The Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) is an extension of Ohio State's commitment to the student experience and provides an opportunity for education beyond the classroom. Students participating in STEP have the opportunity to submit a proposal for a fellowship of up to $2,000 to use towards a STEP Signature Project. These transformative projects allow students to gain hands-on experience in one of the following six categories: Creative and Artistic Endeavor, Education Abroad, Internship, Leadership, Service-Learning, or Undergraduate Research. To determine STEP eligibility, the program looks for one or more of the following characteristics: 1. One year spent in college (at Ohio State or another institution); 2. One year of college credit hours accumulated (excluding hours earned in high school). Please note that for the 2025-2026 academic year, STEP will accommodate up to 2850 participants on the Columbus campus. To join STEP, first-year students must indicate their interest in STEP during the housing reselection process that occurs during the spring semester. Note that the housing reselection tool is used solely to collect interest in the program - there is no residency requirement to join STEP, and participants can live in campus housing, live in sorority and fraternity housing, or commute from off campus. Students who do not participate in housing reselection, or who have an approved exemption on file with Student Life Housing and Residence Education, will be contacted by STEP via email to indicate their interest in the program. Following the housing reselection process, students will confirm their participation in STEP in the spring semester and select their cohort meeting time in summer. Please visit the scholarship's website for more details.