All military and veteran personnel applicants must complete an application for admission. You will need to meet admission requirements as outlined for either first-year or transfer students.

If you have served, or are currently serving in the military, you will be required to submit your military transcripts when you apply for admission. If you are in any other branch of the military than the Air Force, you will need to provide a Joint Services Transcript (JST). Those serving in the Air Force will request a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript.

Additional materials required will be determined by how many academic credits* you have completed at a regionally accredited college or university.

If you have completed at least 24 graded, academic semester (36 quarter) credits*, you will be required to submit the following items in addition to your application for admission:

  • Military transcripts (JST or CCAF)
  • Transcripts from all colleges attended

You will be required to have a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.00 in all academic courses* you have completed.

If you have not completed at least 24 graded, academic semester (36 quarter) credits*, you will be required to submit the following items:

  • High school transcript
  • ACT or SAT test scores
  • Military transcript (JST or CCAF)
  • Transcripts from all colleges attended (if applicable)

Your application will be reviewed on an individual basis.

*Note: Career technical, development/remedial, and military credits do not count as academic credit.

Reentering students

If you were previously enrolled as a degree-seeking undergraduate at Iowa State and wish to return as an undergraduate after an absence of at least 12 months, you must apply as a reentering student.

Military credit

Military transcripts will be evaluated for transfer based on the recommendations made by the American Council on Education's Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.

Credit awarded under the ACE guidelines fall under the category of credits for prior learning. Iowa State will allow a maximum of 60 credits of prior learning to satisfy a student's undergraduate degree requirements, of which no more than 32 credits may come from the credit by examination.

Credit will be granted for the following recommendations:

  • Vocational certificate
  • Lower-division baccalaureate degree
  • Upper-division baccalaureate degree

The application of military credit toward your Iowa State degree will be determined by your academic department.

  • Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): MOS courses are not accepted for transfer credit.
  • Career and technical training: A maximum of 16 career-technical credits will be granted. This includes credit awarded for military vocational certificate recommendations and career-technical credit granted from regionally accredited colleges.
  • Community College of the Air Force: Up to 16 career-technical credits will be granted.
  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP): Credit is granted for selected exams. Refer to our credit by exam page for more information.
  • DANTES Standardized Subject Tests (DSST): Credit is not awarded for DSST exams.

You can use the following resources to request your military transcript:

You are considered a first-year student if you are still a high school student or if you have not completed any college courses prior to entering Iowa State. Please refer to first-year admission requirements for additional information.

If you have completed courses from a regionally accredited college or university after graduating from high school, apply as a transfer student. If you have earned less than 24 academic credits, you must also meet admission requirements for students entering directly from high school. View transfer admission requirements.

Yes, see information in the section above.

Veterans certifying officials are available to assist you with questions about your benefits. Email them at veterans@iastate.edu with questions.

Iowa State has ROTC programs for Air Force, Army, and Navy.

Iowa State has several military student organizations for veterans as well as those in ROTC programs.