A sign in Thompson Library displaying hello in different languages, which international student athletes could speak. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
A state lawmaker aims to cap sports scholarships for international students at 25 percent per athletic program.
State Rep. Brian Lorenz, R-Powell, introduced House Bill 584 last November to keep state money in Ohio, he said. Its first committee meeting was on Feb. 4 and applies to public colleges and universities, according to its text.
“We’re encouraging college students to want to stay in our state and contribute to our economy and make our state even more of an economic powerhouse instead of losing them to different states,” Lorenz said.
The bill? said it specifically applies to “citizens of a foreign country” and does not mention out-of-state students. While it is possible to include students from other states in the capped figure, Lorenz said, there are no current proposed amendments.
“I like to say, ‘Everything’s on the table and I’m always willing to listen,’” Lorenz said.
The bill? needs to be edited and amended to provide clearer guidelines on what the 25 percent figure truly means and who it applies to to prevent misinterpretation, Lorenz said. As of now, the bill is one page long.
Lorenz said the legislation intends to exclude revenue generating sports, but its text does not reflect that sentiment.
International students make up 9.5 percent of Ohio State’s athlete population, according to Chris Booker, a university spokesperson, in an email.
Ohio State spent over 25 percent on scholarships for international students in 17 sports, including men’s basketball, women’s tennis and rowing, according to Booker. Of the 17 sports mentioned, all generate revenue, according to a 2025 NCAA revenue report on Ohio State.
“While we have not taken a position on the bill, we will continue to work with elected officials to ensure our student-athletes have the resources and support needed to succeed,“ Booker said. Rep. Munira Yasin Abdullahi, D-Columbus, likened the bill to Republican criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and said that it contradicts merit-based systems.
“Does this bill not restrict merit-based scholarships by giving a quota to how many universities can give out?”Abdullahi said during the bill’s first committee hearing.
Lorenz said state universities are limited on how many in-state athletic scholarships it can provide. By creating a cap, other states will be responsible for their own scholarships, providing more opportunities for Ohioans in-state. Inspiration for the bill comes from constituents in Lorenz’s district, Powell, where students were not granted athletic scholarships from public universities, according to Lorenz.
“They were told they were good enough to play, yet they were not offered a scholarship for whatever institutional reason,” said Lorenz.
The Ohio State Athletics Department said it does not comment on pending legislation.
Lorenz said there was no correlation to similar bills introduced in the Louisiana and Texas state legislatures in 2025. The bill has two more committee hearings before it has a possibility to pass in the House.
