Founded in 1820, Indiana University (IU) is one of the United States' top-ten public universities. With more than 87,000 students on eight campuses, IU is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the United States. Each one of eight campuses is an accredited, four-year degree-granting institution, which also awards graduate degrees. At the same time, the eight campuses form one university which shares academic standards, educational goals, and resources. Several IU professional schools, for example, have academic programs on more than one campus.

The largest and oldest IU campus is located in Bloomington. It has 33,000 students from all 50 states and 125 countries. Bloomington is the main site for IU's schools of Business; Education; Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Informatics, Library and Information Sciences; Journalism; Music; Optometry; and Public and Environmental Affairs, in addition to 39 disciplines offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

The second largest campus, with 28,000 students, is Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). With an urban setting and mission, IUPUI is the main site for the IU schools of Medicine, Allied Health Sciences, Nursing, Dentistry, and Social Work, as well as programs in the Liberal Arts and Sciences and Engineering. IU has additional campuses in Fort Wayne, Gary, Kokomo, New Albany, Richmond, and South Bend (see map on back). Credit for academic course work done at any campus is generally transferable to any other campus. Together, the eight campuses offer 558 undergraduate degree programs and 320 advanced programs and have formal linkages through exchange and other cooperative agreements with more than 292 overseas universities in 76 countries.