Admissions Standards

Admissions standards for transfer students

Admission for international transfer applicants is selective, so you must establish a solid academic record in university-level work before applying to IU.

We will review your application for its individual merits and qualities. In particular, we consider factors that emphasize academic performance and preparation, including:

Strength and quality of your curriculum
Recent grade trends
Standardized test results (when required)

International applicants should have a minimum college cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Because of the competitive nature of our applicant pools, few students (American and international) are admitted with a GPA below 2.5. Additionally, no GPA in itself will guarantee admission.

In addition, you should be in good standing at the institution you are attending or have previously attended.

Factors that influence the admission decision

As a prospective transfer student, you are given more serious consideration if your marks or grades have been consistently above average or steadily improving in a challenging academic program. Conversely, low marks or grades in the most recent term or a less demanding academic program are often factors that make an application less competitive and thus are reasons to deny admission.

IU may be able to make an admission decision while you are in the process of completing the current term at your institution. However, if your final performance falls below the admission standards for IU, International Admissions is very likely to withdraw the offer of admission.

Transferring with less than one year of credit

If you wish to transfer with less than one year of full-time university-level study (fewer than 26 semester hours or 39 quarter hours) earned from your current institution, you will need to meet freshman admission standards, as well as maintain satisfactory academic progress in your postsecondary studies.

See freshman admission standards

Demonstration of English language proficiency

IU Bloomington requires all nonnative English-speaking international undergraduate applicants to demonstrate English proficiency. You can do this by submitting:

Acceptable results for one of the English proficiency tests listed below.
Acceptable results from the SAT or ACT exam sections listed below.
Evidence of having completed the credits and requirements listed below.
Evidence of citizenship from an approved English-speaking country. See the list of approved countries.

Applicants who have not met this requirement within the last two years may be required to submit additional proof of English proficiency, including new standardized test scores.

Scores that demonstrate acceptable English proficiency

The table below indicates the minimum scores IU requires for each test in order to consider you for admission to IU:

Test	Score
TOEFL (internet-based test)	79
TOEFL (paper-based test)	550
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)	6.5
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)	79
SAT Critical Reading section	500
ACT English section	21

Transferable credit completion

You can demonstrate English proficiency by submitting evidence from an accredited two- or four-year postsecondary institution in the United States of having completed (credits cannot be through online programs):

More than 26 transferable credits (39 quarter credits) at the time of application, AND
The full freshman English requirements with a C or better

To fulfill the freshman English requirement, your credits must transfer as being equivalent to the following IU courses: ENG W 131, ENG W 170, or CMLT C 110. Six credits of humanities or other English courses will also meet these standards. We recommend that you use our Credit Transfer Service to find out what courses at your university may meet this requirement.

School codes for submitting test scores

You should use the following IU Bloomington reporting codes when submitting your test scores:

SAT: 1324
ACT: 1210
TOEFL: 1324