Indiana University Bloomington: Admission, Costs

StudyU editorial team

Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington) is the flagship campus of Indiana University, a public research university with more than 200 undergraduate majors, the Kelley School of Business and the Jacobs School of Music. International first-year applicants need a completed secondary education with grades around a B average, IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79, and SAT or ACT scores only if they choose to send them. IU's published nine-month budget for an international undergraduate is $61,156, covering tuition, mandatory fees, a residence hall room, meals and health insurance. Merit scholarships are decided from the admission application itself, with no separate scholarship form.

Two pale stone arches with lanterns, flowerbeds and a paved area in front, and a clock tower among trees in the distance — The Sample Gates at the entrance to the Indiana University Bloomington campus, June 2010. Photo: IT Communications Office / source, CC BY 2.0.

The name causes confusion in several directions. Indiana University Indianapolis, Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana State University in Terre Haute and Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne are separate institutions with their own applications. This profile covers on-campus study in Bloomington.

At a glance	Details
Location	Bloomington, Indiana; about an hour from Indianapolis International Airport
Type	public research university, founded in 1820
Structure	12 schools and colleges, 200+ undergraduate majors
Application	Apply IU or Common App (submit only one), $65 fee
Fall deadlines	early action November 1, regular decision February 1; $100 deposit by May 1
Russian school records	grades 9–10 transcript when applying, then the attestat after graduation
SAT/ACT	optional
English for admission	TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, PTE 53, Cambridge 176
Nine-month budget	$61,156 for an international undergraduate
Aid for international students	merit awards from the application; international consideration by February 1
Rankings	THE 2027 =212 (Indiana University); ARWU 2026 151–200

Who IU Bloomington suits

Strengths for an international applicant	Points to plan for
Direct admission into the school of your major from the first year in most fields	Kelley, O'Neill and Nursing have limited space, so some students start on a standard path
Lower total cost than private universities of a similar profile	Full funding for international undergraduates is not offered
Test-optional admission and clear English minimums	A second, higher English benchmark decides whether you take academic English courses
A college town built around the campus	Bloomington is small; internships usually mean Indianapolis, Chicago or another state
Strong business, music, informatics and public affairs schools	Jacobs admits by audition, with its own deadline and fee

IU Bloomington makes sense for students who want a large American campus with broad program choice and can plan for roughly $60,000 a year without counting on full funding. If you need substantial need-based aid, wealthy private universities such as Northwestern work differently. Among public universities on StudyU, the University of Michigan follows a similar model but is considerably more selective.

Schools and majors

The Bloomington campus has 12 schools and colleges. The ones international applicants ask about most:

Kelley School of Business: accounting, finance, marketing, information systems, management.
Jacobs School of Music: performance, composition, ballet, audio engineering and other music programs.
Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering: computer science, informatics, data science, intelligent systems engineering.
O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs: public management, environmental policy, healthcare management.
College of Arts and Sciences, The Media School and the schools of public health, education, optometry and nursing.

Most schools offer direct admission: if IU admits you and your chosen major sits in that school, you start in it from day one with a school advisor. Undecided students can enter as exploratory students and choose a major during the first year.

Kelley direct admission for fall 2027

There are no automatic GPA or test-score criteria for fall 2027. The Kelley admissions committee reviews high school performance, course rigor and achievements as a whole. To be considered you must:

list a Kelley business major on your IU application;
complete the Kelley Prospect Inventory (KPI) in the IU portal, a 20-question multiple-choice questionnaire that takes about 20 minutes.

The priority date is November 15 for students who applied to IU by November 1; they hear by January 15. The regular KPI deadline is February 15, with decisions by April 16. If IU admits you, Kelley's decision is direct admission, a waitlist place (final answer by April 16) or pre-business status, which means applying to Kelley later through standard admission. Applicants not placed in a Kelley major may instead be admitted with their second-choice major; they cannot switch to a Kelley major later and can only add Kelley minors or certificates. Letters of recommendation are not used, and only first-year students starting in fall are eligible.

Jacobs School of Music

Music applicants complete a separate Jacobs application with a $50 fee. Both it and the IU application are due by December 1, followed by an audition or interview. There is no pre-music status, so a music major depends on that audition.

Undergraduate entry requirements

Academic preparation

IU looks for about 34 semester-long college-preparatory courses:

four years of English or your native language, including literature and composition;
three and a half years of mathematics: algebra, geometry and one more course such as precalculus, trigonometry or calculus;
three years of social sciences;
three years of science, including at least two years of laboratory science such as biology, chemistry or physics;
two years of another world language;
additional college-preparatory courses.

Admitted students typically have the equivalent of a B average or higher. IU also states that weak grades in the most recent term or a less demanding program are common reasons for denial. The admission decision rests with the IU Office of Admissions.

Documents from Russia and Kazakhstan

IU's country table lists, for Russia, a "Secondary School Transcript from Grades 9 and 10" to submit with the application while you are still in grade 11. After graduation you provide the final transcript and the certificate of secondary general education (attestat); without them you cannot continue past the first semester. Kazakhstan follows the same pattern: grades 9 and 10 first, then official copies of the attestat and its grade table.

When you apply, an uploaded copy of official records bearing the school's original stamp is enough, together with a literal English translation certified by the school. Enrollment is stricter: you bring the originals and final transcript to Bloomington and submit them to the Office of International Services within the first four weeks of classes. At that point photocopies and notarized copies do not count as official.

SAT and ACT

IU Bloomington is test-optional. You decide whether your SAT or ACT counts in the review, although IU prefers to see scores when you have them, and updated scores for scholarship review are accepted until January 15. Our guide to the SAT or ACT helps you choose.

English: two benchmarks

The first benchmark is for admission, and the score must be less than two years old:

Test	Admission minimum	Score that avoids extra English courses
TOEFL iBT	79	100
IELTS	6.5	7.5
Duolingo English Test	115	130
PTE Academic	53	68
Cambridge English Scale	176	191
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing	560	710
ACT English	21	32

The second benchmark applies after admission. Below it, IU uses your section scores to place you in academic writing, listening or speaking courses for multilingual students. The Indiana Academic English Test is a route to exemption. For the I-20, the testing agency must send an official score report. Completing Level 7 of IU's Intensive English Program also satisfies the admission requirement. See also our guide to the Duolingo English Test.

Deadlines and how to apply

Step	Date
Early action (non-binding), highest admission and scholarship consideration	November 1
Kelley KPI priority date	November 15
Jacobs supplemental application and fee	December 1
Early action decisions	by January 15
Updated SAT/ACT for scholarship review	by January 15
Regular decision and international scholarship deadline	February 1
Regular decision notifications	on or before March 15
Intent to enroll and $100 deposit	May 1

Applications completed after February 1 are reviewed only if space remains. International applicants for a spring (January) start apply by September 15.

Steps:

Choose one platform, Apply IU or Common App. Duplicate applications bring no advantage and slow processing.
Write the essay: a Common App prompt or the IU-specific essay in Apply IU.
Pay the $65 fee. It is non-refundable, and IU does not review an application without it.
Upload documents in Atlas. Login details arrive within five days after IU receives the application, with a checklist of missing items.
Send English results and, if you wish, SAT or ACT scores.
After admission, pay the $100 deposit, submit financial documents for the I-20, apply for housing and book orientation.

Cost for an international undergraduate

Item	Nine-month estimate
Tuition and mandatory fees	$44,339
Double residence hall room and standard meal plan	$12,431
Mandatory IU health insurance	$1,916
Books and miscellaneous expenses	$2,470
Total	$61,156

Tuition is a flat rate covering up to 40 credit hours across fall, spring and intersessions. Course-related fees, program fees in some schools and summer are extra. For each family member, IU adds $6,170 (up to $18,510 for three or more dependents). Graduate costs vary by program: the general estimate is $44,088, a Luddy computer and data science master's is $50,828, and the Kelley MBA is $78,014. Four undergraduate years at current rates add up to about $245,000. Our article on the cost of studying in the USA covers the wider budget.

Scholarships and financial aid

International students are not eligible for federal or state aid. What IU offers:

Merit scholarships decided from the admission application. To be considered for the main IU awards, submit a complete application by November 1. International students with a complete application by February 1 are considered for merit awards reserved for international students (the Global Engagement Scholarship deadline). IU does not publish the amounts.
School and program awards distributed through the IU Scholarships Application, due March 1.
Named international scholarships tied to particular countries or schools, such as awards for students from China, Japan, ASEAN countries or Latin America. None in the current list targets Russia, Kazakhstan or other CIS countries.
Need-based support after enrollment requested through Atlas, plus the Miller Loan for final-year students: up to $5,000 per semester and $10,000 in total at 5% interest.

Plan on a scholarship reducing the bill rather than covering it. IU makes all award decisions. Compare approaches across universities in our guide to financial aid for international students in the USA.

Housing

Most first-year undergraduates are required to live on campus, with some exceptions. The housing contract and application usually open in February for the following fall, and that is where you list preferences for learning communities, neighborhoods and roommates. The budget assumes $12,431 for a double room with a standard meal plan. Many students move to off-campus apartments from the second year. More in our guide to student housing in the USA.

F-1 student visa

After admission, IU's Office of International Services needs proof that you can cover one academic year of tuition, fees and living costs before it issues the I-20.

Next come the SEVIS fee ($350), the visa application fee ($185) and the interview. Russian nationals book nonimmigrant visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw or the U.S. Embassy in Astana, because the embassy in Moscow does not provide routine nonimmigrant visa services. Kazakh citizens apply in Astana or Almaty. F-1 applicants must set their social media profiles to public. The consular officer decides on the visa.

On July 17, 2026 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule replacing "duration of status" for F-1 students with a fixed admission period and an extension procedure. It was due to apply from September 15, 2026, but IU reports that on September 14 a U.S. District Court in Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, so the existing framework still applies for now. Check IU Global's updates page before travel. For the full visa process, read our F-1 student visa guide; for on-campus work and OPT, see working while studying in the USA.

Notes for applicants from Russia and Kazakhstan

Grade conversion. Do not convert your marks to a 4.0 scale yourself; IU evaluates foreign records, and an agency evaluation is not on its undergraduate requirement list.
Translations. IU expects a literal translation certified by the school. If your school cannot provide one, ask IU in advance which alternative it accepts.
Originals. Bring your attestat and transcripts: you will need them in Bloomington within the first four weeks.
Mathematics. Make algebra and geometry visible by year, since IU checks three and a half years of math.
Payments. Legal ways to pay from Russia are covered in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Mistakes to avoid

Submitting both Apply IU and Common App. Fees are not refunded and review slows down.
Missing November 1. Later applications are still possible, but the best scholarship and Kelley direct admission odds sit in early action.
Skipping the KPI. Without it, Kelley does not review you for direct admission.
Aiming only for the minimum English score. IELTS 6.5 gets you admitted, yet academic English courses may take part of your first year.
Arriving without original documents. Copies, notarized or not, are not accepted as official after arrival.

IU Bloomington in the rankings

Ranking	Position
THE World University Rankings 2027	=212 (Indiana University)
ARWU 2026	151–200 (Indiana University Bloomington)

For an undergraduate, the specific school and program usually matter more than an overall global position.

FAQ

Where is Indiana University Bloomington?

It is in Bloomington, in southern Indiana, about an hour's drive from Indianapolis International Airport. Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system, which also runs other campuses.

How much does IU Bloomington cost for international students?

IU's estimate is $44,339 in tuition and mandatory fees and $61,156 for nine months including housing, meals and insurance. Flights, visa fees and summer costs are not included.

Is the SAT required for IU Bloomington?

No. IU is test-optional, so you choose whether your SAT or ACT is considered. The university encourages sharing available scores, and the Office of Admissions makes the decision on the full application.

What IELTS score does Indiana University require?

IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79 or Duolingo 115 for admission. To avoid academic English courses after admission, IU looks for IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 100 or Duolingo 130. The score makes you eligible; IU's admissions office makes the decision.

Can international students get scholarships at IU Bloomington?

Yes. Merit awards come from the admission application itself, and IU runs a separate review for international applicants whose files are complete by the regular deadline. The university decides the outcome and amount.

Can I start directly in the Kelley School of Business?

Yes, through direct admission. List a Kelley major and complete the KPI, ideally by November 15. The Kelley admissions committee decides on direct admission; if it does not offer it, IU may admit you as pre-business, and you apply to Kelley later through standard admission.

Is IU Bloomington the same as Purdue or Indiana Tech?

No. Purdue is a separate public university in West Lafayette, and Indiana Tech is a private university in Fort Wayne. Each has its own requirements, application and costs.

Sources

All amounts are published by the university in U.S. dollars, so no currency conversion is needed; figures checked on October 2, 2026. Other universities are on our study in the USA page, and the general process is in applying to US universities. If you want to work through your route, send a request: document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission decision.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

Indiana University Bloomington: Admission for International Students