How to Apply to Economics at the University of Iowa: A Department in the Tippie College of Business, With BA and BS Students Admitted Through the University and the BBA Reached by Direct Admission or Standard Admission After Entry, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

This guide uses the University of Iowa’s official pages to explain what you need for fall 2027 entry to economics, for U.S. applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer students. Where the site says nothing, the guide says “not published” and points to where to ask. Note: Iowa’s Department of Economics is in the Tippie College of Business, not in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Business administration has its own guide on this site; here the BBA economics major is covered only for its economics content.

1. What the programs are

• College: the catalog places economics in the Tippie College of Business section, and the admissions page says economics majors earn a BA, BS or BBA from the Tippie College of Business. The catalog also says students pursuing the economics BA or BS must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.
• BA: a balance of economic theory, mathematical tools and field applications; at least 120 semester hours, including at least 40 for the major.
• BS: the same balance with more emphasis on analytical skills; at least 120 s.h., including at least 41 for the major. The catalog says the BS suits students planning a technical career in the public or private sector, graduate study in economics, or law school.
• BBA with a major in economics: emphasizes the economic foundations of accounting, finance, marketing, business law and management; at least 22 s.h. for the major on top of the common Tippie BBA requirements, with an optional analytical subprogram that is more mathematically rigorous. The BBA needs at least 120 s.h., including at least 48 in business courses and 52 in non-business courses.
• Minor: an economics minor exists; its requirements were not read for this guide, so see the catalog.
• Multiple majors: the catalog says the BBA can be combined with the economics BA or BS (not with the BBA in economics); the four-year graduation plan is not available to students with more than one major or degree.
• Teacher licensure: BA and BS students who want to teach secondary social science apply to the College of Education’s Teacher Education Program and complete an education degree alongside a related Liberal Arts and Sciences degree.
• STEM designation: the catalog and admissions pages read do not say whether economics is a STEM program; not published. International students should ask the international office or the department.
• Honors in economics: requires a 3.50 GPA in all college coursework, Iowa coursework, college economics coursework and Iowa economics coursework, plus an honors thesis. Take BUS:1999 at least three semesters before graduating; finish ECON:3100, 3150 and 3300 before starting thesis work; then take ECON:4999 for two semesters and present a poster at the Undergraduate Research Festival. See the department’s honors advisor at least three semesters before graduation. UI Honors Program membership is not required, and economics honors also meets that program’s experiential learning requirement.

2. Admission route and entry conditions

• BA and BS: the admissions page says students may be admitted to the economics BA or BS in Tippie through admission to the University of Iowa. The Tippie first-year page sets: the high school course requirements, and a Regent Admission Index (RAI) of 245 or higher for Iowa residents and 255 or higher for residents of other states. You may be admitted without a test score. RAI = 3 × ACT composite (or SAT equivalent) + 30 × cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted) + 5 × years of core high school courses.
• BBA in economics: first-years have two routes. (1) Direct Admission: meet the high school course requirements, ACT composite 26 or higher (SAT 1230), and a high school GPA of 3.60 or higher on a 4.00 scale (weighted or unweighted); direct admission is guaranteed for those who meet the criteria, and Iowa accepts first-semester grades and tests through February. Another page says applicants who meet the course requirements and either the GPA or the test score are also carefully considered, and those in review know their final Tippie status by 19 March. (2) Standard Admission: admitted first to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as a Business (BBA Interest) major; guaranteed entry to Tippie after 24 semester hours, no academic misconduct, passing grades in the prerequisites and the Pre-Admission Requirement (PAR), typically after the first year. The admissions economics page marks the BBA as selective admission.
• BBA admission prerequisites (catalog): ECON:1100; one writing course (RHET:1030, or RHET:1040 and 1060); one computing course (BAIS:1500 preferred); one math course (MATH:1350 preferred; MATH:1460, 1550, 1560, 1850 or 1860 also accepted); one statistics course (STAT:1030 preferred). Declaring a BBA major also needs ACCT:2100 and ECON:1200.
• After entering as BA or BS: the catalog and admissions pages state no further GPA threshold or seat limit; not published. Graduation requires 2.00 in each GPA category listed.
• Internal transfer into Tippie: Tippie has a page for current UI students (on tippie.uiowa.edu). That site’s robots file disallows Claude-type crawlers, so it was not read for this guide; check it directly.

3. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school courses (first-year; Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, Public Health, Education): English 4 years; the same world language 2 years; natural science 3 years (physical science, biology, chemistry, environmental science or physics); social studies 3 years; algebra 2 years; geometry 1 year. At least 15 college-prep courses are needed. A missing required core course triggers an individual review even with an admissible RAI and could lead to denial. For the BBA world-language requirement the site words it two ways: the admissions page says business students must complete four years of one language or two years each of two languages, while the catalog lists three options (fourth level in one language; third level plus a world language and cultural exploration course; second level in each of two languages); high school study counts.
• Math prerequisites in the catalog: ECON:3100 needs ECON:1100 and one of MATH:1350, 1460, 1550, 1850 or 1860; ECON:3125 needs ECON:1100, MATH:1850 and MATH:1860; ECON:3150 needs ECON:1200 and the same math; ECON:3300 needs STAT:1030 and the same math. How high school math maps to these courses is not published.
• BA requirements (40 s.h.):
  • Mathematics and statistics, 11 s.h.: ECON:3300 Introduction to Econometrics, MATH:1350 Quantitative Reasoning for Business, STAT:1030 Statistics for Business;
  • Theory, 14 s.h.: ECON:1100 and 1200 (4 s.h. each), ECON:3100 Intermediate Microeconomics and ECON:3150 Intermediate Macroeconomics (both must be taken at Iowa);
  • Applied field courses, 15 s.h.: five economics courses numbered ECON:3325–3875 (excluding ECON:3870), at least three taken at Iowa.
• BS requirements (41 s.h.):
  • Mathematics and statistics, 15–18 s.h.: MATH:1850 and 1860 (Calculus I and II), ECON:4800 Econometric Analysis: Advanced Causal Inference With Data, and STAT:3100 and 3101 or STAT:3120;
  • Theory, 14 s.h.: ECON:1100, 1200, ECON:3125 Intermediate Microeconomics: Advanced (at Iowa) and ECON:3150 (at Iowa);
  • Applied field courses, 12 s.h.: four courses numbered ECON:3325–4700 (excluding ECON:3870 and 4050), at least two numbered 4090–4700, at least two taken at Iowa.
  The department recommends STAT:3100 and 3101 rather than STAT:3120, plus MATH:2700, 2850 and 3770, for students planning graduate study in economics.
• BBA economics major (no subprogram): ECON:3050 Professional Preparation in Economics (1 s.h.), ECON:3300, ECON:3100 and 3150 (at Iowa), and four field courses numbered ECON:3325–4700 (at least two at Iowa). Analytical subprogram: ECON:3050, MATH:1850 (or 1550) and 1860 (or 1560), ECON:4800, STAT:3100 and 3101 or STAT:3120, the theory courses and four field courses; MATH:1350 and STAT:1030 are not required. The BBA adds the Tippie common core and the Tippie RISE experiential requirement (research with faculty, an internship course, study abroad or an experiential course).
• Other rules: major courses cannot be taken pass/nonpass; transfer credit toward the major is limited, and intermediate micro and macro must be taken at Iowa. ECON:3050 is not required but highly recommended.
• First two years: the catalog gives no semester-by-semester plan, only a warning to watch the order because courses are prerequisites for others.

4. AP, IB and A-Level credit

• The admissions credit page says Iowa accepts up to 30 hours in some academic areas through CLEP, AP, IB and Cambridge exams; AP earns 3–8 s.h. per test depending on subject and score.
• Which credits AP Microeconomics or Macroeconomics, AP Calculus or IB Economics earn is not listed on the pages read; not published. Check the Credit by Exam page and the Office of Admissions.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Early Action: 2 November (documents by 9 November).
• Regular admission: 1 February (documents by 8 February). First-year applicants after 1 February are not eligible for merit scholarships and are admitted only case by case, space permitting.
• Acceptance deadline: 3 May for fall or summer. The pages print no year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027. The Tippie first-year page labels the 2 November date as a “regular admission deadline”, which differs from the Liberal Arts and Sciences page (“Early Action”); ask admissions.
• Application: the UI application or the Common App (fall only). The fee is $55, non-refundable, with fee waivers available. After you apply, a HawkID lets you check your status.
• Testing: Iowa is test-optional for general admission under a “No Harm” policy (scores are used only if they help; those at or above ACT 26 / SAT 1230 typically have more chances at larger merit scholarships). ACT code 1356, SAT code 6681; the ACT science section is not required and superscores are not used.
• Tippie scholarships: the priority deadline for graduating high school seniors is 15 December; later applications are reviewed as funds allow.
• Essays and recommendation letters are not listed as required on the first-year and Tippie pages; not published.

6. By applicant type

1. U.S. applicants

• Admission route, courses and testing are as above.
• Residency and the index: the BA and BS RAI is 245 for Iowa residents and 255 for others.
• In-state and out-of-state cost (2026-27 estimates, US$): base tuition and fees $11,971 for residents and $34,247 for nonresidents; housing and food $14,022; billed expenses living on campus $25,993 and $48,269; books $950, personal expenses $3,648, transportation $1,254. Business students pay $15,382 (residents) and $37,658 (nonresidents). Whether economics BA and BS students pay the business rate is not stated; confirm with the Billing Office.
• The Registrar’s Office classifies residents and nonresidents for tuition.

2. International applicants

• Applying and fee: the international application fee is $80, non-refundable, with waivers only for those graduating from a US high school who financially qualify. Use the UI application or the Common App (fall only); upload official transcripts from every secondary school and college to the Admissions Profile in MyUI. Decisions begin in mid-September, on a rolling basis.
• Requirements: for those who attended high school outside the US: a 3.0 GPA on academic courses (a US B or better), three years of completed secondary coursework, completion of secondary school (generally 12 to 13 years of education), records showing a graduation date or a separate diploma, the minimum high school courses, and English proficiency. Course years are not strictly counted for non-US schools; evaluators review holistically by educational system. For the Liberal Arts and Sciences the international course guide lists mathematics 3 years (algebra 2, geometry 1), science 3 years (including biology, chemistry, physics), social studies 3 years, native language 4 years and a single world language 2 years. SAT or ACT is not required of international applicants, but is required for academic scholarships, Direct Admission to the Tippie College of Business, or the UI Honors Program.
• Deadlines: the international application process page lists 2 November (Early Action), 1 February (regular) and 3 May (fall acceptance). The international deadlines page, listed by college, gives Liberal Arts and Sciences 3 May for fall and 16 November for spring, and Business 1 March for fall. Economics BA and BS are awarded by Tippie, and the page does not say which row applies to them. The pages are not consistent; confirm with international admissions.
• English (meet one): TOEFL iBT taken before January 2026, 80 (all subscores 17 or higher); taken after January 2026, 4.0 (all subscores 3.5 or higher); TOEFL iBT Home Edition 80; TOEFL Essentials 9; IELTS 6.5 (all subscores 6.0 or higher); ACT English 21; SAT Reading and Writing 540; AP English 4; Cambridge A-Level English C; GCSE/IGCSE English C; IB HL English A 5. Depending on the score used, ESL courses (all four or some) may still be required unless you test out with the English Language Placement Exam on arrival; a TOEFL of 100 or an SAT of 540 waives all EPE courses. Exemptions include citizens of listed English-speaking countries (the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others, with English as first language on the application) and three years at a US high school ending in graduation. China is not on the English-speaking list.
• Financial documentation: the international cost page does not describe it; not published. See the international student office.
• International cost (2026-27, US$): tuition and fees $35,442 (Liberal Arts and Sciences) or $38,847 (Business); living expenses $14,022; health insurance $2,628; books $950; totals $53,042 (Liberal Arts and Sciences) and $56,447 (Business). Which column applies to economics BA and BS is not stated. Fees include a $250 international student fee and $120 international orientation fee; students taking the English proficiency exam pay another $120.
• Scholarships: international scholarships are competitive and many are renewable; international students do not qualify for need-based scholarships, grants or loans from the Office of Student Financial Aid. Merit amounts are not listed on the pages read; see the scholarships page and admissions.

3. Applicants from China

• The academic-requirements-by-country page sets for China: final credential “Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate or High School Graduate Diploma”; minimum average on core academic subjects (comparable to a US B or 3.0): 80/100 when D is awarded and 75/100 when D is not awarded (the page does not explain what D means); English proficiency required.
• Gaokao: neither that page nor the English page mentions whether gaokao scores are considered, and gaokao English is not among the listed English proofs; not published. Huikao handling is also not published. Contact international admissions.
• To be considered for Tippie Direct Admission, academic scholarships or honors, SAT or ACT scores are needed.

7. Costs and scholarships

• Costs are in section 6. No separate economics fee is listed; not published. Business students’ tuition is higher; see above for whether it applies to the BA and BS.
• Merit scholarships: admissions merit scholarships do not stack (you automatically get the highest one you qualify for); first-year applicants must apply by 1 February to be considered; the Iowa Scholarship Portal offers additional scholarships.

8. Internships and research

• The catalog says ECON:3050 Professional Preparation in Economics (1 s.h.) surveys career paths and internship and job-search skills (not required but highly recommended). ECON:3870 Federal Reserve Challenge has students study the real US economy, forecast and defend policy recommendations; ECON:4050 is readings and independent study.
• BBA students complete Tippie RISE: research with faculty, an internship course, study abroad or an experiential course. An economics honors thesis counts as research.
• Admissions says Iowa has more than 600 student organizations, including the Economics Forum, and that 95 percent of graduates are employed, continuing education or not seeking work within six months. That is a university-wide figure, not for economics.

9. Transfer students

• Economics BA or BS: the Tippie transfer page says applicants (including domestic and international applicants who attended college in the US) need one of: (1) a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher on at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) of acceptable graded credit after high school; (2) an AA or AS degree from an Iowa community college and a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.00 or higher; (3) an AA degree from an Illinois community college and a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.5 or higher (2.25 for Black Hawk College). With fewer than 24 hours, high school records and ACT or SAT scores are considered.
• BBA: 24 semester hours, no academic misconduct, a 2.75 GPA in prerequisites, at Iowa and cumulative, and passing grades in ECON:1100, STAT:1030, RHET:1030, BAIS:1500 and MATH:1350 (or a course that fulfills MATH:1380).
• Admissions’ economics transfer tips: BA and BS students should finish the general education and world language requirements plus MATH:1350, STAT:1030, ECON:1100 and ECON:1200. AA holders from Iowa or Illinois community colleges are treated as having completed most general education (not world language and cultural perspectives); consider the 2 Plus 2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan.
• Deadlines: 3 May for fall and 1 December for spring. The page prints no year; confirm for fall 2027.
• Credit: the Office of Admissions evaluates general education and some major courses; the department decides how the rest apply to the major. The Transfer Equivalency Guide lists common courses. The catalog requires intermediate micro and macro and three (BA) or two (BS and BBA) field courses to be taken at Iowa.
• International transfers: English can be shown by 30 s.h. of transferable credit with a minimum 2.50 GPA from a US institution. International transfer deadlines and materials were not read; not published here, so see the international application process page.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply by 2 November (Early Action) or 1 February (regular), $55; apply by 1 February to be considered for merit scholarships
• BA and BS: RAI 245 (Iowa residents) or 255 (others); BBA Direct Admission: 3.60 GPA plus ACT 26 or SAT 1230, otherwise Standard Admission after entry
• After entry, plan math (MATH:1350 or calculus), statistics, ECON:1100 and 1200 following the catalog prerequisites

International applicants (including China):

• $80; confirm which deadline applies (1 February, 1 March or 3 May) with international admissions
• Chinese school grades at 80/100 when D is awarded and 75/100 when not; English at the published minimums; add SAT/ACT if you want Tippie Direct Admission or scholarships
• Gaokao and huikao handling is not published; ask international admissions

Transfer students:

• BA and BS: 24 semester hours at 2.50; BBA: 2.75 and the prerequisites
• Fall deadline 3 May; intermediate micro and macro must be taken at Iowa

Sources: The University of Iowa, 2026-27 Catalog: Economics; Economics, BA; Economics, BS; Economics, BBA; Admissions: Economics; Economics transfer tips; First-year application; First-year requirements and the RAI; Liberal Arts and Sciences first-year admissions; Tippie first-year admissions; Tippie transfer admissions; International application process; International first-year requirements; International deadlines; International high school courses; English proficiency; Academic requirements by country; Credit by exam; Estimated costs; International estimated costs; Scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates). Check the University of Iowa for the latest details.