Office of Admissions

Admission to IU is selective, and we review each application for its individual merits and qualities. In particular, we consider factors that emphasize academic performance and preparation, the strength and quality of the secondary school curriculum, recent grade trends, class rank, and results of the SAT or ACT.

The following standards should help you assess your credentials for admission. It’s important to note that these are minimums—most students will need to go well beyond these expectations in order to be most competitive for admission—and we do not use formulas to make our decisions.

In general, we encourage you to apply to IU if you have been taking four to five academic classes each year and have earned above-average grades in those classes. If we decide you aren’t ready for IU’s academic challenges yet, you will be given options to consider, including the possibility of transferring to IU in the future.

Admission Standards through 2010

Secondary School Graduation

You must earn a diploma from an accredited secondary school (or have a General Equivalency Diploma) to be eligible for admission. Students who are homeschooled or attend an alternative school should submit credentials that demonstrate equivalent levels of achievement and ability. You should also review our country-specific requirements.

Secondary School Curriculum

Admitted freshmen generally have completed 18 or 19 yearlong college-preparatory courses in secondary school. Each year’s program should include courses representing at least three of the following academic areas: native language, math, social science, and natural science.

You must complete the following curriculum in secondary school:

• 8 semesters (4 years) of native language (literature, grammar, composition, journalism)
• 6 semesters (3 years) of math (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra)
• 4 semesters (2 years) of social science (history, government, economics, psychology, sociology)
• 2 semesters (1 year)of natural science (biology, chemistry, physics)

You are expected to complete a minimum of 32 semesters of college-preparatory courses. That includes the course work listed above plus 12 semesters of some combination of math, natural science, social science, and/or foreign language.

Standardized Test Scores

IU requires scores from either the SAT or the ACT. IU Bloomington’s SAT code is 1324 and our ACT code is 1210. If you submit more than one set of scores, we’ll consider the highest critical reading and math component scores for the SAT or the highest ACT composite. In fall 2009, the middle 50 percent range of SAT scores for admitted freshman was 1100–1290, and the middle 50 percent range of ACT scores was 24–28.

Other Factors

Essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, community service, work experience, as well as dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Advance College Project (ACP) courses may be considered as evidence of academic motivation and maturity. An admission decision may take into account the known strengths and weaknesses of an applicant’s college preparation program, the trend of an applicant’s grades in college-preparatory courses, and the applicant’s potential contribution to a diverse educational environment.

Admission Standards Beginning in 2011

IU has new admission standards for students entering in the fall of 2011. Even though these requirements don’t go into effect immediately, we encourage you to continue a strong, balanced curriculum that includes at least two years of world language and math through secondary school.

Secondary School Graduation

You must earn a diploma from an accredited secondary school (or have a General Equivalency Diploma) to be eligible for admission. Students who are homeschooled or attend an alternative school should submit credentials that demonstrate equivalent levels of achievement and ability. You should also review our country-specific requirements.

Academic Preparation

Applicants should complete at least 34 credits (or semesters) of college-preparatory courses, advanced placement courses, and/or college courses in secondary school, including:

• 8 credits (or 4 years) or the equivalent of secondary work in English or the language of instruction, including literature, grammar, and composition courses
• 7 credits (or 3.5 years) of mathematics, including 4 credits of algebra and 2 credits of geometry (or an equivalent 6 credits of integrated algebra and geometry), and 1 credit of pre-calculus, trigonometry, or calculus
• 6 credits (or 3 years) of social sciences, including history, government, economics, psychology, or sociology
• 6 credits (or 3 years) of sciences, including at least 4 credits (2 years) of laboratory sciences—biology, chemistry, or physics
• 3 or more credits of additional college-preparatory courses. Additional mathematics credits are recommended for students intending to pursue a science degree and additional world language credits are recommended for all students.

If your secondary school does not offer the courses needed to meet one or more of these course requirements, then alternative college-preparatory courses may be substituted for the courses that are not available.

Grades in Academic Classes

In general, our students have the equivalent of a B average or higher in secondary school. You are given more serious consideration if your marks or grades have been consistently above average or steadily improving in a challenging academic program. On the other hand, low marks or grades in the most recent term or a less demanding academic program are often reasons to deny admission to IU.

Standardized Test Scores

IU requires scores from either the SAT or the ACT. Preference will be given to international students who score above the national average.

IU Bloomington’s SAT code is 1324 and our ACT code is 1210. If you submit more than one set of scores, we’ll consider the highest critical reading and math component scores for the SAT or the highest ACT composite. In fall 2009, the middle 50 percent range of SAT scores for admitted freshman was 1100–1290, and the middle 50 percent range of ACT scores was 24–28.

Other Factors

Essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, community service, work experience, as well as dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Advance College Project (ACP) courses may be considered as evidence of academic motivation and maturity. An admission decision may take into account the known strengths and weaknesses of an applicant’s college preparation program, the trend of an applicant’s grades in college-preparatory courses, and the applicant’s potential contribution to a diverse educational environment.