Admission
When to Apply
Applicants for the fall semester are encouraged to apply during the fall of the year preceding their entry to Iowa State University. Applications for other terms should be submitted well in advance of the desired entry date. Application deadlines are available at www.admissions.iastate.edu.

Completed applications for admission to the professional curriculum in the College of Veterinary Medicine, together with the required supporting transcripts, must be received by an established deadline. See Index, College of Veterinary Medicine, Application and Admission.

How to Apply
Applications for admission are available on the Web at www.admissions.iastate.edu.

Applicants seeking admission for the fall semester may be notified of the action taken on their applications as early as the September preceding enrollment, upon receipt of all application materials. Applicants for other terms will be notified on a rolling basis after receipt of all materials. Admission offers are issued for a specific term and are valid only for the term specified.

Visits to the Campus
Visitors to Iowa State University are always welcome!

The Office of Admissions, located in Alumni Hall, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and most Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. until noon when classes are in session. Counselors are available to speak with prospective students and their families about admission, financial aid, housing, student life, academic programs and opportunities. Visitors are offered student-guided walking tours of the campus.

Prospective students and parents are encouraged to visit the campus and the Office of Admissions. Arrangements for a campus visit or registration for "Experience Iowa State," a special open house program, can be made at www.admissions.iastate.edu or by contacting the Office of Admissions, Alumni Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-2011; phone 515-294-5836 or 800-262-3810; fax 515-294-2592; or admissions@iastate.edu.

Admission requirements are stated in the Iowa Administrative Code. Admission policies are established by the Faculty Senate. Any Admission decisions are made by the admissions officers in accordance with the entrance requirements as set forth in the Iowa Administrative Code as well as the admission policies established by the Faculty Senate.

Undergraduate Admission into Degree Programs Directly from High School
Students who seek admission must meet the following requirements and also any special requirements for the college or curriculum of their choice.

Applicants must submit an application for admission, the appropriate application fee (check www.admissions.edu for current application fee information). In addition applicants must have their secondary school provide an official transcript of their academic record, including credits and grades, rank in class, and certification of graduation.

Applicants must also arrange to have their scores from either the ACT Assessment
(ACT) or the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) reported to Iowa State directly from the testing agency. Applicants whose first language is not English should also provide the results of a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if their scores on the ACT or SAT are not adequate to place them into freshman composition courses at Iowa State. Applicants may be required to submit additional information or data to support their applications.

a. Graduates of approved Iowa high schools who have the subject-matter background required by Iowa State University and who rank in the upper half of their graduating class will be admitted. Students who do not rank in the upper half of their graduating class may be considered for admission to the university on an individual basis if they achieve the following combination of high school rank and ACT or SAT I scores:

Those who do not meet these requirements but who have a high school rank of 20% or above may be given the opportunity to enroll for a trial period during a preceding summer session to establish their qualifications for fall admission. Those who have a high school rank below 20% (and an ACT below 24) will be denied admission.

b. Nonresidents of Iowa, including international students, may be held to higher academic standards, but must meet at least the same requirements as resident applicants.

c. Applicants who are graduates of nonapproved high schools will be considered for admission in a manner similar to applicants from approved high schools, but additional emphasis will be given to scores earned on standardized examinations.

d. Applications may be considered from students who did not graduate with their high school classes. They will be required to submit all academic data to the extent that it exists and achieve scores on standardized examinations which will demonstrate that they are adequately prepared for academic study.

e. Students with satisfactory academic records may be admitted, on an individual basis, for part-time university study while enrolled in high school or during the summers prior to high school graduation.

f. Exceptional students may be admitted as full-time students before completing high school. Early admission is provided to serve persons whose academic achievement and personal and intellectual maturity clearly suggest readiness for college-level study.

High School Preparation Required for Admission
Graduation from an approved high school shall ordinarily precede entrance into Iowa State University.

Students who wish to enter Iowa State University directly from high school (or transfer from another college or university with less than 24 semester hours of graded transferable college credit) must meet the level of academic performance described above and show evidence of the following high school preparation:

English/Language Arts
Four years, emphasizing writing, speaking, and reading, as well as an understanding and appreciation of literature

Mathematics
Three years, including one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra

Science
Three years, including one year each of courses from two of the following fields: biology, chemistry, and physics

Social Studies
Two years

Additional Entrance Requirements for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
In addition to the high school preparation requirements described above, students applying to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must have completed an additional year of social studies, for a total of three years, and two years of a single foreign language.

Students who do not meet the high school course preparation requirements listed
here, but who are otherwise well qualified, may be admitted after individual review of their applications.

Undergraduate Admission into Degree Programs by Transfer from Other Educational Institutions
Students who seek admission must meet the following requirements and also any special requirements for the college or curriculum of their choice.

Applicants must submit an application form for admission, together with the appropriate fee (see www.admissions.iastate.edu for current application fee information) and request that each college they have attended send an official transcript of record to the Office of Admissions. Failure to provide transcripts from all colleges or universities attended may result in denial of the application or dismissal from the university. If less than 24 semester hours of graded transferable college credit will be completed prior to entry at Iowa State University, applicants must also request that their official high school transcript and ACT or SAT I scores be sent to the Office of Admissions. Other transfer applicants are encouraged to provide high school academic information. Students who do not do so may be asked to take course placement examinations during orientation.

Applicants whose first language is not English should provide the results of a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL may be waived if their scores on the ACT or SAT are adequate for placement in Iowa State freshman composition courses.

a. Transfer applicants with a minimum of 24 semester hours of graded transferable credit from regionally accredited colleges or universities, who have achieved for all college work previously attempted the grade point average required by Iowa State for specific programs, will be admitted. A 2.00 grade point average (on a 4.00 grading scale) is the minimum transfer grade point average requirement. Some programs may require a transfer grade point average higher than this minimum. Higher academic standards may be required of students who are not residents of Iowa, including international students.

Applicants who have not maintained the grade point average required by Iowa State University for specific programs or who are under academic suspension from the last
college attended generally will be denied admission.

b. In addition to meeting the minimum transfer grade point average requirement described above, applicants who have completed fewer than 24 semester hours of graded transferable college credit prior to their enrollment at Iowa State must also meet the admission requirements for students entering directly from high school.

c. Transfer applicants under disciplinary suspension will not be considered for admission until information concerning the reason for the suspension has been received from the college assigning the suspension. Applicants granted admission under these circumstances will be admitted on probation.

d. Transfer applicants from colleges and universities not regionally accredited will be considered for admission on an individual basis, taking into account all available academic information.

Transfer Credit Practices
Iowa State University endorses the Joint Statement on Transfer and Award of Academic Credit approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). The current issue of Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions, published by AACRAO is an example of a reference used in determining transfer credit.

The acceptance and use of transfer credit are subject to limitations in accordance with the educational policies of Iowa State University.

a. Students from regionally accredited colleges and universities.
Credit earned at regionally accredited colleges and universities is acceptable for transfer, except for the following, which may not be accepted, or may be accepted to a limited extent:

-credit in courses determined by Iowa State University to be of a developmental, vocational, or technical nature
-credit in courses or programs in which the institution granting the credit is not directly involved.

No more than 65 semester or 97 quarter credits earned at two-year colleges can be applied to a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. While there is no limit to the number of credits that may be transferred from a four-year institution, the last 32 semester credits must be completed at Iowa State University.

b. Students from colleges and universities which have candidate status.
Credit earned at colleges and universities which have become candidates for accreditation by a regional association is acceptable for transfer in a manner similar to that from regionally accredited colleges and universities if the credit is applicable to the bachelor's degree at Iowa State University.

Credit earned at the junior and senior classification from an accredited two-year college which has received approval by a regional accrediting association for change to a four-year college may be accepted by Iowa State University.

c. Students from colleges and universities not regionally accredited.
When students are admitted from colleges and universities not regionally accredited, they may validate portions or all of their transfer credit by satisfactory academic study at Iowa State, or by examination. The amount of transfer credit and the terms of the validation process will be specified at the time of admission.

In determining the acceptability of transfer credit from private colleges in Iowa which do not have regional accreditation, the Regent Committee on Educational Relations, upon request from such institutions, evaluates the nature and standards of the academic
program, faculty, student records, library, and laboratories.

In determining the acceptability of transfer credit from colleges in states other than Iowa which are not regionally accredited, acceptance practices indicated in the current issue of Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions will be used as a guide. For institutions not listed in the publication, guidance is requested from the designated reporting institution of the appropriate state.

d. Students from foreign colleges and universities.
Transfer credit from foreign educational institutions may be granted after a determination of the type of institution involved, its recognition by the educational authorities of the foreign country, and an evaluation of the content, level, and comparability of the study to courses and programs at Iowa State University. Credit may be granted in specific courses or assigned to general areas of study. Extensive use is made of professional journals and references which describe the educational systems and programs of individual countries.

Additional Transfer Credit Policies
a. Students with credit obtained during military service.
Credit will be awarded for successful completion of technical or specialized schools attended while on active duty with the armed forces to the extent that the material is applicable toward degree requirements at Iowa State University. Application for such credit is made at the Office of Admissions, which follows many of the recommendations in the American Council on Education (ACE) publication A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.

b. Students with credit obtained through non-college sponsored instruction.
Credit will be awarded for successful completion of learning acquired from participation in formal courses sponsored by associations, business, government, industry, and unions to the extent that the material is applicable toward degree requirements at Iowa State University. Application for such credit is made at the Office of Admissions, which follows many of the recommendations in the American Council on Education (ACE) publication The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.

c. Students with credit obtained through correspondence courses.
Although Iowa State does not offer correspondence courses, college level courses taken by correspondence from accredited colleges or universities are acceptable for transfer at the undergraduate level if the courses taken are those that do not require laboratory study.

d. College Level Examination Program (CLEP).
Iowa State University will award credit for each of the following 12 examinations, for test scores equivalent to a "B" grade: Principles of Accounting, American Government, Biology, Calculus, Humanities, Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics, Natural Sciences, Introductory Psychology, Social Sciences and History, Introductory Sociology, Trigonometry. Iowa State will also award credit equivalent to a grade of "C" or "B" (grade determines amount of credit awarded) for two CLEP foreign language exams: French Language and Spanish Language.

Application of CLEP credit to a degree program varies with the department, so students should consult with their department before they register for CLEP examinations. Additional information is available at www.iastate.edu, Index, Credit by Examination.

e. Students with "test-out" credit.
Students who have earned credit at other colleges or universities through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations may qualify for credit at Iowa State University. Scores from these examinations should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions; credit will be awarded provided the scores satisfy Iowa State's requirements.

Credit earned at another college through locally designed test-out examinations may transfer to Iowa State University if accompanied by at least 12 transferable semester credits earned through coursework taken at that institution.

Articulation/Transfer Agreements
a. Iowa Regent Universities General Education Articulation Agreement.
Iowa State University participates in an articulation agreement with the other two Iowa Regent universities concerning the acceptance of their general education programs into the Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Under the terms of this agreement, students who have satisfied general education requirements at the University of Northern Iowa or in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Iowa may transfer to Iowa State's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with their general education requirements met (with the possible exception of the foreign language and library requirements).

b. Associate of Arts (A.A.) Articulation Agreement with Iowa public community colleges.
Students who plan to enter the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University with an associate of arts degree from an Iowa public community college, and who have at least 60 prescribed semester (90 quarter) credits acceptable for transfer and at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, will be considered to have met the general education requirements of the college (with the possible exception of the foreign language and library requirements).

c. Vocational-technical credit from Iowa public community colleges.
Iowa State University will accept up to 16 semester (24 quarter) credits earned in vocational-technical courses where the sending Iowa public community college will accept such courses toward its associate of arts or associate in science degree. Certain vocational-technical courses at Iowa community colleges may be articulated to Iowa State University as academic credit. The hours earned in these articulated courses would transfer in addition to the 16 semester hour vocational-technical maximum. Please refer to the course equivalency guides on the Web (www.iastate.edu) or contact the Office of Admissions for more information.

d. AP and CLEP credit from Iowa public colleges and universities.
Iowa State University has an agreement with the Iowa public colleges and universities which allows credit earned through AP and CLEP examinations to transfer directly to Iowa State University if accompanied by at least 12 transferable semester credits earned through coursework taken at the sending institution.

Nondegree Undergraduate
Students who wish to attend Iowa State University to take undergraduate courses but who do not plan to seek an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University should apply as nondegree undergraduate students. Credit taken under the nondegree undergraduate classification is applicable for undergraduate degree purposes for those who are later admitted as degree-seeking undergraduate students. Credit obtained under the nondegree undergraduate classification may not, however, be applied toward a graduate degree.

Students enrolled in the Intensive English and Orientation Program (IEOP) are classified as nondegree students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and usually are not permitted to enroll in academic courses until they have satisfied requirements for admission as degree-seeking students. Permission to enroll in one academic course in addition to full time intensive English study may be granted under special circumstances.

Reentering Students
Reentering students are those who have previously attended Iowa State University and are returning after an absence of at least one full year. See Index, "Academic Renewal Policy" and "Reentry."

International students need to reapply after an absence of one full semester, exclusive of summer session. International reentries must also contact the International Education Services office to request the necessary visa application forms.

Reentering graduate students do not need to complete a reentry form but should notify their department and the Office of the Registrar of their intent to reenter Iowa State University. See Reentry for more information.

Catalog Home

2/27/03