Freshman Admission Standards

Admissions

Admission to Indiana University is selective, with consideration for factors that emphasize academic performance and preparation, such as the level and rigor of your coursework, the individual grades and cumulative GPA you have earned through these courses, your SAT and/or ACT scores (if applicable), and the additional insights offered through your application essay. Review the information on this page to understand IU's admission standards.

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High school graduation

You must earn a diploma from an accredited high school (or must have completed the Indiana High School Equivalency Diploma) to be eligible for admission consideration. Students who are homeschooled or attend an alternative school should submit credentials that demonstrate equivalent levels of achievement and ability. See additional information for homeschooled �㽶��Ƶs below.

For Indiana �㽶��Ƶs, guaranteed admission will be offered to those �㽶��Ƶs earning the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal diploma through the Indiana Resident Admissions program.

Learn more about Indiana Resident Admissions

Academic preparation

Applicants should complete at least 34 credits of college-preparatory courses, including:

8 credits (semesters) of English, such as literature, grammar, or composition
7 credits (semesters) 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 precalculus, trigonometry, statistics, finite, or calculus or an alternative course demonstrating advanced math preparation
*Note: Discrete mathematics and quantitative reasoning are not approved alternative courses and will not meet the math requirements outlined above.
6 credits (semesters) of social sciences, including 2 credits of U.S. history; 2 credits of world history/civilization/geography; and 2 additional credits in government, economics, sociology, history, or similar topics
6 credits (semesters) of sciences, including at least 4 credits of laboratory sciences: biology, chemistry, or physics
4 credits (semesters) of world languages
3 or more credits (semesters) of additional college-preparatory courses; additional mathematics credits are recommended for �㽶��Ƶs intending to pursue a science degree and additional world language credits are recommended for all �㽶��Ƶs

If your high school does not offer the courses needed to meet one or more of the course requirements noted above, alternative college-preparatory courses may be substituted for those that are not available. Contact your IU admission counselor to discuss course substitutions.

When available and appropriate, we encourage �㽶��Ƶs to enroll in a challenging curriculum that includes dual credit, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Advance College Project (ACP) courses.

You can view the class profile to see stats on our most recent freshman class.

Transcripts

To complete your application for admission, we require an official high school transcript and a full senior year schedule (not just fall courses). The transcript and full senior year schedule may be sent directly from your high school or uploaded by your counselor as part of your application if you are applying with the Common Application.

If your school sends transcripts electronically and the transcript vendor requires an email address for delivery, please use iublrecv@iu.edu. You can also have your transcript mailed to the Bloomington Admissions Office.

Your offer of admission is contingent upon the successful completion of the academic coursework outlined in your transcript and/or admission application. We expect you to maintain your high level of academic performance. Please note that if you are admitted and choose IU, we will require a copy of your high school transcript with final grades and graduation date as soon as it is available.

If you completed college courses while in high school, those courses may already appear on your high school transcript. If they do not, you’ll only need to send official college transcripts after you are admitted and choose to enroll at IU Bloomington if you want the courses to be considered for transfer credit. College transcripts may be mailed to the Bloomington Admissions Office address or sent electronically to iublrecv@iu.edu.

Grades in academic classes

Your cumulative GPA, as well as the grades you have earned in the 34 courses required for admission, will be an important part of the application review process. If your school computes a weighted GPA and includes this GPA on your transcript, we will consider it as part of our review for both the admission and scholarship processes.

If your school does not report a 6-semester cumulative GPA on your transcript, we will not consider a high school transcript GPA as part of your application review.

If you have transferred high schools, please consult with your current high school to understand if a cumulative GPA is calculated, including your previous work. Per the information above, if a 6-semester cumulative GPA is not included on your transcript, we will not consider a high school transcript GPA as part of your application review.

Standardized test scores

IU's test-optional admissions policy allows you to choose whether to have your SAT and/or ACT test scores considered as part of your application review—letting you decide how best to tell your academic story. Research indicates that for most �㽶��Ƶs, high school GPA paired with test scores provides the best prediction of academic success at Indiana University. However, for some �㽶��Ƶs a standardized test score may not show all that they are capable of or tell the full story of their potential.

While you will decide whether your scores will be considered, resources and guidance are available through our office or your personal admission counselor.

We superscore, which means that if you choose to have test scores considered as part of your application review, we'll consider your best test scores. For the SAT, we’ll consider the highest Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. For the ACT, we’ll combine the highest scores for each subtest from different exams for a new ACT Composite.

Review IU's test-optional admissions policy

As part of our holistic review process, we may consider supplemental information—when provided—such as leadership experience, extracurricular activities, community service, work experience, and counselor or teacher recommendations. Please note, however, that letters of recommendation are not required. If you do choose to submit them, we will accept one counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation.

Self-reported race or ethnicity information will not be made available to individuals responsible for reviewing admission applications and/or making admission decisions.

We individually evaluate homeschooled �㽶��Ƶs on the same basis as �㽶��Ƶs from public and private schools, using the same academic standards. The most important factors we consider are:

Curriculum (academic coursework)
Transcripts (grades and cumulative GPA)
SAT and/or ACT scores, if applicable (IU is test-optional)
Application essay

Transcripts

We realize that the transcripts of homeschooled �㽶��Ƶs may be different from those of traditional high school �㽶��Ƶs. Regardless of format, your transcript should include:

All courses taken, including those in progress, and the academic year and semester in which each was taken
Assessment of performance (letter grades, percentages, portfolio commentary, etc.) and an explanation of any applicable grading scales

In some cases, you may be asked to submit additional information describing your curriculum, such as detailed course descriptions and texts used. If you have completed coursework concurrently at a high school or college, please include official transcript(s) from the institution(s) with your application.

If you have questions regarding the review of homeschooled applicants or would like more information, please contact us!

IU Bloomington

Office of Admissions

Ernie Pyle Hall 940 E. Seventh Street Bloomington, IN 47405