How to Apply to Mathematics at Iowa State University: No Admission by Major, Review by the Regent Admission Index, and a BS in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with Standard, Actuarial, Applications and Teacher Preparation Paths, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, undergraduate mathematics is offered by the Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). Here is what you need to know, based on the Office of Admissions, the department and the University catalog, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science has a separate article on this site; the stand-alone statistics and actuarial science programmes, engineering and other majors are not covered here.

1. Degrees and areas

• Degree: the department offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), suited to working in industry or continuing to graduate school. The catalog says students complete the major through one of four pathways.
• Common core: the catalog lists a mathematics core of 19–20 credits: MATH 1100 (Orientation in Mathematics and Statistics, 1 credit), Calculus I and II (MATH 1650, 1660), Introduction to Proofs (MATH 2010), Calculus III (MATH 2650), and linear algebra (MATH 3170 or 4070). Students also meet the LAS and University requirements, including ENGL 1500 and 2500 and the LAS World Language requirement, and need at least 120 credits to graduate.
• Standard mathematics major: for students planning to work in industry or study mathematics at graduate level. Besides the core: differential equations (MATH 2660 or 2670), Abstract Algebra I (MATH 3010), Analysis I (MATH 4140) and 15 credits of 3000-level-or-higher math, which must include one of these sequences: Abstract Algebra I and Intermediate Abstract Algebra; Combinatorics and Graph Theory; Introduction to Scientific Computing and Numerical Methods for Differential Equations; Analysis I and II; or Geometry I and II.
• Mathematics with an actuarial science certificate: for students heading to actuarial or financial careers. The catalog lists Mathematics of Investment and Credit, Probability and Statistics I, Analysis I and Life Contingencies I and II, plus the requirements of the actuarial science certificate. The department also notes that students can major in actuarial science through the Ivy College of Business.
• Mathematics with applications: for students who want to apply mathematics to another field. Besides differential equations, students choose four courses from a list (abstract algebra, combinatorics, graph theory, probability and statistics, number theory, complex variables, scientific computing, partial differential equations, mathematical modeling in biology and others) and take 12 credits of 3000-level-or-higher courses in an application area such as chemistry, physics, economics, computer science or an engineering field.
• Mathematics for teacher preparation: for students who plan to teach secondary school, together with the Secondary Major in Education including student teaching. The department adds that students can complete the math major and, with one more year, earn a Master of Arts in Teaching in mathematics education. Teacher licence requirements are set by the Iowa Department of Education and may change.
• Minors and certificates: mathematics and applied mathematics minors, and certificates in quantitative finance, actuarial science, data science, and risk management and insurance (requirements on the department site).

2. How admission works: no admission by major

• At application: the Office of Admissions says you choose the major you plan to pursue, but “Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major. Admission is based on your Regent Admission Index (RAI).” Mathematics is in LAS, so the extra LAS course requirements in section 3 apply.
• Entering or switching into mathematics later: the pages read do not state a grade, GPA or capacity requirement for moving into the math major after entry; please ask the department. The catalog lists Dane Mayhook (Director of Undergraduate Studies) and Christina Brady (Academic Advisor).
• Honors: the department pages read do not describe an honors mathematics sequence; the University has an Honors Program page that this guide did not read.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school courses (Admissions): 4 years of English; 3 years of mathematics, including one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced algebra; 3 years of science (at least two in biology, chemistry or physics); 2 years of social studies. Applicants to LAS also need a third year of social studies and two years of one world language.
• Placement (ALEKS): the department says MATH 1650 (Calculus I) needs an ALEKS score of at least 76 (prep module: Prep for Calculus; MATH 1430 can serve as the preparatory course); MATH 1430, 1450, 1510 and 1600 need 51; MATH 1400 and 1500 need 39; MATH 1040 and 1050 need 15. For MATH 1660 (Calculus II) you need at least 80% on ALEKS and at least 70% (14 of 20) on a special Calculus II placement assessment; beyond MATH 1660 you need at least 80% on ALEKS and transfer credit for MATH 1660 or its equivalent, and your advisor works with you at orientation.
• AP/IB credit: the department pages read do not state how AP or IB results count toward math requirements. The international admissions pages link to AP, IB and A-Level equivalency guides (PDF files, not read here); see the website or ask an advisor.
• Math competitions: how they are viewed in admission is not stated in the pages read. The department runs its own contests and a Problem of the Week, which feed into its awards (section 8).

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines: the Office of Admissions says admission is rolling: applications are evaluated when received and there is no deadline date. Undergraduate applications for fall open on 1 July of the preceding year, and applicants are encouraged to apply in the fall of the year before entry. Specific dates for fall 2027 entry are not stated in the pages read; please check the website.
• How to apply: through the University’s own application or the Common App. The application fee: the international page says $65 (non-refundable, paid by credit card, no waivers); the fee for domestic applicants is not stated in the pages read.
• Essays and recommendations: the international page says essays, letters of recommendation and merit certificates are not required; the first-year page read does not list essays or recommendations for domestic applicants either.
• Testing: test optional. Applicants may self-report ACT, SAT or CLT scores; those who do not are admitted on high school GPA and core course completion. SAT and CLT scores are converted to ACT composite equivalents; for fall 2026, spring 2027 and summer 2027 entry, CLT scores are considered but not included in the RAI.
• Regent Admission Index (RAI): ACT composite (or converted score) x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5. Applicants with an RAI of at least 245 who meet the minimum course requirements are offered admission automatically; those below 245 who meet the course requirements may be admitted after an individual academic review. A weighted GPA is used only if it meets the University’s rules. Admission is contingent on the final official transcript.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (estimated 2026-27, cost-of-attendance page): undergraduate tuition is $9,816 for Iowa residents and $29,864 for non-residents, plus $1,586 in fees and $800 for books and supplies; on-campus housing and food is $11,162. The website notes that some sophomores, juniors and seniors in some colleges are assessed a higher tuition rate. These are estimates; the rates for fall 2027 entry are published later.
• Scholarships: the scholarships page says first-year students are automatically considered for academic scholarships when they submit the application, and that further University, college and department scholarships are applied for through the OneApp portal. Amounts and GPA thresholds are not stated in the pages read.
• In-state priority or guaranteed admission: not stated in the pages read; the RAI rules in section 4 apply to all first-year applicants.

6. International applicants

• Academic requirements: a high school GPA equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, plus the core courses: 4 years of English (or native language), 3 years of science with at least two years of laboratory science in biology, chemistry or physics, 3 years of mathematics including algebra and geometry, and 2 years of social studies. SAT/ACT scores are not required, but an SAT of 1200+ or ACT composite of 25+ automatically counts as meeting the 3.0 GPA requirement.
• English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 71 with at least 17 in Speaking and Writing, or 4.0 with a minimum band of 3.5 on the 6.0 scale (from 21 January 2026); IELTS 6.0 overall with all subscores 5.5 or above; Duolingo English Test 105; PTE 48; SAT 460 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; ACT English 19; IB 5 in any English course; AP 3 in English Language or 4 in English Literature; IGCSE and other options on the website. IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted. Official English results may arrive up to 30 days after the deadline. Native speakers living in a country where English is a primary official language, US high school graduates, and students who completed the equivalent of ENGL 1500 or 2500 with a B or better at an accredited US college are considered to meet the requirement.
• Materials: English proficiency results, transcripts from all high schools or universities attended (scans are acceptable; official final documents are needed if admitted), a copy of the passport, and a bank statement or sponsor letter confirming one year of expenses: $52,000 for most majors ($54,300 for Design and Animal Enterprise and Innovation), together with the sponsor’s Financial Statement Form. Essays, recommendations and merit certificates are not required. Admission is rolling; apply at least six to eight weeks ahead, and up to a year before the start date.
• Costs (International Students and Scholars Office, 2026-27): tuition and fees $33,547 and living expenses $17,332, a total of $50,879 for the academic year; the cost-of-attendance page lists international tuition at $31,962 and fees of $1,586. The $52,000 funding requirement above differs from this estimated total; the I-20 lists the University’s estimated expenses. International students must buy the University’s student medical insurance.
• International scholarships: the scholarships page says international first-year students who are offered admission are automatically considered for the renewable International Excellence Awards, based on high school GPA and SAT or ACT scores. Separate international merit scholarships are applied for through OneApp: Award of Achievement (up to $40,000 in total, $5,000–$10,000 a year) and Award of Distinction (up to $16,000 in total, $2,000–$4,000 a year), for up to 8 semesters; fall priority deadline 15 February and final deadline 1 May. Renewal needs a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and 12 credits a semester.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and Chinese grades: the University keeps its country-specific academic requirements in files hosted on a third-party site, which this guide did not open, so whether the Gaokao is used and how Chinese high school grades convert to a GPA is not published in the pages read. Please ask the Office of Admissions (admissions@iastate.edu).
• General requirements: the international requirements in section 6 apply: transcripts, English results, a copy of the passport and financial proof. Non-English records need a certified English translation, and the name on the application must match the passport. For the application fee, China UnionPay is listed among accepted cards.
• Agents: the University says it has formal agreements with selected educational agents in India, China, Brazil, Nigeria and Mongolia; you can email admissions to verify whether an agent is authorised, and the agent should register the application with your own personal email address.
• International curricula: for AP, IB and A-Level, the University provides credit equivalency guides (PDF, not read here).

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
• Department scholarships: the department says students may apply on their own or be nominated by a math teacher or advisor; completing one OneApp application puts you in consideration for University, LAS and mathematics department scholarships. The department lists the James L. Cornette Scholarship or Award (math majors applying mathematics to a science), the Marian Elizabeth Daniells Scholarship Fund, the Herta & H.T. David Scholarship (sophomores to seniors with a GPA of at least 2.5 facing financial or family hardship), the Diedrichsen Scholarship (math majors, preferably interested in actuarial science) and the Fred Wright Mathematics Endowed Scholarship (math majors with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0). Awards that take no applications include the Dio Lewis Holl Awards for outstanding seniors and juniors, the Gertrude Herr Adamson Award (based on math contests and Problem of the Week) and the Alan J. Heckenbach Award (an outstanding senior in secondary education).
• Outcomes: the department’s careers page says graduates go on to finance, technology, data science, engineering and research; students have interned at John Deere, Collins Aerospace, Nationwide, Principal Financial, Raytheon and other companies; and recent alumni started with employers including Ameriprise Financial, Chevron (Renewable Energy Group), Collins Aerospace, IBM, John Deere, Wellmark and Workiva. It reports an average starting salary of $66,376 for mathematics bachelor’s graduates in 2024.

9. Transfer students

• Basic requirements: at least 24 semester credits of transferable coursework from an accredited college and a transfer GPA of at least 2.25 (2.00 with an associate degree). Some programmes may require a higher GPA, and non-Iowa residents, including international students, may face higher standards. With fewer than 24 transferable credits you submit a high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores and meet all first-year requirements. Career-technical, remedial and military credits do not count toward the 24.
• Math-specific requirements: the pages read do not state separate calculus or linear algebra sequence or GPA requirements for transferring into the math major; please ask the department.
• Credit transfer: the international transfer page says credit is evaluated in two stages: the Office of Admissions first determines transferable credit (visible in Admissions MyAccount), then the college of your major decides, usually after arrival, which credits satisfy programme requirements. Bring stamped course syllabi, with translations if they are not in English. Chinese institutions’ credits are generally multiplied by 0.70 and rounded up; the University does not transfer moral or ethics courses, physical education, English as a second language or English composition from countries where English is not the sole official language, vocational courses, or Chinese international summer schools.
• International transfer students: apply as an international student; cumulative GPA of at least 2.25 (2.0 with an associate degree from a US regionally accredited institution) and proof of funds of $56,300. International transfer merit scholarships have a fall priority deadline of 1 March and a final deadline of 30 June.
• Deadlines: admission is rolling; specific dates are not stated in the pages read.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• The University’s application or Common App; rolling admission, fall applications open 1 July; testing optional; RAI 245+ with the course requirements is admitted automatically
• High school courses: 4 English, 3 math (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra), 3 science, 2 social studies; LAS adds a third year of social studies and 2 years of a world language

International applicants (including China):

• GPA equivalent to 3.0; TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105 (among others); $65 fee; funding proof of $52,000; no essays or recommendations
• How the Gaokao is used is not published; ask admissions

After entry:

• Choose courses by ALEKS score (76 for Calculus I); complete one of the four math paths

Transfer students:

• 24 transferable credits, GPA 2.25; ask the department about math-specific requirements

Sources: Iowa State University, Mathematics: major, minors and certificates; Mathematics: the major; Catalog: Mathematics; Mathematics: ALEKS placement; Mathematics: placement beyond Calculus I; Mathematics: undergraduate scholarships; Mathematics: careers; Admissions: apply; Admissions: admissions; Admissions: first-year students; Admissions: transfer requirements; Admissions: international first-year requirements; Admissions: international application information; Admissions: English proficiency; Admissions: international transfer requirements; Admissions: international merit scholarships; Scholarships overview; Tuition and fees; Undergraduate cost of attendance; International undergraduate expenses. The admissions pages show no specific dates for fall 2027 entry; see the University’s website for the latest.