OBJECTIVE: To determine the general characteristics and factors associated with oral communication of deaf patients not eligible for a cochlear implant in a university hospital. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with data from medical records of all patients who sought evaluation for entry into PASSP (program service to the severe-profound deaf) of a university hospital with contraindications to do so. RESULTS: 220 charts were analyzed. Of these, 114 (51.8%) were female and 144 (65.5%) were younger than 18 years old, 109 (49.5%) had incomplete primary education, 101 (45.9%) studied in a special school for the deaf, in 91 cases (41.4)% the cause of hearing loss was not determined in 71 (32.3%) cases were acquired and in 44 cases (20%) the cause of congenital hearing loss was considered; 13 cases (5.9%) have never had experience with AASI; 132 (60.3%) have already had speech therapy at some point, 113 (51.4%) use Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) and 63 (28.6% ) use oral communication. For any indication IC, 76 (34.5%) were ineligible for Otolaryngology, 81 (36.8%) for Speech, 23 (10.5%) in Psychology and 7 (3.2%) by Social Service. Sixty (27.4%) were excluded due to avoidance of service or discontinuance. CONCLUSION: The predominant among children and adolescents not eligible for implantation of both sexes, with a significant proportion of subjects with hearing loss of unknown etiology and with the prevailing educational elementary school, and one third were considered ineligible for the implant to from the evaluation, especially in relation to restricted use of oral communication.