How to Apply to Public Health at Indiana University Bloomington: Choose a School of Public Health-Bloomington Major on the IU Application and Start in It from Year One, with B.S.P.H. Options Such as Community Health, Epidemiology, Global Health and Environmental Health, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The public health bachelor’s programs at Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington) are offered by the School of Public Health-Bloomington. The school’s own page is direct about how admission works: you select one of the school’s majors on your IU Bloomington application, and if you are admitted to IU Bloomington with that major, you begin your studies in it at the start of your first year. The school page presents no step of studying general education first and then applying to the school, and the pages read describe no seat cap or GPA hurdle for entering the major (see section 2). The guide below follows the pages for fall 2027 entry, split into U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. The broader life-sciences picture is covered in our separate overview article; this one stays with public health.

1. Degrees and options

• The school offers many undergraduate majors: the majors page lists Community Health, Dietetics, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Exercise Science, Global Health, Human Development and Family Studies, Nutrition Science, Parks, Recreation and the Outdoors, Recreational Therapy, Safety Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Sport Marketing and Management, Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, and Youth Development. This guide covers the directions closest to public health; nutrition, exercise science, hospitality and the others are not expanded here, so see the website.
• Four directions were read: Community Health, Epidemiology, Global Health and Environmental Health (all with bsph- URLs). The Community Health and Global Health pages state the degree is a B.S.P.H. (Bachelor of Science in Public Health) accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); the 2026-2027 bulletin also lists Epidemiology as a B.S.P.H. The Sexual and Reproductive Health page was not read.
• Home departments: the bulletin says the Community Health B.S.P.H. is offered through the Department of Applied Health Science; the Global Health page says students work with faculty from the School of Public Health-Bloomington and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; the Epidemiology page points to the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Environmental Health page to the Department of Environmental Health.
• Four years, 120 credits: the Community Health and Epidemiology bulletin entries describe a four-year program with at least 120 credit hours, a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, and no pass/fail except for free electives. The Community Health entry lists “Major (80–87 credits)” and Epidemiology “Major (65–72 cr.)”.
• Internship / practice: Community Health requires SPH-B496, 5 credits and 250 hours of field experience, which the page says is the last thing students do before the degree; the Epidemiology entry requires SPH-E 496 (5 credits) field experience; the Global Health page says students complete a global health internship before graduation.
• Honors and research: the Community Health page mentions the Honors Program and research with IU faculty; the Epidemiology page mentions research and service projects with faculty; the Environmental Health page says research is open to qualified undergraduates, along with faculty-supervised overseas experiences.
• Combined bachelor’s-master’s: the school’s master’s menu has an “Accelerated Master’s Programs” page that was not read, so whether it accepts international students and its conditions are not covered here; check the website.
• STEM designation: the pages read do not say; not published there.
• Credentials: the Community Health page says graduates are well positioned to take the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam and the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam; the Global Health page lists CPHE, CPH, CHES and CAPM as credentials students “may choose to pursue”.

2. How you get into the major

• Select the major on the application: the school’s How to Apply page says to select a School of Public Health-Bloomington major on your IU Bloomington application; if admitted with that major you start in it at the beginning of the first year. The pages read describe no other application route.
• Seat caps, in-major GPA, prerequisite hurdles: the school pages and bulletin entries read do not state any cap or minimum GPA for entering the major, so this is not published there. Admission is judged on IU Bloomington’s general standards (section 4). Questions can go to sphadmit@iu.edu or to a recruitment appointment.
• Moving in from elsewhere at IU: the How to Apply page points current IUB students to the advising page; that page covers advising rules (you must meet your advisor before registering) and does not list a GPA or prerequisites for changing into public health. Not published on the pages read; contact the undergraduate advising office (812-855-2032).
• Mandatory advising: every student must see an academic advisor at least once each semester before registering for the next; without that meeting you cannot register.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum (from the bulletin)

• Public Health Core, 15 credits, C- minimum in each: SPH-B 366 Community Health, SPH-E 311 Introduction to Epidemiology, SPH-P 309 Public Health Administration, SPH-Q 381 Introduction to Biostatistics and SPH-V 241 Foundations of Environmental Health, 3 credits each. Both the Community Health and Epidemiology entries list these five.
• Anatomy and Physiology (3–10 credits): option 1, MSCI-M 115 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (3 credits); option 2, ANAT-A 225 Human Anatomy (5) plus PHSL-P 225 Human Physiology (5). The Epidemiology entry also allows SPH-K 205 Structural Kinesiology in place of the anatomy course.
• Community Health also requires: SPH-B 310 Public Health in Diverse Communities, SPH-B 403 Public Health Program Planning, SPH-H 263 Personal Health, SPH-H 494 Research and Evaluation Methods in Public Health, SPH-K 200 Computer Technology in Public Health, SPH-V 235 Introduction to Public Health Biology, and the internship SPH-B496; plus one biology course (BIOL-L 104, L 112 or L 100), one chemistry course (CHEM-C 101, C 103 or C 117), public health communication, writing in public health, lifespan development or introductory psychology, and 21 credits of related-content courses. The 2.0 GPA for the major applies across anatomy and physiology, the core, community health courses, additional required courses and related-content courses.
• Epidemiology also requires: SPH-E 250 Public Health Surveillance and Monitoring, SPH-E 350 Infectious Diseases: Outbreaks and Field Investigations, SPH-E 353 Chronic Diseases, SPH-E 358 and 359 Epidemiologic Methods (concepts and applications), the field experience SPH-E 496; MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics or MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus 1; STAT-S 330 Biometry or an approved statistics course; SPH-Q 400 Biostatistical Computing; SPH-H 494; SPH-V 235; and 12 credits of related-content courses (options include MATH-M 211/212 calculus and applied linear models).
• Global Health: the page lists five tracks, Pre-Health Professions, Research and Practice, Policy and Governance, Language and Culture, and Health Humanities; students can choose one or combine approved courses with their advisor. First-year examples include “Introduction to Global Public Health: Health Beyond Borders” and “Introduction to Epidemiology”.
• Environmental Health: the page says students study the five core public health areas plus toxicology, environmental sampling, environmental management and policy and occupational safety, then complete a required internship. The bulletin entry for this major was not read; check it for credit requirements.
• High school preparation: see section 4 (IU Bloomington’s 34 college-preparatory credits). The school pages set no separate high school math or biology requirement; not published there.
• AP/IB credit: not stated on the school pages read; the cost page says IU awards credit for exams and college courses taken in high school, with details on IU Bloomington’s exam-credit pages.
• Class size: the Community Health page says classes range from 10 to 250 students, with students from across the country and the world.
• Pre-professional paths: the Community Health page says the major has prerequisites embedded for pre-medical and pre-physician-assistant students, pre-nursing students, and pre-professional students such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry and dentistry.

4. Rounds, deadlines and materials (first-year, fall 2027)

• Opens: you can apply beginning August 1 of the fall of your senior year of high school.
• Early action (non-binding), November 1: encouraged for the highest admission and scholarship consideration; a complete application by this date gets a response on January 15.
• Regular decision, February 1: a complete application by then gets a response on March 15; after February 1 applications are considered only on a space-available, case-by-case basis.
• Deposit: declare your intent and pay the $100 nonrefundable deposit by May 1 (credited to first-semester tuition).
• Platform: the Apply IU application or the Common Application, only one of them.
• Application fee: $65, nonrefundable; the page says a waiver can be requested.
• Essay: required; the IU-specific essay if you use Apply IU, or one of the Common App prompts.
• Transcript: an official high school transcript and a full senior-year schedule; IU considers the cumulative GPA (weighted if reported), and if the transcript lacks a 6-semester cumulative GPA, it does not use a transcript GPA in review.
• Testing: IU Bloomington is test-optional (SAT, ACT or CLT); the standards page also says IU expects students to share scores because GPA plus test scores best predicts success at IU.
• Recommendations: not required; IU accepts one counselor and one teacher letter if you submit them.
• Dates: the pages print these dates without a year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.

High school coursework (first-year, 34 credits/semester courses): English 8; mathematics 7 (including 4 algebra, 2 geometry, plus 1 in precalculus, trigonometry, statistics, finite math or calculus); social sciences 6; sciences 6, at least 4 of them laboratory sciences (biology, chemistry or physics); world languages 4; and 3 or more additional college-preparatory credits. The page recommends extra mathematics for students pursuing a science degree.

5. The three readers

U.S. applicants

• Apply through Apply IU or the Common App via the Office of Admissions.
• Indiana residents: the standards page says guaranteed admission is offered to Indiana students earning the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal diploma through the Indiana Resident Admissions program.
• 2026–27 costs (full-time undergraduate, IU estimates): tuition and mandatory fees $12,142 for Indiana residents and $42,702 for non-residents; housing and food $14,398; total estimated cost of attendance $30,574 (residents) and $62,956 (non-residents). Tuition is a flat rate covering 40 credit hours across fall, spring and the intersessions; summer is charged per credit hour.
• School-specific program fees: not stated on the pages read; check the University Fee List for course-related fees.
• Aid: the school’s cost page points to the FAFSA, IU Bloomington admissions aid pages and private scholarships; the November 1 application date matters for the highest scholarship consideration.

International applicants

• Apply through the Office of International Services (OIS) pathway; the school’s page says international students apply through OIS.
• Coursework: the same 34-credit (about 17 years) college-preparatory structure, worded slightly differently: English or native language 8, mathematics 7, social sciences 6, sciences 6 with at least 4 laboratory, another world language 4, plus 3 or more other college-preparatory credits. The page says IU students have the equivalent of a B average or higher and weighs whether grades are consistently above average or improving. You must complete the equivalent of U.S. high school (upper secondary school).
• International deadlines: November 1 early action (first and maximum consideration, and the direct-admission date for some schools); February 1 regular decision and the Global Engagement Scholarship deadline; after February 1 only if space remains.
• English proficiency for admission: must be met within the last two years. Options include TOEFL iBT 79, TOEFL paper-based 550, TOEFL 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; certain course results (for example IB HL English A 4 or higher, AP English 3 or higher); citizenship of, or at least three full years of secondary school in, a predominantly English-speaking country; or completing Level 7 of IU’s Intensive English Program. Before classes begin, a second English demonstration is needed with different criteria (for example TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130, SAT EBRW 710, ACT English 32, or other listed routes).
• Testing: optional, as for U.S. applicants; the international page lists SAT or ACT and recommendation letters as optional materials.
• Financial documentation: after admission, submit documents through Atlas showing funds for a full calendar year of tuition, fees and living expenses; the page says it does not affect the admission decision, but OIS cannot issue immigration documents without it. Acceptable: bank statements, deposits and certificates of deposit, investment statements with liquidity evidence, business bank statements with a signatory letter, scholarship letters, lines of credit, government funding. Not acceptable: chartered accountant statements, payroll or expected income, tax statements, property assessments, non-liquid assets such as jewelry or cars, insurance policies. Documents must cover the 12 months before enrollment.
• 2026–27 international undergraduate estimate (nine months): tuition and mandatory fees $44,339; housing and food (double residence hall room, standard meal plan) $12,431; mandatory health insurance $1,916; miscellaneous including books $2,470; total $61,156.
• Scholarships: qualified international students with a complete application by February 1 are considered for merit-based scholarships specifically for international students, with no separate application; a complete application by November 1 is needed for IU scholarship consideration. The international scholarships page also lists country- and group-specific awards (next subsection).
• Work limits: the financial documentation page says not to look to employment as a means of support, since authorization is needed and hours are limited. Whether the public health internship carries any special rule for international students is not published on the pages read; ask OIS and the school.

Applicants from China (separate section)

• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the pages read do not say; not published there. Ask OIS (newtoiu@iu.edu).
• Transcripts and credentials (China entry in the country list): the Upper Secondary School Transcript from 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, also with the original ink seal. Non-English documents need a literal English translation certified by the academic institution as complete and correct. The page adds that admitted students must bring physical versions of everything uploaded plus a final record showing completion of secondary school, and that incoming international freshmen must provide official academic records and final secondary transcripts within four weeks of the first semester.
• English scores: IU lists “TOEFL ITP+ China” (543 for admission, 627 for the second, pre-class demonstration). Any requirement on the Chinese senior-high exit exams is not published on the pages read.
• Awards for Chinese students: the international scholarships page says the C.V. Starr Foundation Scholarship is offered to incoming IU students who are citizens of China (first-year undergraduates with strong achievement), and the Irving and Lena Lo (ILLO) Scholarship supports undergraduate and graduate students from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. See each page for amounts and process.
• Whether IU has a public health–specific note for Chinese applicants is not published on the pages read.

6. Costs and scholarships, a note

Section 5 gives the cost estimates. The school’s cost page notes that international students have different tuition, fees and estimated expenses (see OIS), and IU’s cost page points to the Financial Aid Summary in Student Center for individual budgets. School-level scholarships sit in the school’s student portal, which was not read; check the website.

7. Transfer

• Students at accredited two- or four-year colleges, including other IU campuses, who meet IU Bloomington’s published standards are guaranteed admission to the campus.
• GPA minimum: a cumulative college GPA of 2.3 for Indiana residents and 2.5 for non-residents (4.0 scale), though the page says few transfers are admitted below those numbers.
• Credit: only coursework from regionally accredited institutions with a C or higher transfers; transfer credit may count toward your IU degree but not toward your IU GPA; individual schools and departments decide how credit applies.
• The school’s page says you are eligible to apply as a transfer student after at least 12 semester hours of college coursework after high school, through the IU Bloomington Office of Admissions (OIS for international students). SAT/ACT scores are not used for transfer review.
• International transfer dates: the international deadlines page says applications completed by each term’s priority date get maximum consideration, and applications submitted after the following dates are considered only if space remains: fall June 1, spring November 1, summer March 1. For international spring admission it also states September 15, and January 1 for summer (the page calls them application dates). The priority dates themselves are not stated on the pages read.
• Whether public health has its own transfer prerequisites or GPA is not published on the pages read; contact the school (sphadmit@iu.edu).

8. After the degree

The Community Health page says graduates can continue to study public health, public health administration, law, environmental affairs, safety engineering, epidemiology, biostatistics or human services. The school also has master’s and doctoral programs, not covered here.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Select a School of Public Health-Bloomington major on Apply IU or the Common App; early action November 1, regular February 1; $65 fee; essay required; testing optional
• Coursework follows IU’s 34-credit college-preparatory list; each of the five public health core courses needs a C- or better; 120 credits and a 2.0 cumulative GPA

International applicants (including China):

• Apply through the OIS pathway; English proficiency within two years (for example TOEFL iBT 79 or IELTS 6.5); a second English demonstration before classes
• China: original-language Grade 10–11 transcript and graduation certificate with original ink seals; how the Gaokao is used is not published
• After admission, submit proof of funds in Atlas for a full calendar year; the nine-month estimate is $61,156

Transfer students:

• At least 12 semester hours; GPA minimum 2.3 (residents) or 2.5 (non-residents); credits of C or higher; international students check the international deadlines page

Sources: Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Undergraduate majors; Community Health; Epidemiology; Global Health; Environmental Health; How to Apply; Costs and Finances; Advising; IU Bloomington, Freshman admission standards; Freshman deadlines; Freshman applicants; Test-optional admission; International freshman standards; International deadlines; English proficiency; Financial documentation; International transcripts and credentials; Undergraduate costs; International undergraduate costs; International scholarships; Transfer admission standards; bulletin, 2026-2027 Community Health B.S.P.H.; 2026-2027 Epidemiology B.S.P.H.. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Most pages do not print a year beside their dates, so confirm each date applies to fall 2027 entry; check IU’s website for the latest.