How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medicine-Related Majors at Indiana University Bloomington: Direct Admission by Selecting a Major in the Right School, Nursing Through Direct Admission or Pre-Nursing, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Indiana University Bloomington has 12 schools, and the life-science and health-related undergraduate majors are spread over three: the College of Arts and Sciences (biology, microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, neuroscience and more), the School of Public Health (epidemiology, nutrition science, exercise science and others) and the School of Nursing (BSN). This guide follows IU’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. There is no pre-medicine major in the United States, so the pre-med section reports only what IU’s health professions advising office states.

1. Which related undergraduate majors exist

• College of Arts and Sciences — Biology: a B.A. and a B.S. The Bulletin calls the B.A. the “most flexible” biology degree, with minimal chemistry and mathematics so students can add a second major, but says it “will not automatically fulfill requirements for entrance to medical, dental, or optometry schools, or to most graduate programs in biology.” The B.S. has more chemistry, mathematics and physics and is designed for graduate or professional school or science-related jobs. The B.S. offers three concentrations — Biology of Disease; Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics; Integrative and Organismal Biology — or an electives option.
• College — other programs: the College also lists Microbiology (B.A./B.S.), Biochemistry (B.S., for graduate work or research in industry or government labs and also for medical and other professional schools), Biotechnology (B.A./B.S.) and Neuroscience (B.S., housed in Psychological and Brain Sciences, for graduate training in neuroscience, medical school or research-related work in biotechnology, the life sciences and pharmaceuticals). The College’s “law and medicine pathways” page also names Human Biology and Molecular Life Sciences as pre-health options; we did not read their requirements.
• Credit scale (2026–27 Bulletin): Biology B.A. major at least 30 credits (39 with the addenda); Biology B.S. 30 (60 with addenda); Biochemistry B.S. 44 (71); Biotechnology B.S. 34 (62); Neuroscience B.S. 32 (60). A degree needs at least 120 credits.
• School of Public Health: the undergraduate majors listed are Community Health, Dietetics, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Exercise Science, Global Health, Human Development & Family Studies, Nutrition Science, Parks, Recreation & the Outdoors, Recreational Therapy, Safety Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Sport Marketing & Management, Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management and Youth Development. The Nutrition Science page mentions research, food science and future study in medicine and the health professions. We did not read the course requirements one by one.
• School of Nursing (BSN): the Bloomington campus admits traditional BSN students in the fall only; clinical experiences include the Regional Academic Health Center and rural community healthcare settings.
• STEM designation: not stated on the pages we read.
• Combined programs such as BS/MD: not described on the pages we read.

2. Admission and entering a major

• Direct admission: the admission-paths page says that if you indicate a major on your application that is within one of the listed schools — including the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Health — you are directly admitted to that school at the start of your freshman year, with an advisor in that school. The College says most students who choose a College major are admitted directly into the College as freshmen.
• Not every major is open-entry: the College says some degree programs have special admission requirements or review procedures, listed in the Bulletin for each program, and to use the Bulletin for the year you matriculate. The biology, biochemistry and neuroscience Bulletin pages we read state no extra GPA threshold or enrollment cap; ask the department. The Bulletin requires a C- or higher for a course to count toward the major, at least 18 major credits on the Bloomington campus (or an IU-run overseas program) and at least 18 at the 300–499 level.
• Changing into a College major: students starting elsewhere (for example in exploratory advising) make an appointment with the department’s advisor — “it’s that simple”, with a few programs having special entry requirements.
• Nursing (limited capacity): direct admission is limited and highly competitive, and the majority of nursing students are still admitted through the traditional pathway. To be considered, apply to IU by November 1 and declare nursing/pre-nursing. After admission, eligible students are invited to submit a direct-admission supplemental application based on high school academic performance and experiences (healthcare experience, health sciences coursework, volunteering, leadership and similar); it is due February 1, decisions come March 15 and confirmation is due May 1. Direct admits are guaranteed placement beginning in their third semester if they complete all School of Nursing prerequisites with C or higher and keep a prerequisite GPA of 3.5 or higher; below 3.5 in the first semester means a student success program, and below 3.0 forfeits the seat (the student may still apply through the traditional path). Students not offered direct admission begin as pre-nursing majors, advised by Advising and Major Exploration Services (AMES), and apply to the School of Nursing in the spring of the freshman year after finishing pre-nursing coursework. The Bloomington traditional BSN application window for fall entry is January 15 to April 15, with notification June 1.
• Nursing special requirements: the School of Nursing states students must have a Social Security number to be eligible for clinical placement, and admission offers are rescinded without one; students must pass a national criminal background check and drug screen annually and have health insurance. The direct-admit FAQ, however, says international applicants are eligible to apply for direct admission. How these two statements apply to international students is not explained on the pages we read; email iunurse@iu.edu.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses (freshman applicants): applicants should complete at least 34 credits (semesters) of college-preparatory courses: English 8; mathematics 7 (4 algebra, 2 geometry and 1 of precalculus, trigonometry, statistics, finite or calculus, or a course showing advanced math preparation; discrete mathematics and quantitative reasoning do not count); social sciences 6 (including 2 U.S. history and 2 world history/civilization/geography); sciences 6 (at least 4 credits of laboratory science in biology, chemistry or physics); world languages 4; and 3 or more additional college-preparatory courses. Additional mathematics is recommended for students pursuing a science degree, and additional world language for all students.
• First two years in Biology: foundations are BIOL-L 111 (Diversity, Evolution and Ecology), BIOL-L 112 (Biological Mechanisms, with previous or concurrent CHEM-C 117 recommended) and a biology lab (BIOL-L 113 or equivalent), followed by Molecular Biology (BIOL-L 211, requiring BIOL-L 112 and a chemistry course), Genetics and Evolution. B.A. addenda: one Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I course (CHEM-C 117 or equivalent), one organic chemistry course and one mathematics course (MATH-M 118, 119, 211 and others). B.S. addenda: chemistry CHEM-C 117/127, Organic Chemistry I and II lectures and the organic lab (CHEM-C 341, 342, 343), Physics I and II, one statistics course, and Calculus I (MATH-M 211) or Brief Survey of Calculus I and II.
• Neuroscience B.S.: foundations include introductory psychology, foundations of biology, chemistry principles with lab and statistics; the core includes a neuroscience course, four advanced neuroscience courses and a laboratory course.
• AP (from IU’s table; send official scores to IU admissions): Biology 3 earns BIOL-L 104 (3 credits), 4 earns BIOL-E 112 (3) and 5 earns BIOL-E 111/112 (6); Calculus AB 4 or 5 earns MATH-M 211 (4) and BC 4 or 5 earns MATH-M 211/212 (8); Chemistry 3 earns undistributed credit (3), 4 earns CHEM-C 101 (3) and 5 earns CHEM-C 117 (3). IU adds that each school, department or program decides how credit applies to its requirements.
• IB: the page says up to 8 credit hours per exam for scores of 4 or higher (its table lists 10 for Chemistry HL 6 or 7, so the two do not agree; confirm with admissions); Biology (SL or HL) 4 earns undistributed credit (3) and 5–7 earns BIOL-L 111/112 (8); Chemistry SL 4–7 earns CHEM-C 103 (5); Chemistry HL 4 earns CHEM-C 103 (5), 5 earns CHEM-C 117/127 (5) and 6 or 7 earns CHEM-C 117/118/127 (10).
• IU School of Medicine prerequisites (as the advising guidebook maps them to Bloomington courses): general chemistry 8–10 credits (CHEM-C 117/127 and CHEM-N 331), organic chemistry 8–10 (CHEM-C 341, 342, 343), physics 8–10 (PHYS-P 201+202 or P 221+222), biology 8–10 (BIOL-L 112, 113, 211), biochemistry 3 (CHEM-C 383 or 483), psychology 3 and sociology 3.

4. Pre-med and the health professions

• No pre-med major: Health Professions & Prelaw Advising (HPPLA) is the Bloomington office dedicated to students seeking professional programs in law, medicine and other health professions. The College lists Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, History, Human Biology, the Individualized Major Program, Mathematics, Molecular Life Sciences, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience and Sociology as good preparation for medicine.
• Major matters less than competencies: the guidebook says that for premed students “your major doesn’t matter nearly as much as the competencies you build” and a science major is not required; admissions officials usually say they have no preference. Regardless of major, medical schools expect rigorous natural-science coursework; most require at least a year of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics with lecture and lab.
• Grades: the guidebook says medical schools expect applicants to earn “A’s in most premedical science courses, with occasional B’s.”
• AP credit: most medical schools accept some AP or credit-by-exam, though some restrict it; an exemption is not generally equivalent to AP, exam or college credit, and college-level coursework is often preferable for MCAT preparation.
• Advising: individual HPPLA appointments are reserved for current Bloomington students and alumni and cover application strategy, admissions tests, personal statements and mock interviews; course registration and degree requirements go to your academic advisor.
• International students: the HPPLA pages we read have no section for international students applying to U.S. medical schools. This guide does not cover applying to medical school itself.

5. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Rounds: Early Action (non-binding) is due November 1 with a January 15 response; Regular Decision is due February 1 with a March 15 response; after February 1 applications are considered only if space is available. IU says to apply by November 1 for highest admission and scholarship consideration, with a complete application. The $100 enrollment deposit (nonrefundable, credited to first-semester tuition) and your intent to enroll are due May 1. The spring-semester priority deadline is November 1. The pages show no year; check that the dates are for fall 2027 entry.
• Platforms: the Apply IU application or the Common Application — submit only one.
• Materials: an official high school transcript and a full senior-year schedule; an essay (any Common App prompt, or the Apply IU essay question); SAT/ACT/CLT optional. Letters of recommendation are not required; if you send them, IU accepts one counselor and one teacher letter. Application fee: the pages we read give $65 only for graduate applicants and do not state the undergraduate amount; check the application page.
• Testing: test-optional — you choose on the application whether scores are considered. IU also says it expects students to share scores because research shows GPA plus scores best predicts success; classroom performance in rigorous coursework carries the greatest weight and applicants without scores get full consideration. IU accepts the SAT, ACT and CLT and superscores. SAT code 1324, ACT code 1210. Some scholarships require scores, which must arrive by January 15.
• GPA: IU looks at the cumulative GPA and grades in the 34 required courses; if your school does not report a 6-semester cumulative GPA, IU does not consider a transcript GPA.

6. U.S. domestic applicants

• Indiana residents: students earning the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal diploma are offered guaranteed admission through the Indiana Resident Admissions program.
• Cost (2026–27, full-time undergraduates): tuition and mandatory fees $12,142 for Indiana residents and $42,702 for non-residents; housing and food $14,398; books and supplies $1,320; transportation $284 (residents) or $2,106 (non-residents); personal expenses $2,430; estimated total $30,574 for residents and $62,956 for non-residents. Tuition is a flat fee covering 40 credit hours across fall, spring and the intersessions; summer classes are charged per credit hour. The pages show no extra fees for life-science majors.
• Scholarships: complete applications submitted by November 1 are considered for IU Excellence Scholarships, with or without test scores.
• Fee waivers: the application fee can be waived for eligible domestic students with financial need.

7. International applicants

• Process: also through Apply IU or the Common App. The international freshman standards page also lists the 34-credit college-preparatory course pattern (with English “or in your native language” and 4 credits/2 years of another world language) and requires the equivalent of U.S. high school (upper secondary school) including all courses and exams required for graduation; IU says its students have “the equivalent of a B average or higher” in secondary school. The College and School of Public Health pages, however, say international students apply through the Office of International Services. Both statements appear on IU pages; follow the application page’s current instructions.
• Deadlines: the same as domestic applicants — November 1 for first and maximum consideration and February 1 for regular decision (also the deadline for the Global Engagement Scholarship). Spring entry: apply by September 15; summer entry (second eight weeks only, minimum 6 credits): January 1.
• English proficiency: required of all international undergraduate applicants within the last two years. Accepted results: TOEFL iBT 79 (paper 550, Special Home Edition 79, ITP+ China 543), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, Cambridge English 176, PTE 53, Michigan MET 53, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 560, ACT English 21; or IB HL English A 4+, A-Level English first language A–C, AP English 3+; or citizenship of, or three full years of secondary school in, a listed predominantly English-speaking country (the list includes Hong Kong and Singapore); or completion of Level 7 of the IU Intensive English Program. To be exempt from beginning English classes IU lists higher scores: TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130, Cambridge 191, PTE 68, SAT EBRW 710, ACT English 32, or 45 transferable credits, or three years of secondary school in a listed English-speaking country; otherwise sub-scores are used to place students in academic writing, listening and speaking courses.
• Proof of funds: after admission you must submit documents in Atlas showing the means to support yourself for a full year (tuition, fees, living expenses); this is not part of the admission decision, but the international office cannot issue an immigration document without it. Acceptable: personal bank statements, savings and deposits, investment statements, business accounts with a signatory letter, scholarship letters, lines of credit and government funding. Unacceptable: chartered accountant statements, payroll or expected income, tax statements, property, vehicle and other non-liquid assets. Statements must be in English and dated within 12 months of enrollment; each family supporter signs a Declaration of Financial Support.
• Cost (2026–27, international undergraduates, nine months): tuition and mandatory fees $44,339; housing and food $12,431 (double room, standard meal plan); mandatory health insurance $1,916; miscellaneous (books and living) $2,470; total $61,156. U.S. regulations require health insurance, and IU enrolls you automatically in its plan and bills it.
• Scholarships and fees: qualified international students who submit a complete application by February 1 are considered for merit scholarships specifically for international students with no separate application; the FAQ states that international students are not eligible for application fee waivers.
• Nursing: see Section 2 — international applicants may apply for direct admission, but clinical placement requires a Social Security number; how this works is not published on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Transcripts and credentials: IU’s country table lists for China: an upper secondary school transcript for Grades 10 and 11 in the original language, bearing the original ink seal of the school, and the upper secondary school graduation certificate (毕业证书) in the original language, bearing the original ink seal. Non-English documents need a literal English translation certified by the issuing institution as complete and correct; admitted international freshmen must provide official academic records and final secondary school transcripts no later than four weeks after the start of their first semester.
• Gaokao: the IU admissions and international pages we read do not mention the Gaokao; ask the admissions office whether and how it may be submitted.
• English: as in Section 7 (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge, PTE or SAT/ACT English); China is not among the English-speaking countries on the list.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are optional; the pages we read do not mention Gaokao scores.
• International curricula: AP and IB credit are in Section 3; IU also has pages on A-Level/British-style and Cambridge exam credit, which we did not read in detail.
• Funds: as in Section 7.

9. Transfer students

• Domestic transfers: applicants with 12 or more credit hours of college work apply as transfers. The minimum cumulative college GPA is 2.3 for Indiana residents and 2.5 for non-residents, and IU stresses that few transfers are admitted below those levels; declining grades or grades below C in the latest term may lead to a request for more coursework. SAT/ACT scores are not used. Applicants with fewer than 26 transferable semester hours (39 quarter hours) have their high school transcript reviewed as well.
• Deadlines: fall June 1, spring (January start) November 1, summer March 1 — priority dates for most majors, after which applications are considered if space remains. The School of Nursing’s fall deadline is April 1 and Kelley’s June 1; nursing and business accept transfers for fall only, and transfers are not eligible for direct admission (nursing follows the traditional path).
• International transfers: a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5; those with less than one year of full-time university study (under 26 semester hours) must also meet the freshman admission standards; English proficiency can be shown by more than 26 transferable credits at a U.S. institution including the full freshman English requirement with a C or better (ENG W131, W170 or CMLT C110 equivalents, not online).
• Credit: only coursework from regionally accredited institutions with a C or higher transfers; it counts toward the degree but not the IU GPA; schools and departments decide how credit applies; courses with no IU equivalent can transfer as undistributed credit.
• Entering these majors: the pages we read give no special GPA or prerequisite requirement for transfers into biology, neuroscience or public health majors; the Bulletin requires 18 major credits on the Bloomington campus. Nursing transfer requirements are not covered here; see the School of Nursing.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply by November 1 (Early Action) or February 1 (Regular) with essay, official transcript and full senior-year schedule; SAT/ACT optional; recommendations not required
• Complete the 34 college-preparatory credits; take extra math for a science degree and extra world language; choose a College, School of Public Health or Nursing major on the application
• For nursing direct admission, apply by November 1 and submit the supplemental application by February 1

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline; English scores within two years; Chinese applicants send Grade 10 and 11 transcripts and the graduation certificate with school seals and translations
• Submit proof of funds after admission; apply by February 1 for the international scholarship; ask admissions how the Gaokao may be used

Transfer students:

• Apply by June 1 for fall (April 1 for nursing); GPA 2.3 (residents) or 2.5 (non-residents) and above; transfer credit needs a C or higher

Sources: Indiana University Bloomington, Admission paths; Freshman admission standards; Freshman deadlines; Test-optional admission; Application FAQs; AP exam credit; IB exam credit; International applicants; International deadlines; English proficiency; Financial documentation; International transcripts and credentials; International freshman standards; International transfer standards; Transfer standards; Transfer deadlines; Undergraduate costs; International costs; College Bulletin: Biology B.A.; Bulletin: Biology B.S.; Bulletin: Biochemistry B.S.; Bulletin: Biotechnology B.S.; Bulletin: Neuroscience B.S.; College: how to apply; College: declare or change major; College: law and medicine pathways; School of Public Health: how to apply; School of Public Health: majors; School of Nursing: direct admission; School of Nursing: undergraduate application; School of Nursing: essential abilities and identification; School of Nursing: traditional BSN; Health Professions & Prelaw Advising; Advising appointments; Guidebook: academics for medicine. The deadline pages show no year; check Indiana University’s website to confirm the dates are for fall 2027 entry.