How to Apply to Psychology at Indiana University Bloomington: List Psychology on the Application for Direct Admission to the College of Arts and Sciences, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Indiana University Bloomington (IU), psychology is taught by the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Undergraduates can earn a BA in Psychology or a BS in Psychology, and the department also offers BS degrees in Clinical Psychological Science, Neuroscience, and Organizational + Business Psychology. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on IU’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Admission: list psychology for direct admission to the College

• Direct admission: IU says that students who are admitted and listed a major in the College of Arts and Sciences, such as psychology, are directly admitted to the College to begin in that major from freshman year, with an advisor in the College.
• Exploratory option: students who choose exploratory work with Advising and Major Exploration Services in their first year and then follow the standard path into a school.
• IU’s international page notes that 1 November is also the direct-admission deadline for some schools, so students set on a major should apply early.

2. Psychology major requirements

• BA: the 2026-27 bulletin requires at least 37 credit hours in the major (46 with the addenda requirements).
• BS: also at least 37 credit hours in the major (53 with addenda and additional requirements), including math and science such as chemistry. The department says the BS requires more advanced courses and lab work than the BA.
• Entry and skills courses (2026-27 bulletin):
  • PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences, or PSY-P 101 and P 102;
  • two 2-credit skills modules: Measurement and Analysis (M 111) and Scientific Literacy and Communication (M 112);
  • three 1-credit careers modules;
  • Research Methods I (M 211) and a statistics course.
• No official tracks: students work with advisors to choose electives, advanced courses and labs in areas such as development, memory and cognition, animal behavior, clinical and social psychology.
• Honors: apply in sophomore or junior year with a GPA of at least 3.3 and a faculty research sponsor; complete 12–18 months of lab research, a thesis similar to a master’s thesis, a poster presentation and a defense before three faculty.

3. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Action (non-binding): complete your application by 1 November for a response by 15 January; this is also the IU scholarship deadline.
• Regular Decision: complete by 1 February for a response by 15 March; 1 February is also the deadline for the Global Engagement Scholarship for international students.
• Applications after 1 February are considered on a space-available basis. A response may be an offer, a request for more information, an invitation to transfer, or a waitlist offer.
• Admitted students confirm by 1 May with a $100 deposit (non-refundable, credited to first-semester tuition).
• Spring entry: international freshmen wanting a January start apply by 15 September.

4. Academics, testing and English

• Preparation: at least 34 semesters of college-preparatory courses, including 8 in English or your native language, 7 in math, 6 in social sciences, 6 in sciences (at least 4 lab sciences) and 4 in another language. IU says its students have the equivalent of a B average or higher in secondary school.
• Transcripts:
  • China (national curriculum): Grade 10 and 11 transcripts in the original language bearing the school’s original seal at application, then the graduation certificate;
  • British Columbia: the Grade 10 and 11 transcript at application, then the BC High School Diploma; Canadian schools must send records directly to IU.
• Test optional: you choose whether SAT, ACT or CLT scores are considered. IU says it prefers students to share available scores, but applicants without scores receive full consideration; the SAT is superscored.
• English minimums for admission (within two years):
  • TOEFL iBT 79 (including Home Edition), TOEFL ITP+ China 543, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, Cambridge 176, PTE 53;
  • SAT EBRW 560 or ACT English 21; IB HL English A 4+, AP English 3+, or A-Level First-language English A–C;
  • Canadian citizens, or students with three full years of secondary school in Canada, are on the English-speaking list and exempt.
• English for starting classes: after admission, students must meet a higher level (for example TOEFL 100, IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130), or meet other criteria such as English composition credit or three years of secondary school in an English-speaking country, or they may need additional English study.
• IU publishes no Gaokao policy.

5. Costs, scholarships and funding

• Estimated nine-month cost for international undergraduates (US$, as currently published): tuition and mandatory fees 44,339, housing and food 12,431, mandatory health insurance 1,916, miscellaneous 2,470, total 61,156. IU charges flat tuition covering up to 40 credit hours across fall, spring and intersessions.
• Scholarships:
  • complete applications by 1 November are considered for IU merit scholarships;
  • international students with complete applications by 1 February are considered for international merit scholarships with no separate application;
  • for students from China, the C.V. Starr Foundation Scholarship supports first-year undergraduates who are Chinese citizens, and the Irving and Lena Lo Scholarship supports students from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Loans: international students are not eligible for US federal student loans. In their final year they may apply for the IU Miller Loan, up to $5,000 a semester and $10,000 in total.

6. Transfer students

• Priority dates: 1 June for fall, 1 November for spring and 1 March for summer; later applications are considered as space allows.
• GPA: a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5; IU says few students are admitted below 2.5 and no GPA guarantees admission.
• Less than a year of college: applicants with fewer than the equivalent of 26 US semester hours (39 quarter hours) must also meet freshman standards.
• Testing: SAT, ACT and CLT are not considered for transfers.
• Credit: only courses with a C or higher transfer; transfer credit counts toward the degree but not the IU GPA; schools and departments decide how it applies. Use the Credit Transfer Service for past equivalencies and request departmental review for unlisted international courses. English language or writing courses taken in non-Anglophone countries generally earn no credit.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• List psychology on the application; complete it by 1 November (Early Action and scholarships), or 1 February at the latest
• Submit sealed Grade 10–11 transcripts, then the graduation certificate
• English: TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 or TOEFL ITP+ China 543; decide on SAT/ACT
• Prepare to meet the higher English level before classes start

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Same deadlines; Grade 10–11 transcripts sent directly by your school
• Canadian citizens or students with three years of secondary school in Canada are exempt from English testing

Transfer students:

• Apply by 1 June for fall with at least a 2.5 college GPA
• With less than a year of college, also meet freshman standards; estimate credit with the Credit Transfer Service

Sources: Indiana University Bloomington, International application deadlines; International freshman admission standards; English proficiency; Country-specific transcript requirements; Test-optional admissions; Admission paths; International transfer admission standards; International undergraduate costs; Aid for international students; Scholarships for international students; Psychological and Brain Sciences undergraduate; Psychology BA; Psychology BS; Honors program; 2026-27 BA requirements; 2026-27 BS requirements. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check IU Bloomington for the latest details.