How to Apply to Chemistry at Iowa State University: Admission by Index Rather Than by Major, with an ACS-Certified BS, a Flexible BA and a Secondary Education Option, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Iowa State University (ISU) is a public research university in Ames, Iowa, and its undergraduate chemistry programme is run by the Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students apply to the University and name the major they plan to pursue, but the University does not make admission decisions by major. This guide is based on the University’s and the department’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Biology, physics, mathematics, engineering and other majors are not covered here. Note that the University catalog (catalog.iastate.edu) was not read, so the course lists of each degree should be checked there.

1. Degrees and options, and how admission works

• BS in Chemistry: the department says the BS is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS), emphasises depth in analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry with extensive laboratory training, and that “nearly all BS students collaborate with faculty research groups”; it prepares students for graduate study or careers in industry, government or academia.
• BA in Chemistry: the department says the BA requires fewer courses than the BS and suits students whose goals call for chemistry alongside other disciplines, naming medicine, veterinary science and secondary education; BA students have full access to departmental research and more room for electives outside chemistry.
• Chemistry Education (BA with secondary education): offered with the School of Education for students who want to teach high school science, adding pedagogy to a chemistry foundation; the department links an example four-year plan, a Word file for an earlier year that was not read.
• Minor and combined degree: the department also has a chemistry minor (with focus areas in analytical, inorganic, organic or physical chemistry) and a concurrent BA/BS in chemistry with an MBA; only the entry points were read.
• Course lists: the “Degree Requirements” links go to the University catalog, which was not read; please check the website.
• Naming a major, when to declare, switching in: the apply page says you choose the major you plan to pursue but admission is by the RAI, not by major; whether the chemistry major has a grade requirement or a cap after enrolling, and the conditions for switching into chemistry, are not stated on the pages read. Please ask the department’s undergraduate office (isuchemistry@iastate.edu).
• Chemistry Learning Community (CLC): for first-year and transfer students; members enroll in Chemistry 1010 (Chemistry Learning Community Orientation) in the fall and spring, with weekly activities introducing campus resources and the student chemistry club.
• Undergraduate research: the department says nearly all faculty are happy to supervise undergraduates. Most research is for credit: Chem 2990 (entry level, more observational or prescribed), Chem 3990 (the foundational research course, with a report each term) and Chem 4990 (for students with several semesters of research, student driven, at least two semesters with a report after the second); in a few cases research is paid hourly or through work-study, and research scholarships exist. Students may also apply to outside programs such as NSF REU sites for the summer (students supported by NSF funds must be US citizens or permanent residents).

2. Prerequisites, AP credit and course choices

• High school courses: see the minimum high school courses in Section 4; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences additionally requires a third year of social studies and two years of a single world language. Chemistry-specific requirements for high school chemistry or mathematics are not stated on the pages read.
• AP Chemistry: the department says a 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam earns credit for Chem 177 and 178 (General Chemistry I and II, 7 credits). Laboratory credit is separate: students submit their AP lab notebook, syllabus and formal lab reports for review and may receive 0, 1 or 2 credits of general chemistry laboratory (at least 9 experiments for 1 credit and 18 for 2); a score below 4 earns no lab credit. The credit-by-exam page gives AP Biology 4–5 as Biology 1000 (4 credits). The IB equivalency guide is a file hosted by a third party and was not read.
• Transfer credit evaluation: the department asks for a transfer evaluation form with detailed course materials, one form per course.
• Placement and course choices in mathematics and chemistry: not stated on the department pages read.
• Competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how competitions such as the chemistry olympiad are viewed.

4. Deadlines and application materials (per the University’s website)

• How and when admission works: the admissions overview says Iowa State uses rolling admissions: applications are evaluated when received, with no single deadline; fall applications for undergraduates open July 1 of the preceding year, and fall applicants are encouraged to apply in the fall of the preceding year. The page prints no calendar year; please check the dates for fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply: through the University’s own application or the Common App. The apply page says you choose the major you plan to pursue, but Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major; admission is based on the Regent Admission Index (RAI). The application fee for domestic applicants is not stated on the pages read; for international applicants it is $65 (Section 6).
• Admission criteria (first-year, US applicants): RAI = ACT composite × 3 + cumulative GPA × 30 + years of high school core courses × 5 (SAT or CLT converted to ACT). An RAI of at least 245 with the minimum high school courses is an automatic offer; below 245 with the courses may be considered through individual academic review. First-year applicants are test optional; without a self-reported score, admission is based on GPA and core courses.
• Minimum high school courses: 4 years of English; 3 years of mathematics (one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced algebra); 3 years of science (at least two with elements of biology, chemistry or physics); 2 years of social studies. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) additionally requires a third year of social studies and two years of a single world language. Which college hosts chemistry is covered in Section 1.
• Transcripts and recommendations: students may be admitted on self-reported transcript information, contingent on the final official transcript; weighted GPAs are accepted only under the University’s rules. The international page says no essays, recommendation letters or merit certificates are required. Whether chemistry has extra requirements is not published on the pages read.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (estimated 2026–27, undergraduate): the cost-of-attendance page lists by status: tuition $9,816 for Iowa residents and $29,864 for non-residents; fees $1,586; on-campus housing and food $11,162; books and supplies $800 (personal and transportation estimates are on the page). The University notes that some majors and upper-level years carry higher tuition; figures for fall 2027 entry are not published, so check when released.
• Aid and scholarships: the tuition page says more than 85 percent of students receive some form of financial aid. The first-year awards page says applicants are automatically considered for the “Fall 2027 automatic first-year student merit awards”, with amounts listed by home state on that page (check your state there); the Generations Award requires an application.
• Preference or guaranteed admission for state residents: not stated on the pages read; Iowa residents do pay clearly lower tuition, as above.
• AP / IB credit: the credit-by-exam page awards credit for AP scores (see Section 2); credit by exam is capped at 32 credits, prior-learning credit in total at 60 credits, and at least one year of residency is needed. The IB equivalency guide is a file hosted by a third party and was not read.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: anyone who is not a US citizen or green card holder. Admission is rolling; the page recommends applying at least six to eight weeks ahead and allows applying up to a year before the start date. It has a “priority deadlines” heading, but no dates appear in the text read; please check the website.
• Academic requirements: high school GPA equivalent to 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; core courses of 4 years of English (or native language), 3 years of science (two with laboratory science), 3 years of mathematics including algebra and geometry and 2 years of social studies; SAT/ACT not required, but 1200+ on the SAT or 25+ composite on the ACT counts as meeting the 3.0 GPA requirement.
• English proficiency: any one of: TOEFL iBT 71 with 17 or above on Speaking and Writing (the page also gives 4.0 with a minimum band of 3.5 on the 6.0 scale starting 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0 with all subscores 5.5 or above, Duolingo 105, PTE 48, SAT EBRW 460, ACT English 19, IB 5 in any English course, AP 3 in English Language or 4 in English Literature, IGCSE D in First Language English or C in English as a second language. IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest are not accepted. Native speakers living in a country where English is a primary official language, US high school graduates, and those who completed the equivalent of English 1500 or 2500 with a B or higher at an accredited US college are considered to have met it.
• Documents: English test results; transcripts from all high schools or universities attended (scans accepted; official final documents required if admitted); a bank statement or sponsor letter showing a minimum balance of $52,000 for first-year expenses in most majors ($54,300 for Design majors and Animal Enterprise and Innovation; $56,300 for transfer students); a passport copy; certified English translations of records not in English. Application fee $65, non-refundable, no fee waivers; the instructions page lists China Union Pay among the accepted credit cards.
• Scholarships: the international merit scholarships page says first-year awards are limited and highly competitive, based on SAT/ACT scores and high school grades: Award of Achievement up to $40,000 in total ($5,000–$10,000 a year) and Award of Distinction up to $16,000 ($2,000–$4,000 a year), for up to 8 semesters; fall priority deadline Feb. 15 and final deadline May 1; spring Nov. 15 and Dec. 15; apply through OneApp. Renewal needs a 2.5 GPA and at least 12 credits a semester.
• Costs: the cost-of-attendance page lists international tuition of $31,962; the International Students and Scholars Office estimate for 2026–27 is tuition and fees $33,547 plus living expenses $17,332, a total of $50,879 (the “most majors” category; some majors are higher), including the required University health insurance.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the website does not say whether or how the gaokao is used; it is not published. The country-specific academic requirements sit in a file hosted by a third party and were not read. Contact admissions@iastate.edu.
• Agents: the international application page says Iowa State has formal agreements with a select group of educational agents in India, China, Brazil, Nigeria and Mongolia; to check whether an agent is contracted, email admissions@iastate.edu; the agent must use the student’s own unique email address.
• Payment: the instructions page says the application fee can be paid by credit card, with China Union Pay among the listed cards.
• Transcripts and school-leaving exam materials: the general requirements are in Section 6; requirements specific to the Chinese system are not stated on the pages read.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see Sections 5 and 6.
• Department scholarships: the scholarships page says the department has on average $125,000 for incoming freshman scholarships, $200,000 for current students and $85,000 for research scholarships each year, and that one OneApp puts you in the pool for University financial aid, LAS and department scholarships. Incoming-freshman awards include the Stahr Scholarship in Chemistry (incoming chemistry majors, preference for a rural background), the Clifford C. Hach Memorial Scholarship (four years, 3.0 GPA and remaining a chemistry major, US citizens, preference possible for Iowa applicants) and the ACS Hach Land Grant Undergraduate Scholarship ($6,000 a year for those intending to teach high school chemistry, US citizens or permanent residents); awards for current students include the Nancy Cole Spencer Scholarship in Chemistry, and most of those read require US citizenship.
• Careers and outcomes: the career planning page lists fields including environmental science, medicine, engineering, forensics, teaching, science journalism and technical writing, quality assurance, food and drink, patent examining and technical sales; it cites the Bureau of Labor Statistics for a projected 7% growth for chemists in 2025–35 (versus 3% for all occupations). It also shows median salaries (BS $90,000), but notes these come from a 2025 American Chemical Society survey of 3,097 US-based members, not from ISU graduates. The College keeps an interactive graduation-outcomes database, which was not read.

9. Transfer students

• Domestic transfers: the transfer requirements page says applicants need at least 24 semester credits of transferable coursework and a minimum transfer GPA of 2.25 (2.00 with an associate degree); some programs require a higher GPA, and higher standards may apply to non-residents, including international students. Those with fewer than 24 transferable credits also submit a high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores and meet first-year requirements. Career technical, developmental and military credits do not count toward the 24.
• International transfers: the international transfer page requires a cumulative GPA of at least 2.25 (2.0 with an associate degree from a regionally accredited US institution) and the same documents as first-year applicants with proof of funds of $56,300. International transfer merit scholarships: Award of Achievement up to $20,000 and Award of Distinction up to $10,000, for up to 5 semesters, with a GPA equivalent to 3.0; fall priority deadline March 1 and final June 30, spring Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.
• Credit: the international transfer page says transfer credit evaluation has two stages: the Office of Admissions determines transferable credits, which you can see in your admissions account; after arrival, the college of your major decides which credits satisfy your program. The department says that to have a course evaluated you must complete its transfer evaluation form with detailed materials, and courses with insufficient documentation will not transfer.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Rolling admission, opening July 1 of the preceding year; name a major but admission is not by major; RAI 245 with the required high school core courses is an automatic offer; test optional; the domestic application fee is not stated
• Apply for scholarships through OneApp; AP Chemistry 4–5 earns 7 credits for Chem 177/178

International applicants (including those from China):

• High school record equivalent to 3.0; TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105 or PTE 48, among others; bank statement of $52,000; $65 fee with no waivers; no essays or recommendations
• International merit scholarships: fall priority deadline Feb. 15, final May 1, via OneApp

After admission:

• Ask the undergraduate office about BS versus BA; first-year and transfer students can join the Chemistry Learning Community; for research, contact faculty and register under Chem 2990/3990/4990

Transfer students:

• At least 24 semester credits and a 2.25 transfer GPA (2.00 with an associate degree); international transfer students need $56,300 in funds; chemistry credit needs a transfer evaluation form

Sources: Iowa State University, Chemistry majors and minors; Chemistry majors; Chemistry education; AP and transfer credits; Undergraduate research; Chemistry scholarships; Career planning; Apply; Application instructions; Admissions; First-year students; Credit by exam; First-year student awards; Transfer requirements; International first-year requirements; International application information; International transfer requirements; English proficiency; International merit scholarships; Tuition and fees; Undergraduate cost of attendance; International undergraduate expenses. The university catalog (catalog.iastate.edu) was not read, and the country-specific academic requirements and the IB/A-Level equivalency guides sit in files hosted by a third party and were not read either. Please check that any dates printed without a year apply to fall 2027 entry, and see the University’s website for the latest.