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Because the pandemic has limited opportunities for students to take the ACT or SAT, US freshman applicants who wish to enroll prior to Spring 2023 are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores. These applicants may decide for themselves whether they wish to self-report their test scores and have them factored into their admission decision.

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Applicants who choose to self-report their test scores

Regent Admission Index

These applicants will be considered for admission based upon their Regent Admission Index (RAI) score. Below is the mathematical formula for calculating students RAI scores:

RAI Formula

	ACT composite (or converted SAT) score x 3
+	Cumulative GPA x 30
+	Number of years of high school core courses x 5
	RAI (Regent Admission Index)

Note: For purposes of calculating the RAI, SAT scores will be converted to ACT composite equivalents; high school GPA is expressed on a 4-point scale; and number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas is expressed in terms of years or fractions of years of study.

Applicants who achieve at least a 245 RAI score and who meet the minimum high school course requirements will automatically be offered admission. Applicants who achieve less than a 245 RAI score and who meet the minimum high school course requirements may also be offered admission, but their applications will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Calculate your unofficial Regent Admission Index.

Applicants who choose not to self-report their test scores

These applicants will be considered for admission based upon an individual review of their academic records. Emphasis will be given to students' high school cumulative GPA and core courses.

Minimum High School Course Requirements

Students who wish to enter Iowa State University directly from high school must also meet the minimum high school course requirements for admission as indicated below:

Subject	Requirement	Description
English/Language Arts	4 years	Emphasizing writing, speaking, and reading, as well as an understanding and appreciation of literature
Mathematics	3 years	Including one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra
Science	3 years	Including at least two years of courses which emphasize elements of biology, chemistry, or physics
Social Studies	2 years

Additional entrance requirements for the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences

In addition to the high school course requirements listed above, students applying for admission to the College of Engineering must complete two years of a single foreign language. Students applying for admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must complete a third year of social studies and two years of a single foreign language.

English Proficiency for Students from Puerto Rico

Students who graduate from high school in Puerto Rico are automatically considered to have met Iowa State's English proficiency requirement, even if they indicate English is not their primary language.

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Nontraditional Students

Nontraditional students are held to the same high school course requirements as all entering freshmen. However, because research has shown that traditional measures of high school performance (e.g., GPA, class rank) are not always good predictors of academic success for nontraditional students, those who achieve less than a 245 RAI score are still encouraged to apply for admission.

General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

General Equivalency Diploma (GED) applicants are welcome to enroll at Iowa State University. The specific GED score requirements for admission depend upon when the GED test was taken.

GED taken prior to 2014

Applicants who have achieved an overall average score at the 50th percentile or higher with no score lower than the 45th percentile will be offered admission. Applicants are also required to achieve GED sub-test scores at the 75th percentile for subject areas in which they did not satisfy the Minimum High School Course Requirements for Admission.

GED taken in 2014 or later

Applicants who have achieved a score of 170 or higher on each of the four content areas (Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies) will be offered admission.

High School Equivalency Test (HiSET)

In January, 2014, the state of Iowa began using the HiSET (in place of the GED) as the assessment for persons who wish to earn their high school equivalency diploma. The HiSET is composed of five sub-tests listed below, each of which are scored from 1-20 with a score of 8 considered "passing" and a score of 15 considered "college ready". The total HiSET score ranges from 1-100.

HiSET sub-tests:

• Language Arts – Reading
• Language Arts – Writing
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science

Freshman applicants who achieve a minimum sum score of 75 on the HiSET and a minimum score of 15 on each of the five sub-tests will automatically be offered admission. Applicants who do not meet these minimum requirements will be considered on an individual basis.

Home Schooled Students

Each year, Iowa State welcomes freshman applicants who have been educated at home.

In addition to submitting the freshman application for admission, home schooled students must also submit the following items:

• Home school transcript.
• High school transcript if any courses have been taken through the local high school.
• College transcript(s) if any college coursework has been attempted.
• As indicated above, home schooled applicants who wish to enroll prior to Spring 2023 may choose whether they wish to submit ACT or SAT scores. Those who wish to have their ACT or SAT scores considered must have their scores sent to Iowa State directly from the testing agency.

GPA policy for home school students

When calculating a home school applicant's high school GPA for admission, only those grades which have been assigned by an independent entity (e.g., the local high school, a college, or an accredited online curriculum) are factored into the cumulative GPA. Home school applicants must have earned independently assigned grades in at least 12 semester credits of college-level coursework or at least 5 Carnegie units of high school-level coursework (or a combination of both) before their independently assigned grades can be used to establish their high school GPA.

Home school applicants who have not earned enough independently assigned grades to have an established high school GPA will be considered for admission on an individual basis. This will include a holistic evaluation of the student’s entire academic record, including ACT/SAT test scores, high school core classes, and coursework taken through high school and local colleges and universities.

Please contact the Office of Admissions for additional details.

Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities are held to Iowa State's regular freshman admission requirements. Those who feel their academic record does not accurately reflect their ability to succeed and, therefore, wish to be considered for admission on an individual basis are asked to submit additional documentation explaining their circumstances. This documentation should include:

• A letter from the applicant requesting special consideration. This letter should identify the disability and include a description of how the disability impacts academic performance.
• Information pertaining to accommodations and services used in high school or the most recent educational setting.
• A recent typed report prepared by a qualified provider that contains a specific current diagnosis, treatment history, and existing functional impact as it relates to one's participation at Iowa State University. Please refer to Student Accessibility Services for more details on documentation requirements.

For additional information about services for students with disabilities, visit Student Accessibility Services.

Accept Your Offer of Admission

To accept your offer of admission, you will need to pay your acceptance fee online by credit card.

• To accept online, you will need the log in to MyAccount using the account you established when you applied to Iowa State.

Accept your offer online
 

If you prefer to return your admissions acceptance form by mail, rather than using the online method, print the acceptance form from the link provided below. After you complete the form, mail it to the Office of Admissions with a check or money order made payable to Iowa State University.
 

Print acceptance form

Explore Your Housing Options

Learn about living options in residence halls, university apartments, and fraternities and sororities; the priority system for assigning university housing; and the advantages of accepting your offer of admission as early as possible. To reserve space in university residence halls or apartments, you will need to submit a university housing contract after you accept your offer of admission.

• If you have accepted your offer of admission, paid your acceptance fee, and decided you want to live in university residence halls or apartments, you can complete your housing contract online. This contract does not apply to sororities, fraternities, or off-campus (non-university) housing.

Complete your housing contract

Prepare for Orientation

Check your inbox in late March for instructions on completing orientation.

Submit Your Transcripts

Freshman Students

Once you have graduated from high school:

1. Contact your high school to request an official copy of your final transcript be sent to Iowa State.
2. Request your ACT or SAT scores be sent to Iowa State. These scores must be sent directly from the testing agency or be included on your official final high school transcript. (Note: Iowa State is test-optional for freshmen enrolling prior to Spring 2023.)
3. If you have already completed or will complete college courses prior to entering Iowa State, request an official copy of your college transcript(s) be sent to our office as soon as your coursework is complete.

Transfer Students

Request an official copy of your college transcript(s) be sent to our office as soon as your coursework is complete.

Submit transcripts to:

etranscript@iastate.edu

or

Iowa State University
Office of Admissions
100 Enrollment Services Center
2433 Union Drive
Ames, IA 50011-2042

Cost of Attendance

The estimated annual cost of attendance for new students includes Iowa State's tuition and fees, room and meals, as well as an estimate for books and supplies. Total costs of attending Iowa State University may vary based on students' lifestyles, majors, academic colleges, and academic progress.

Need-based Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are typically a combination of grants, loans, and employment. To be considered for need-based financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To receive priority financial aid consideration, it is important that you submit your FAFSA by December 1.

Scholarships

Iowa State University awards millions of dollars in scholarship awards each year to incoming students. Some awards are automatic while many require an application. Scholarships are offered through a variety of sources at Iowa State, simply complete our OneApp.

Automatic Freshman Merit Awards (link)

Academic Program for Excellence (link)

George Washington Carver Scholarship (link)

Multicultural Vision Program Ap

Student Employment

Many students finance their education through part-time jobs. In fact, research has shown that students who work up to 12 hours per week have higher grade point averages than students who do not work. Two types of part-time positions are available at Iowa State: work study and non-work study. To be considered for work-study eligibility, you must submit the FAFSA.

JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL

• Schedule a visit to campus. 
• Get a head start by joining the Cyclone Advantage Planning Program (CAP).
• Take the ACT or the SAT I and have your scores sent to Iowa State University. Iowa State's codes are 1320 for the ACT and 6306 for the SAT I. 
  
  Special Policy for Freshmen Enrolling Prior to Spring 2023: Because the pandemic has limited ACT and SAT testing opportunities for students, you may choose whether or not you wish to submit ACT or SAT scores when you apply for admission.

SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL

• Submit your application for admission and merit-based scholarships, and receive immediate notification after submission via our rapid response technology.
• Review Iowa State University freshman scholarships.
• Before May 1, submit your admissions acceptance form and acceptance fee to confirm your enrollment in the fall class.
• Submit your university housing contract. The earlier you submit your contract, the more likely you are to get the housing you prefer.
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Iowa State's code number is 001869. Submit the FAFSA even if you miss the December 1st priority deadline.
• Check your inbox in April for instructions on completing orientation.
• By April 20, if interested, sign up for the Monthly Payment Plan (with revised payment options/deadlines also available).

SUMMER BEFORE FALL ENTRY

• Attend orientation in summer, meet with your academic advisor, and register for your fall classes.
• Receive both your registration confirmation and your billing statement in early August.
• Move into university housing beginning the Wednesday before classes begin and attend Destination Iowa State.

Latino Family Visit Day

¡Sueña en grande! Tenemos espacio.

“El Día de Visita para las Familias Latinxs” es un evento exclusivo diseñado para los estudiantes y sus familias. Durante esta visita podrán aprender sobre las oportunidades y servicios disponibles que ofrecemos a nuestro estudiantes Latinx de Iowa State University.

 Los participantes podrán:

• Aprender sobre organizaciones estudiantiles y recursos en el campus.
• Explorar el campus y conocer profesionales de diferentes ramas de servicio en la universidad.
• Asistir a el panel de estudiantes Latinx en cual discutirán experiencias como estudiantes de Iowa State University.

 Este día de visita es completamente en español

Este evento es en colaboración con el capítulo de Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc. de Iowa State.

Spanish Virtual Visits

¡La programación de visitas virtuales en español está abierta para inscripciones!

Los invitados pueden registrarse para varias opciones de visitas virtuales en español en nuestro sitio web.

Las opciones incluyen una presentación de admisiones en español (seguida de una reunión académica a la 1:10 p. m. en inglés y una sesión auxiliar opcional a las 2:10 p. m. en inglés).

¡También está disponible una sesión en vivo del guía turístico en español!

¡El Día de Visitas Virtuales para Familias Latinas se llevará a cabo el sábado 7 de noviembre! Este día incluirá información sobre admisiones, panel estudiantil y varias clases breves simuladas.