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With well over 100 undergraduate programs and a student body of approximately 12,120 undergraduates, IUP is increasingly becoming known as the school of choice for high-achieving students. One of the University's primary goals is to provide an extraordinary education at an affordable price with small classes, cutting-edge technology, one-on-one relationships with faculty, and a dedication to student-centered practices.   Additionally, IUP offers powerful co-curricular programs, including one of the largest student internship programs in the state of Pennsylvania, dynamic national and international student exchange opportunities, and rich cultural experiences within a synergistic learning environment.  Our Undergraduate Admissions Office understands that you play multiple roles in your students' college decision process. The better informed you are, the better you can assist your students in making the right choices about their educational futures. Thank you for all the support you’ve provided to IUP. We appreciate all you do. If you need more of our current applications, have any questions, or would like to refer a student for us to personally contact, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions!

The New SAT Requirements for Education Applicants--Updated! "College in High School" Credits Dual Enrollment lets qualified high school juniors and seniors accelerate their education by enrolling in college courses, earning both college and high school credit for that coursework. Follow this link for more information. Learn about all of IUP's Early College Access Programs. We have several oppportunities for high school students. Contacting the Admissions Office Admissions Policies and Procedures Academic Requirements Student Profile--Updated! (Standard and Learning Support) Scholarships

The SAT

Currently, IUP does not use the new writing section for admission review.  When we receive a student's scores, we only use the critical reading and math sections and a combined score of 1600 as the maximum for determination of admission.

If in the future we decide to utilize the writing section of the SAT, we will provide ample notice to counselors, students, and parents.

Click here to visit The College Board website regarding the SAT.

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Education Major Requirements
Because of the rigorous regulations placed on all teacher certification programs by the state of Pennsylvania, applicants to the College of Education have new requirements that they must meet for admission into the following programs:

• Elementary Education
• Education of Exceptional Persons
• Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons

Admission to Teacher Education requires competitive SAT scores and strong verbal and mathematics abilities.  These requirements are related to the PRAXIS exam and the strong correlation between performance on the two tests.  Students must pass the PRAXIS I in order to register for their upper level coursework.

Transfer Student Requirements for Education
Transfer students must have passed the PRAXIS I before they can be admitted into IUP's education programs.  Also, they have slightly higher GPA requirements to get into the program than are needed to be accepted into the university.  Students with less than 33 credits must have at least a 2.75 GPA.  Students with more than 33 credits must have at least a 3.0 GPA.

First time students wishing to enroll in any of the Teacher Certification majors including all secondary subjects must submit an essay, no more than two pages in length, with their application.  Students should address the following prompt:

Teaching today takes more than command of your subject matter.  It takes more than knowing how to organize a lesson.  What makes a good teacher, and why are you motivated to become one?  Simply put, why teach?

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IUP accepts "College in High School" Credits

IUP will accept "College in High School" credits according to our established transfer credit policies:

• A student must receive a grade of C- or higher in the course.
• The school must be regionally accredited by one of the six regional agencies. Pennsylvania schools a is the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education.
• The course must appear on the transcript of the sponsoring institution.
• The course must not be developmental or technical in nature.

To see how the class transfers please view our transfer equivalency website at www.iup.edu/creditevaluation.

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Contact Information

Telephone: 1-800-442-6830 (toll-free) or 724-357-2230
FAX:  724-357-6281
Postal address:   IUP Admissions, Sutton Hall, Room 117, 1011 South Drive, Indiana, PA 15705
Electronic mail: admissions-inquiry@iup.edu 

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Admissions Policies and Procedures

The IUP application process is a simple process requiring four items from the student:

1.  The application can be submitted in written form or electronically through the web.  We prefer students to use the electronic application in order to expedite the processing of the document.  The choice of application does not affect the decision in any way.

2.  The high school transcript is the most important factor in the decision.

3.  SATs or ACTs are also required.  While we prefer to have the scores submitted directly from the testing service, we will accept them from the transcripts.  We use the best verbal score and the best math score that the student earns.

4.  We have a $35 application fee.

Students also have the option of submitting recommendations and/or a personal essay.

If the Admissions Committee feels they need more information to make the proper decision, they may request that the student provide new SAT scores or seventh semester grades. 

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Academic Requirements

IUP requires that high school students have completed coursework as required by the state of Pennsylvania for the conferral of the high school diploma.

While there is no language requirement for admission to IUP, the majors in the following departments have a language requirement for graduation:

Special Requirements for Specific Majors
The following majors have special admissions requirements beyond the basic application:  Art, Music, Theater, and Education. 

Art: Students who are interested in pursuing any of the art majors at IUP are invited to a Fine Arts Exploration Day after being admitted to the university to learn more about the College of Fine Arts and to submit a portfolio of their work for review by the department.  Information about portfolio expectations is posted at the Art Department site.

Music: After admission to the university is granted, students who are interested in majoring in music must attend a Fine Arts Exploration Day, where they will learn more about the College of Fine Arts and have their audition for the program.  See the Music Department site for audition information.

Theater: Those students who wish to study theater at IUP must attend a Fine Arts Exploration Day to either audition (if the student wants to focus on performance) or interview (if the student plans on concentrating on production).  Admitted students are invited to these programs.   Information about this process can be found on the Theater Department site.

Education:  See information posted elsewhere on this page.

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Student Profile
Knowing the student profile and how we address it will help you to better assist your students to have a realistic view of their admissions options.  It is important to note that this not an absolute cut-off, but a guideline by which students can assess themselves.  We still review each application on an individual basis and make the decision we feel will best serve that student.  Students that we believe will benefit from additional academic support and/or a more intimate academic and social setting may be admitted to one of the regional campuses.

Decisions are based primarily on academic preparation and performance.  Recommendations, activities, and the personal essay do impact the application, but play a larger part on a student who is considered "borderline."  For those students whose transcripts and test scores place them clearly in a category, these pieces will play a relatively small part.

At IUP, we admit students who we see as future graduates of our university.

Standard Admission

Students should have scored at least 1000 on the SAT (or the ACT equivalent) and have maintained a 3.0 GPA or "B" average.  Nearly any student who presents this type of academic record or better will be admitted through our standard admission program.  Occasionally, a student who has met this general guideline may be placed in a support program if the individual's transcript shows a lack of consistency.  The Admissions Committee will admit a student to a support program if they feel the student's success at IUP hinges on academic assistance.

Learning Support Program Admission
The following programs are all designed to support the under prepared student throughout their first year at IUP.  Please browse the specifics of each program.

Punxsutawney Regional Campus: The Punxsutawney branch campus, located approximately twenty-five miles from Indiana, offers students a more intimate atmosphere in which to complete one to two years of their IUP degree.  Originally developed as a transitional campus for those students from rural areas who would benefit from a smaller campus, Punxsy still maintains this mission while also offering opportunities to other students who the admissions committee feel would benefit from this environment on a case-by-case basis.  Students' coursework does count toward university requirements for graduation, and if the student earns at least a 2.0 GPA, he or she is eligible to transfer to the main campus to complete the degree. Visit the Punxsutawney Campus for more information.

IUP at Northpointe Regional Campus:   IUP at Northpointe is the new facility south of Kittanning--just 25 miles from Indiana.  IUP at Northpointe meets the workforce-related education needs of Armstrong County and also provides an intimate setting for first-year commuting students.  Small class sizes allow students to receive personal attention and support from the faculty and staff of the campus.  Students' coursework does count toward university requirements for graduation, and if the student earns at least a 2.0 GPA, he or she is eligible to transfer to the main campus to complete the degree. Visit the Armstrong Campus site.

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Scholarship Information

Because of the limited funds IUP is able to allocate to the scholarship program, the awards process is extremely competitive.  Initial consideration for scholarships is based on a student's application.  Those applications which show solid academic achievement on the transcripts and strong scores on the SATs or ACTs (usually at least 1000) are forwarded to the appropriate college for consideration.  Cut-offs for awards will vary year to year based on the applicant pool.  We strongly encourage students to explore external scholarship opportunities in their home communities and beyond.

For a list of scholarships awarded at IUP and the appropriate contact information, please visit our Scholarships page.

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