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INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Bloomington
How to apply

Frequently asked questions about applying

We’re here to make the application process as smooth as possible for you. In addition to the information provided in our applicant pages, here are a few more top questions students and families ask during the application process, including questions about first- and second-choice majors.

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Find your path to IU Bloomington

Identify what type of applicant you are and find step-by-step instructions for your admission path to IU.

Application questions

Indiana University Bloomington accepts the Apply IU Application and the Common Application. No preference is given for any one application platform, and the materials needed to complete each are the same. The application review process is also the same for both platforms. To learn more about which application may be the best option for you, we encourage you to visit the Apply IU Application and Common Application websites.

Although there are two applications to choose from, you should submit only one application. There is absolutely no advantage to submitting multiple applications and this may even result in a delay in the review of your application and receipt of your admission decision. In the event that you submit multiple applications, the first complete application will be considered for admission. Please also note that application fees are non-refundable.

Advising & Major Exploration Services (or AMES, formerly known as University Division) provides academic advising for pre-business, pre-nursing, pre-social work, and exploratory students at IU Bloomington.

Pre-business, pre-nursing, and pre-social work students who start in AMES can immediately begin their preparation for their preferred program. You'll have access to the same courses and prerequisites as direct admits, so you don’t have to wait to start pursuing your goals.

Exploratory students will work with AMES advisors to:

  • Explore programs
  • Learn about the requirements for your chosen major or majors
  • Complete a formal application or automatically certify into a program

All along the way, students work with expert advisors in AMES who understand the many academic options available. They are also matched with a career advisor for complete support on their path to achieving their goals—both for their education and their career.

Learn more about AMES

There are a few ways to start your academic journey at IU, including direct admission which refers to admission to specific academic programs and degree-granting schools. No matter how you begin, you will have expert academic and career advising to help you create your ideal path to your reach your goals.

Get to know the different admission paths and each school's requirements for direct admission.

If you are applying on a desktop or laptop, make sure you allow pop-ups and enable third-party cookies so that your application and fee payment will be submitted correctly. If you experience any payment issues, please contact us at admsbus@iu.edu or 812-855-0661. Please note that the Apply IU Application does not work properly with Internet Explorer.

Several factors influence the timing of when a student will receive a response to their application including, but not limited to:

  • When the application is received. While the applications open as early as August 1, historically over 50% of students applying for the fall term complete their application within the last 10 days of October. This large number of applications in a very short time period requires sufficient time for processing and review.
  • Additional time for review. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and are always looking for reasons to admit. All students who complete their application by the November 1 early action deadline will receive a response on or before January 15. Students who complete their application by the February 1 regular decision deadline will receive a response on or before March 15.
  • Space availability in desired program. Indiana University offers hundreds of exciting majors, minors, and programs for students to consider and pursue. Many of these programs are rated among the highest in the nation and draw strong interest from students around the world. To look for opportunities to offer admission to as many students as possible and honor their interests we may take a little longer in our review.

If you are an Indiana resident and a 21st Century Scholar, please indicate that you are a 21st Century Scholar when you are completing your application for admission to IU.

When you are competing your application for admission to IU, please indicate if you will receive any special diploma or honors, such as the following:

  • Core 40 Diploma
  • IB Diploma
  • AICE Diploma
  • Academic Honors Diploma
  • National Achievement Scholar
  • National Merit Semifinalist

Many students come to IU wanting to explore their options for a major—and that’s a good thing. If you are undecided about a specific major, mark “Exploratory (general)” on your application.

Note: The College of Arts and Sciences and the Kelley School of Business have their own Exploratory options. If you know you would eventually like to pursue a program in the College or Kelley, but aren't sure which one, please choose "Exploratory (College)" or "Exploratory (Kelley)" on your application.

To confirm that you will have met the high school course requirements for admission set by the IU faculty, we need to receive your full senior year schedule (not just your fall courses). We won't begin our review until this information is received.

Here are some additional pointers:

  • If your school is on semesters, list your fall and spring classes.
  • If you have full-year classes, list them once for fall and list the same classes again for spring.
  • If you’re on trimesters, use fall, winter, and spring; list your classes three times, once for each term.

When entering your information, make sure to review your birthdate to make sure that you haven’t accidentally put numbers in the wrong order.

Making sure all the numbers and other information are correct will help avoid delays in processing your application.

As part of your application, regardless of which platform you choose, you will need to submit an essay. If you are applying through the Common Application, you can choose from any of the essay prompts in the application. If you are applying through Apply IU, you will need to submit the IU-specific essay using the prompt below.

IU-specific essay: In 200–400 words, describe your academic and career plans and any special interest (for example, undergraduate research, academic interests, leadership opportunities, etc.) that you are eager to pursue as an undergraduate at Indiana University. Also, if you encountered any unusual circumstances, challenges, or obstacles in pursuit of your education, you may share those experiences and how you overcame them. Please note that this essay may be used for scholarship consideration.

Letters of recommendation are not required as part of the application process. However, if you would like to submit these documents because they provide additional information about your academic and personal merit/accomplishments that is not indicated elsewhere in your application materials, we will accept one counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation.

Recommendations or other supplemental documents should be submitted with your official high school transcript (using your school's process for submitting electronic or paper transcripts) or included as part of your Common Application submission if you are applying through this platform.

Please note that the application fee can be waived for students who have demonstrated financial need. If you feel that your financial circumstances may qualify you for a fee waiver, make sure you request a fee waiver when completing your application. Also, if you are a 21st Century Scholar or a Balfour Scholar, the application fee will be waived if you indicate you participate in one of these programs when you complete your application.

If you are submitting the Apply IU Application, you will need to submit a completed ACT, SAT, or NACAC fee waiver form that has been verified by your high school counselor. If you are submitting the Common Application, you will need to complete the fee waiver section on your profile and your counselor will need to verify your eligibility. Please note that regardless of which application you submit, an admission decision will not be made until we receive a fee waiver form/verification or your $65 application fee.

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.

The Indiana Resident Admissions program offers guaranteed admission to IU Bloomington for students who are on track to earn the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal at the time of application and remain on track through the end of their senior year and who apply to Indiana University Bloomington with a complete application by November 1 of their senior year.

Get more details about the Indiana Resident Admissions program here.

How first- and second-choice majors are used in admission

Because some of our programs have limited capacity, you will need to provide your intended first- and second-choice majors on your IU application. Review the information below to learn more about how these are used in the admission process.

Certain majors at Indiana University Bloomington, including those within the Kelley School of Business and the School of Nursing, require a limit on the number of students they can accommodate. As the number of students who have expressed interest in these programs has increased, admission into these programs has become more competitive. To support you in pursuing your degree at IU, you will need to indicate a first- and second-choice major on your application for admission. You may only choose a limited capacity program as your first-choice major.

Yes! If you are not admitted to a limited capacity program, you will be given full consideration for admission to IU in your second-choice major.

Students may make updates to their application, including intended first- and second-choice majors, by following the "Make changes to your application" link in their IU Portal. The Office of Admissions will review your application for admission to the university with this new intended major.

No. Students who are not offered their first-choice major have already been reviewed for an opportunity in that program.

You should not enroll at Indiana University with the intention of switching to a limited capacity program. Space in limited capacity programs is limited, and opportunities to change into a limited capacity program after enrolling at IU are not guaranteed. However, changing between programs that are not considered limited capacity is typically available and your academic advisor at IU can help you review your options and create your ideal academic path.

Within your second-choice major, you'll have access to programs across IU Bloomington and support from your advisor to help you create a personalized path toward your career goals. For those interested in careers in a business field, you can explore the majors that provide an alternative pathway to reaching your goals. You can add minors and/or certificates to enhance your degree; participate in clubs, service learning, and hands-on experiences.

You can also explore graduate programs within your area of interest, like the Second Degree Accelerated Program within the School of Nursing and the Accelerated Master's Programs that allow you to earn your bachelor's and master's degrees in as little as five years.

IU offers students the opportunity to choose an Exploratory pathway and receive expert guidance on choosing a major or majors through Academic and Major Exploration Services (AMES). Exploratory (General) is for students who do not know the academic pathway they would like to choose. Exploratory (College) allows for students to be considered for Direct Admission to the College of Arts and Sciences and related merit scholarships while remaining open to all of the liberal arts focused programs in the College. Business Exploratory allows students to be considered for Direct Admission to the Kelley School of Business as well as the pre-business pathway at IU while remaining undecided on a specific business major. (Business Exploratory must be chosen as a first-choice major.)

Learn more about exploratory options at IU.

No, admission through the Indiana Resident Admissions program for students who earn the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal guarantees admission to Indiana University, not to any specific program.
IU Bloomington

Office of Admissions

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