Ohio University is a large, primarily residential, publicresearch university in Athens, Ohio, United States.[7] The first university chartered by an Act of Congress[8] and the oldest in Ohio,[9] it was chartered in 1787 and subsequently reapproved for the territory in 1802 and state in 1804,[10] opening for students in 1809.[11] As of 2016, the university's total enrollment, including all campuses, was more than 36,800.[12]