If You Attended High School Inside the United States
Admission requirements will vary depending on your area of study; matching the requirements for first-year applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Review the list of Undergraduate Areas of Study or our minimum high school course requirements for more details. In addition, you must complete the English language requirements.
If You Attended High School Outside the United States
You must meet the following requirements for admission:
- Completion of academic upper secondary school (generally a total of 12-13 years of primary and secondary education)
- A corresponding secondary school diploma or leaving certificate
- Above-average grades on core academic subjectsMathematics, Sciences, English, World Language, Linguistics, Anthropology, History, Government, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Geography, Culture and Society, Law, Political Science, Computer Science from a secondary school that are comparable to U.S. grades of B or a 3.00 GPA
- Completion of our Minimum High School Course Requirements, which vary depending on whether you are applying to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Business, or Nursing.
- Satisfaction of our English Proficiency Requirements
- SAT or ACT scores are not required of international applicants who completed secondary school outside the United States; however, SAT or ACT scores are encouraged of first-year applicants who wish to be considered for academic and athletic scholarships, Direct Admission to the Tippie College of Business, or for the University of Iowa Honors Program.
- SAT and ACT scores can be used to satisfy the university’s English proficiency requirements.
- The university encourages all applicants to take either exam, as strong results could favorably affect the decision regarding your application.
- If you are applying to the College of Nursing, see the additional International Nursing Requirements
Test Scores for Students Applying Fall 2021
If you do not provide an ACT or SAT score at the time of application, you may be required to submit additional academic documents, transcripts, or a personal statement to receive an admission decision. Students will be contacted via email for any additional documents. See our ACT and SAT Test Score Information for Students Applying for Fall 2021.
If you Attended High Schools both Inside and Outside the United States
Admission will be based on a review of both the international record and US high school transcript. International students who will graduate from a U.S. high school must submit either an ACT or SAT score to be considered for admission. Note: if you do not have test scores, see our ACT and SAT Test Score Information for Students Applying for Fall 2021.