New Student Resources

Helpful resources for new students

This page includes a helpful collection of tips and reminders to assist you as you navigate your first few semesters at IU. Whether you’re a matriculating freshman, an international student, or transferring to IU, we’ve got you covered with need-to-know info about scholarships, language requirements, pre-professional resources, credit transfers, and placement exams.

Honors & scholarship programs

To be considered a full-time student and receive financial aid, you must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. To keep your full tuition for next year, you must complete a total of 30 credit hours before the fall of each new school year. AP, IB, and dual credits earned during high school can count toward your 30-credit total. Summer credits also count toward this total, but please keep in mind that there is no 21st Century Scholars tuition funding for summer courses. You should contact your advisor or the 21st Century Scholars office at 812-856-1910 before dropping any courses to ensure that you will remain eligible for funding.

If you are a Hudson & Holland Scholar, visit the website for resources, advising information, and scholarship requirements.

The Hutton Honors College website has all of the information that you need as a current or prospective Hutton Honors College student.

International students

During the fall and spring terms you must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours to maintain status.

If your native language is not English, you can fulfill the general education (GenEd) World Languages and World Cultures requirement through demonstrated proficiency in your first language. To begin a proficiency review, complete the Application for Establishment of Foreign Language Proficiency for Non-Native Speakers of English.

Begin the application

You should complete your required SLST-T 101 courses as soon as possible – these courses are graded. The credit hours for these courses do not fulfill degree requirements, but do count toward your credit hours for the current semester, your semester GPA, and cumulative GPA. You may not enroll in the required GenEd English Composition course until all required SLST-T 101 literacy courses have been successfully completed.

Pre-professional students

If you have expressed interest in a career in law, medicine, or another health profession, the Health Professions and Prelaw Center has resources to guide you.

Visit the HPPLC website

New & transferring students

College (COLL-R 300): Transfer your success

Round out your first semester schedule with this one-credit course designed to help transfer students successfully transition to their studies in the College and at IU Bloomington. You'll meet weekly over 8 weeks to discuss topics related to the value of a liberal arts education, the College, campus resources, engagement with co-curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as study skills, financial and time management skills, and career planning. S/F grading.

Transfer Single Articulation Pathways (TSAP) students will need to follow several important steps when starting their course work at IUB in order to earn a baccalaureate degree:

  • Indicate on your application that you are applying for admission as a TSAP student
  • Meet all TSAP admission criteria for the desired baccalaureate degree and be admitted to IU Bloomington as a TSAP student in the specified program
  • Follow the TSAP degree map in the specified program, without deviation, completing all courses on time and meeting all minimum grade requirements for the degree
  • TSAP students who change majors, decide to pursue a different degree, or do not follow the TSAP degree map as specified will no longer be considered TSAP student

Learn more about TSAP

New students often need to transfer credits, apply for course exemptions, and take placement exams before they can finish their schedules. You can find the info you need about how to accomplish these tasks in the Student Portal.

Find out more about credit transfers, exemptions, + placement exams