website: bgsu.edu
1910
Public university in Ohio
First US department of popular culture
Bowling Green, near Toledo
$18,000 – $22,000
Non-resident tuition, undergraduate and graduate
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on bgsu.edu before you apply.
BS Aviation
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Forensic Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BSBA Supply Chain Management
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MA Popular Culture
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Flight training at the local Wood County Airport.
The first popular culture department in the United States.
Forensic science taught next to a state crime lab.
Aviation graduates join regional and major airlines as pilots and managers.
Supply chain graduates work for manufacturers and logistics firms around Toledo and Detroit.
STEM graduates can apply for up to three years of OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Most programmes
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Selected programmes
Bowling Green is a small college town with a Main Street of bars and cafés a short walk from campus. Flat farmland stretches out in every direction.
Toledo is about 25 minutes north and Detroit about 90 minutes. Rent is low, and most first-year students live in residence halls.
Form I-20 issued by Bowling Green State University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Graduate programmes often close in winter or spring for fall entry. International students should apply four to six months ahead.
Most programmes start in August, and many also take students in January.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from Bowling Green State University first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Aviation, forensic science, supply chain management, computer science and popular culture are popular. Undergraduates need school results and TOEFL 61 or IELTS 6.0. Graduate programmes need a bachelor's degree and TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5.
BGSU gives international undergraduates academic scholarships that reduce non-resident tuition. Graduate students can apply for assistantships in their department.
