International Friends (IFI)
Host-A-Scholar has no host families in Columbus right now, but we can suggest another organization there that might be able to accommodate you: International Friends (IFI)! IFI is on 29 campuses, 18 cities and 8 states in the US, mostly in Ohio.
IFI in Columbus has a network of approximately a thousand volunteers. They offer new OSU students and visiting scholars (that's you!) temporary housing for two to four days when they first arrive. Sign up on their web site and they will match you with hosts who are available during the time period you request. You must do so AT LEAST three weeks before you plan to arrive, if you are not enrolled at an OSU-affiliated university, or at least two weeks before you arrive, if you are an Ohio State student or guest faculty.
Also, they cannot accommodate groups larger than two or three persons per home, so if your group is larger than this, divide yourselves into groups of two or three persons and have one person from each small group fill out the online form. Here’s how to do that:
You’ll get a confirmation email within a day or two. That will open a line of communication with the person who can arrange short-term housing for you in Columbus, Ohio. Please mention that you heard about them through Host-A-Scholar, and please be understanding if they tell you they cannot accommodate you. They are a volunteer organization and will never charge you anything for their services— but they also have no obligation to help you if their volunteers say “no” or “not now.” Still, it's worth asking. They are wonderful hosts! Let us know about your experience with them.
IFI in Columbus has a network of approximately a thousand volunteers. They offer new OSU students and visiting scholars (that's you!) temporary housing for two to four days when they first arrive. Sign up on their web site and they will match you with hosts who are available during the time period you request. You must do so AT LEAST three weeks before you plan to arrive, if you are not enrolled at an OSU-affiliated university, or at least two weeks before you arrive, if you are an Ohio State student or guest faculty.
Also, they cannot accommodate groups larger than two or three persons per home, so if your group is larger than this, divide yourselves into groups of two or three persons and have one person from each small group fill out the online form. Here’s how to do that:
- Go to this page: https://ohiostate.ifiusa.org/new-students/airport-pickup/ Fill out the online form, using your personal email address and your university email address where you attend here in the US (you don’t need an @osu.edu address).
- If you don’t attend one of those OSU-affiliated universities, there is no correct answer for you in the “Campus” pick list. Just pick one of them so that you can submit the form, and you will correct it later in a follow-up email.
- Same for “Airline” and “Flight number” if you are not flying to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH).
- For “Airline” write your mode of travel: Greyhound Bus, Amtrak Train, Private Car, etc.
- For “Flight #” enter any number that seems relevant or helpful: the highway number that you’ll be driving along, the route number for the bus, etc. Again, you will have a chance to explain this in a follow-up email with them.
- At the very bottom of that form, be sure to check “Temporary Housing” before you click Submit.
You’ll get a confirmation email within a day or two. That will open a line of communication with the person who can arrange short-term housing for you in Columbus, Ohio. Please mention that you heard about them through Host-A-Scholar, and please be understanding if they tell you they cannot accommodate you. They are a volunteer organization and will never charge you anything for their services— but they also have no obligation to help you if their volunteers say “no” or “not now.” Still, it's worth asking. They are wonderful hosts! Let us know about your experience with them.
