Direct Admission

Direct admission to the College

Each year outstanding incoming freshmen are offered direct admission to the College of Arts and Sciences.

If you’re offered direct admission, you can:

  • Work with an advisor who is a specialist in your major as soon as you arrive at IU.
  • Declare a major in the College and begin your studies as an official College student at the start of your freshman year.
  • Declare a second major or a minor in your first semester.
  • Apply to the Arts + Sciences Undergraduate Research Experience as a Direct Admit applicant.
  • Tap into other resources and support in your academic department from the very beginning of your studies.

Direct Admit criteria

You will be offered direct admission to the College if:

  • You’ve been admitted to IU Bloomington, and you indicated a major in the College of Arts and Sciences on your application for admission. This includes majors within all departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and our College exploratory major.
  • You earned a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
  • You earned an ACT composite score of at least 26 or an SAT score of at least 1240 in math and evidence-based reading and writing. Or, if you’re a test-optional applicant, direct admission to the College is based on your performance in academic coursework, extracurricular activities, personal achievements, and the quality of your application essay. Learn more about IU’s test-optional admissions policy.

If you meet these criteria, we’ll tell you that you qualify for direct admission about six weeks after you’re admitted to IU. Keep an eye on your inbox!

Three important notes

  1. Direct admission to the College also counts as direct admission to the College’s schools: the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and The Media School.
  2. The Individualized Major Program, B.F.A. in Dance, B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, and B.F.A. in Studio Art are preferred admission programs. They require additional steps before you are accepted into the major.
  3. If you update your IU application with new academic or major information, the College will reconsider you for direct admission through April 1. This may include new test scores, a change in major, or other achievements.

Petition

Thank you for your interest in Direct Admission to the College of Arts and Sciences. The petition period has now ended. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact us at collinfo@indiana.edu.

Special Direct Admit events

Have you already received the good news that you've achieved Direct Admit status? If so, mark your calendars for these exclusive Direct Admit events.

DA Days

Get an exclusive sneak peak into College life at our spring DA Days.

DA Induction

Join us in September to celebrate your direct admission into the College.

University Division

If you are admitted to IU Bloomington, you may begin your studies in University Division (whether you are exploratory or have a major in mind) and declare a major in the College later. Some students will qualify for direct admission to the College.

Learn more about University Division

Talk to the experts

Our College Ambassadors are high-achieving students who are here to field your questions about undergraduate life in the College. From choosing student organizations and research programs to exploring the campus and Bloomington, they have first-hand knowledge to share.

Connect with the ambassadors

Questions?

Contact the College Office of Recruiting at 812-855-7036 or collinfo@indiana.edu.

Still need to apply to IU Bloomington?

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