IU Indianapolis is Indiana University’s urban research campus, sitting on about 20,000 students right in downtown Indianapolis, a few blocks from the statehouse and the hospital corridor. It admits roughly three out of four applicants, so for most families this is not a school you agonize over getting into. It is a school you have to be organized about paying for, because almost all of the money here is decided months before the admission deadline most families are watching.
Two things make IU Indianapolis different from the average state school. First, it does not require test scores for admission or for merit scholarships, which removes the usual scramble. Second, if you live in one of eleven nearby states or Puerto Rico, there is an automatic tuition reduction worth about twenty thousand dollars a year that nobody has to apply for. That single fact reshapes the math for more out-of-state families than any scholarship on this page.
GPA 3.5+ for merit; 2.75–3.0+ for Indiana Partners
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional for admission and scholarships
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 15 • FAFSA: Apr 15
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Bepko Scholars & Fellows Program
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
MSEP / Indiana Partner reduced rate
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at IU Indianapolis (Read This First)
This is no longer IUPUI, and that matters for your major. On July 1, 2024, IUPUI split in two. Engineering, computer science and technology moved to Purdue University in Indianapolis and now confer Purdue degrees. If your student wants mechanical engineering or a Purdue CS degree, this is the wrong page. IU Indianapolis kept medicine, nursing, business, informatics, public affairs, art and design, law and the sciences.
The real scholarship deadline is November 15, not June 1. June 1 is when you can still be admitted. IU Indianapolis school pages list November 15 as the priority date for full merit consideration and February 1 as the final scholarship deadline. Wait until spring and the money is already spoken for.
Honors swaps your award, it does not add to it. Getting into the Honors College replaces your automatic Jaguar Excellence Award rather than stacking on top of it. That is still a big upgrade, but do not budget for both.
Out-of-state families should check Indiana Partners before looking at a single scholarship. Eleven states plus Puerto Rico get an automatic tuition rate cut worth roughly $20,000 a year. No application, no essay. It dwarfs the merit awards.
Three of the four biggest Honors awards are closed to out-of-state students. Bepko, Presidential and Plater are for Indiana residents (Bepko and Plater each reserve one international slot). Nonresidents are eligible for the Chancellor’s Scholarship, which happens to pay them more.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Indiana University Indianapolis is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 21-29; SAT: 1050-1260.
Average net price? About $13,958/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. It participates in MSEP / Indiana Partner reduced rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Indiana University Indianapolis: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in September 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Indiana University Indianapolis has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$500 to $1,200 more than the in-state total below.$1,000 to $2,500 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$24,418
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$10,762
Housing & meals (typical)
$13,656
Total billed cost
$24,418
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$49,223
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$35,567
Housing & meals (typical)
$13,656
Total billed cost
$49,223
That is $24,805 more per year than Indiana residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $13,958 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Tuition figures are combined tuition and mandatory fees. IU Indianapolis runs two automatic nonresident discount programs under the Indiana Partners banner. The Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) Award covers residents of Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin with a 2.75 GPA or higher. The IU Indianapolis Student Excellence Award covers residents of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Puerto Rico with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Both are awarded automatically at admission with no application and both reduce nonresident tuition by about 57 percent, bringing combined tuition and fees to roughly $15,521 for 2026-2027. Herron School of Art and Design separately caps nonresident tuition at 150 percent of the in-state rate for students from 41 other states with a 3.0 GPA.
💡 The Indiana Partner Rate: The Biggest Number on This Page
If you live in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan or Puerto Rico, you do not pay the $35,567 out-of-state rate. You pay roughly $15,521 in combined tuition and fees. That is about $20,046 off every single year, applied automatically when you are admitted. There is no form and no essay.
The GPA floor differs by state. MSEP states (KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, WI) need a 2.75. Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Puerto Rico need a 3.0. Art and design students from most other states have a separate path through Herron, covered further down this page.
📌 Something You Almost Never See: Frozen In-State Tuition
Indiana University’s approved fee schedule holds resident tuition and fees at the same figure for 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The Indiana Partner rate is frozen across those years too. Only the nonresident rate moves, and only by about one percent a year. For an in-state family that means your four-year estimate is unusually trustworthy.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at IU Indianapolis
Why is out-of-state more than three times the in-state price?
Because Indiana taxpayers subsidize the resident rate and not the nonresident one. The gap here is wider than at a lot of public universities. The good news is that IU Indianapolis closes most of that gap automatically for students from eleven nearby states and Puerto Rico through the Indiana Partner rate, which is unusual. Check that first, before you start comparing scholarships.
Do I have to apply for the Indiana Partner rate?
No. There is no application. If your home address is in a participating state and your GPA clears the threshold, IU Indianapolis classifies you at the reduced rate when it admits you. Apply for admission early so residency and GPA get confirmed without a scramble.
Who does not qualify for the Indiana Partner rate?
Students enrolled in a fully online degree program, students in a dual-degree program run through a different university, students with DACA status, and anyone already eligible for in-state tuition some other way. It also does not cover courses you take at another IU campus, so a summer class in Bloomington gets billed at the out-of-state rate.
Is the average net price really around $13,958?
Yes, that is the federal figure for what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, with no loans counted. It is on the low side for a public research university, which reflects how many IU Indianapolis students receive Indiana state aid. Your own number depends on residency, need and which awards you win.
Are housing and meals the same for everyone?
No. The figure shown reflects an average of campus housing with a full meal plan across roughly nine months. This is a downtown commuter-heavy campus, so plenty of students live at home or off campus and land well under it. Others in apartment-style housing land above it.
Why are books and transportation not in the total?
Because IU Indianapolis does not bill you for them. The university invoices tuition, fees and housing or meal plans. Books, travel and personal spending vary too much per student to be averaged into a bill, so they are kept separate.
Does my major change what I pay?
It can. IU Indianapolis charges program differentials on top of base tuition for certain schools. Nursing carries the largest one by a wide margin. Herron art and design, business, science and dental hygiene carry smaller ones. Ask for the differential for your student’s specific major before you finalize a budget.
📅 IU Indianapolis Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
November 1: Apply for admission if your student wants Bepko, Presidential or Plater consideration.
November 15: Priority date for full merit aid consideration, and the hard deadline for the three big Honors awards.
December 1: FAFSA opens. File as soon as you can.
February 1: Final deadline for admission-based scholarships, competitive scholarships, and Chancellor’s Scholarship applicants.
April 15: FAFSA priority deadline for keeping Indy Achieves, and the Cox deadline for current students.
Parent rule of thumb: treat November 15 as your real deadline. June 1 shows up on the admissions page, but by June the scholarship money is gone.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — IU Indianapolis
Every admitted freshman is automatically considered for the highest Jaguar Excellence Award they qualify for. No separate application. IU Indianapolis is test-optional for scholarships as well as admission, so a student with a strong GPA and no ACT or SAT score is fully in the running.
Heads up on the numbers below: IU Indianapolis does not publish a central table of award tiers. The $1,000 to $5,000 range shown is the only figure published on an official campus page, and it scales by residency and GPA. Treat it as a planning range, not a promise.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Jaguar Excellence Award (Admissions-Based Merit)
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000–$5,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not stack with Honors College scholarships or the Cox Scholarship. An Honors award replaces this one, and accepting a Cox Scholarship cancels it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every admitted freshman is automatically considered for the highest Jaguar Excellence Award they qualify for, with no extra application. IU Indianapolis does not publish a central tier table. The only published range on an official campus page is $1,000 to $5,000 per year, scaled by residency and high school GPA, with a 3.5 GPA minimum. Renewal for up to four years requires full-time enrollment, 24 credits per year and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted freshmen with a 3.5 or higher high school GPA who apply by the February 1 scholarship deadline. Test scores are optional and are not required for merit consideration.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyresidencyregional exchange
Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) Award
📅 Deadline: No scholarship deadline. Applied automatically at admission. Apply for admission early to have residency and GPA confirmed. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,046/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Limited to residents of Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a tuition rate reduction rather than a scholarship credit, so it applies before scholarships and stacks with merit awards. One important interaction: MSEP recipients who are admitted to the Honors College receive the $8,000 resident Chancellor's Scholarship rate rather than the $19,000 nonresident rate.
💡
Strategic Detail
The single largest cost reducer at IU Indianapolis for most out-of-state families, and it requires no application at all. Residents of Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin with a 2.75 GPA or higher are automatically classified at the Indiana Partner tuition rate on admission. For 2026-2027 that drops combined tuition and fees from $35,567 to roughly $15,521, a difference of about $20,046 per year. IU describes the reduction as roughly 57 percent of nonresident tuition. Not available for fully online degree programs, dual-degree programs run through another university, or students with DACA status.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted undergraduate who lives in one of the seven MSEP partner states and clears a 2.75 GPA. There is no competitive selection and no essay.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyresidencyregional exchange
IU Indianapolis Student Excellence Award
📅 Deadline: No scholarship deadline. Applied automatically at admission. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,046/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Limited to residents of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Puerto Rico.
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
A tuition rate reduction rather than a scholarship credit, so it applies before scholarships and stacks with merit awards. Student Excellence Award recipients admitted to the Honors College receive the $8,000 resident Chancellor's Scholarship rate rather than the $19,000 nonresident rate.
💡
Strategic Detail
The companion program to the MSEP Award, covering the four Indiana Partner territories that are not MSEP members. Residents of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Puerto Rico with a 3.0 GPA or higher are automatically classified at the Indiana Partner tuition rate on admission, which for 2026-2027 means roughly $15,521 in combined tuition and fees instead of $35,567. Note the higher GPA floor here than the 2.75 required for MSEP states.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted undergraduate from Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan or Puerto Rico with a 3.0 GPA or better. No competitive selection and no essay.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Jaguar Excellence Award (Transfer Students)
📅 Deadline: February 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 2 yrs)
$2,000–$7,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Part of the same admissions-based award family as the freshman Jaguar Excellence Award, so it is not layered on top of other IU Indianapolis admissions-based or Honors awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Automatic award for domestic transfer students with a 3.5 college GPA and at least 26 external transferable credits. Renewable for up to two years, or four semesters, with full-time enrollment, 24 credits per year and a 3.0 cumulative IU GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Domestic transfer students who bring at least 26 external transferable credits and a 3.5 or higher college GPA, enroll full-time, and maintain at least a 3.0 IU cumulative GPA to keep the award renewable.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Indy Achieves Promise Scholarship
📅 Deadline: April 15 FAFSA priority deadline. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Indy Achieves is designed to work on top of existing state aid , it fills the gap between a student's financial need and tuition cost after other grants are applied. It is inherently a stacking award, layered over 21st Century Scholars and Frank O'Bannon funding.
💡
Strategic Detail
Indy Achieves is a last-dollar scholarship that covers the gap between a student's financial need and tuition cost after state aid is applied , so the actual dollar value varies widely by student. There is no separate application; eligibility is automatically checked at admission for Marion County residents who hold qualifying Indiana state aid. Scholars also join a coaching cohort with one-on-one success coaching throughout their time at IU Indianapolis. To renew, students must file the FAFSA by April 15 each year, maintain eligibility for state financial aid, complete at least 30 credit hours per academic year, and meet satisfactory academic progress standards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Marion County residents who already receive Indiana state financial aid and are enrolled or enrolling at IU Indianapolis. No merit threshold , eligibility is driven entirely by geographic and state-aid criteria.
Automaticinternational
International Merit Scholarship (Tier 1)
📅 Deadline: February 15 for international admissions-based scholarship consideration. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$8,000–$12,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
International merit scholarships at IU Indianapolis are one-per-student awards , this tier does not stack with other IU Indianapolis international merit scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
The IU Indianapolis international merit scholarship program provides renewable, tiered awards for high-achieving international freshmen. Exact tier dollar bands for the current cycle are not fully itemized on the public page, so the range shown reflects approximate Tier 1 values carried forward from prior-year structures. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, 24 credits per year, and a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming international freshmen with very strong academic records , typically a 3.75 or higher GPA , who apply by the international admission deadline.
Automaticinternational
International Merit Scholarship (Tier 2)
📅 Deadline: February 15 for international admissions-based scholarship consideration. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000–$7,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
International merit scholarships at IU Indianapolis are one-per-student awards , this tier does not stack with other IU Indianapolis international merit scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
The IU Indianapolis international merit scholarship program provides renewable, tiered awards for international freshmen. Exact Tier 2 dollar bands for the current cycle are not fully itemized on the public page, so the range shown reflects approximate values carried forward from prior-year structures. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, 24 credits per year, and a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming international freshmen with solid academic profiles , typically a 3.25 to 3.74 GPA , who apply by the international admission deadline.
Automaticinternational
International Merit Scholarship (Tier 3)
📅 Deadline: February 15 for international admissions-based scholarship consideration. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$3,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
International merit scholarships at IU Indianapolis are one-per-student awards , this tier does not stack with other IU Indianapolis international merit scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
The IU Indianapolis international merit scholarship program provides renewable, tiered awards for international freshmen. Exact Tier 3 dollar bands for the current cycle are not explicitly listed on the public page, so the range shown is carried forward as an approximate value. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, 24 credits per year, and a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming international freshmen who meet the baseline 3.0 GPA threshold and are admissible but have more modest academic profiles than upper-tier recipients.
Data last verified Jun 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
🧮 Why the Two Biggest “Automatic” Awards Are Not Scholarships
The MSEP Award and the Student Excellence Award are tuition rate reductions, not scholarship checks. That distinction works in your favor. Because they lower the price before any aid is applied, merit scholarships then stack on top of the reduced number. An Ohio student with a 3.5 can land the Indiana Partner rate and a Jaguar Excellence Award at the same time.
One trade-off to know about: if that same student gets into the Honors College, the Chancellor’s Scholarship pays them the $8,000 resident rate rather than the $19,000 nonresident rate, because their tuition is already cut. They still come out well ahead, but run both numbers before assuming.
Note: Students receive one admissions-based award, not several. The Jaguar Excellence Award does not stack with an Honors College scholarship or with the Cox Scholarship, and accepting a Cox award cancels it outright.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (IU Indianapolis)
Do we need ACT or SAT scores to get merit money?
No. IU Indianapolis states plainly that it does not require test scores for admission or for merit scholarship consideration. Review is based on GPA, curriculum quality, grade trends and class rank. If your student has strong scores, submitting them cannot hurt, but skipping them does not disqualify anyone.
What GPA does my student need for the Jaguar Excellence Award?
A 3.5 or higher high school GPA is the published minimum. The award amount then scales by GPA and residency.
What is the actual deadline?
November 15 for full merit consideration and February 1 as the final cutoff. The June 1 date on the admissions page is the last day to be admitted, not the last day to get scholarship money.
Are these renewable?
Yes, for up to four years. Your student has to stay enrolled full time, finish at least 24 credits per academic year, and keep a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Transfer awards renew for two years, or four semesters.
Can a transfer student get automatic money?
Yes. Domestic transfer students with a 3.5 college GPA and at least 26 transferable credits are automatically considered, with no separate application.
What is Indy Achieves and do we qualify?
It is a last-dollar award for Marion County residents who already receive Indiana state aid, such as the 21st Century Scholarship or the Frank O’Bannon Grant. It covers the gap between your need and your tuition cost, so the dollar value is different for every student. There is no application. IU checks your eligibility when you are admitted. To keep it, file the FAFSA by April 15 every year, stay eligible for state aid, and complete 30 credit hours per year.
Why are international awards listed here?
Because they are awarded automatically at admission with no separate application, same as the domestic ones. IU Indianapolis has not itemized the current tier amounts publicly, and the international deadline is listed differently on three different IU pages. International families should confirm directly with the Office of International Affairs before relying on any date.
IU Indianapolis runs its top awards through the Honors College, and three of them are the real prizes: Bepko, Adam W. Herbert Presidential and Plater International. All three share one application, one November 15 deadline, and one January interview round. A student may apply for more than one but can only receive one.
Residency is the thing to check first. Presidential is Indiana residents only. Bepko and Plater are Indiana residents plus exactly one international student each per year. Out-of-state domestic students are not eligible for any of the three.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at IU Indianapolis?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Parent Translation
Indiana Partner rate (MSEP / Student Excellence)
Yes, always
It lowers the price before aid, so everything else layers on top. This is the one that never conflicts with anything.
Jaguar Excellence (automatic)
N/A
One award only, the highest your student qualifies for.
Honors College awards
Replaces
IU says it outright: the Honors Scholarship replaces the Jaguar Excellence Award. Bigger award, not two awards.
Cox Scholarship
Replaces
Accepting Cox cancels your admissions-based award. If you leave the Cox program and still qualify, IU reinstates the old one.
Departmental and school awards
Often yes
These are the gap fillers, and they live inside the IU Scholarships portal. Kelley alone lists more than 50.
Indy Achieves
Yes, by design
It is last-dollar, so it sits on top of state aid and fills what remains of tuition.
If your student is an Indiana resident with a 3.75 and a real record of service or leadership, the Bepko and Presidential packages are genuinely competitive with what you would find at much pricier schools. If you are out of state, the honest answer is that your leverage here is the Indiana Partner rate plus the Chancellor’s Scholarship, and that combination is still strong.
Full TuitionApp Requiredindiana residentservicehonors
Bepko Scholars & Fellows Program
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Mid-February for finalist decisions; mid-December for interview invitations. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition, mandatory fees, books, housing, and study abroad stipend
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Open to Indiana residents only, plus exactly one international student selected each year. Not available to domestic out-of-state applicants.
🏫 3.8+ GPA👥 ~Small cohort per entering class; one international student slot reserved annually. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
The Bepko Scholarship replaces the admissions-based Jaguar Excellence Award , Honors College recipients do not receive both. Students may apply for multiple Honors competitive scholarships but can only receive one.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to IU Indianapolis by November 1, then submit the full Honors College application , including the Chancellor's Scholarship materials plus the Bepko-specific service essay (800–1,000 words), a service-focused scholarship resume, and one letter of recommendation , by November 15. Finalists are notified in mid-December and invited to interview in January; final decisions go out in mid-February.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic excellence, integrity, leadership, and a deep, documented commitment to community service and civic engagement.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Bepko Scholars receive undergraduate tuition, mandatory fees, and books for up to four years, two years of on-campus housing in the Honors Residential Learning Community (freshman year is required), and a $2,500 study abroad stipend. One international student slot is reserved each year , all others must be Indiana residents. Scholars who continue at IU Indianapolis for graduate or professional study may be named Bepko Fellows and receive $5,000 per year for four years of advanced study. Exact annual dollar value is not itemized on the public page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top Honors applicants , Indiana residents or one selected international student , who pair exceptional academics with a deep, sustained record of community service and civic engagement.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyindiana residentworking student
Cox Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: February 1 for incoming freshmen. · 📢 Results: Mid-March for incoming freshmen; July 1 for current students. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000–$15,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Open to Indiana residents only. Requires documented part-time work covering 25 percent of cost of attendance or 300 work hours per year.
👥 ~Limited cohort selected each year as funding permits. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Cox Scholarships are designed as a primary funding award. The award equals up to 75% of Cost of Attendance minus other grants and scholarships , it does not typically layer on top of other large institutional awards.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the IU General Scholarship Application, then search for and submit the Cox Scholars application in the IU Scholarship Portal by February 1 for incoming freshmen or April 15 for current students. File the FAFSA by the same deadline. Applications with a FAFSA on file are reviewed before those without.
Selection criteria: Holistic review weighing academic achievement, financial need, demonstrated work ethic (employment documentation), and alignment with the Cox Scholars program mission of self-determination and civic engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Cox Scholarship is named for Jesse H. and Beulah Chanley Cox and honors students who fund their own education through part-time work. Award ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 per year , up to 75% of Cost of Attendance minus other grants and scholarships. Financial need is strongly preferred but not technically required; all applications with a FAFSA are reviewed before those without. Renewal requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment (12+ credits), and documentation of continued work commitment (25% of COA contribution or 300 hours per year). Physical Education majors are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Working Indiana residents who can show a genuine commitment to funding their own education through employment (at least 25% of Cost of Attendance contributed through work, or 300 work hours per year) and who pair that work ethic with solid academics and a FAFSA on file. Financial need is strongly preferred.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyleadershipcitizenship
Norman Brown Leadership Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: February 1 at 11:59 p.m. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000–$13,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status and a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
🏫 3.2+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
IU Indianapolis does not publish replacement language for this award, unlike the Cox and Honors scholarships, which both state outright that they replace the admissions-based award. Confirm packaging on your award letter before counting on it stacking.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the IU General Scholarship Application, then search for and complete the Norman Brown Scholars application in the IU Scholarship Portal by February 1 at 11:59 p.m. First-year student applications open in October; transfer and current student applications open in January. All awards are for fall semester start dates.
Selection criteria: Competitive selection based on academic achievement (minimum 3.2 GPA), demonstrated leadership, commitment to civic engagement, and alignment with the program's mission to support students from historically underserved communities.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Running since 1988. Incoming freshmen receive $5,000 in tuition support and $8,000 in on-campus housing support per year, renewable up to eight semesters. Transfer and current students receive $5,000 in tuition and $5,000 in housing support per year. Students using the housing award must also apply for on-campus housing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving students from historically underserved communities , incoming freshmen, transfer students, or current IU Indianapolis students , with at least a 3.2 GPA and a demonstrated commitment to leadership, civic engagement, and community impact.
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Mid-February for finalist decisions; mid-December for interview invitations. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$12,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Open to Indiana residents only, plus exactly one international student selected each year. Not available to domestic out-of-state applicants.
🏫 3.8+ GPA👥 ~Small cohort per entering class; one international student slot reserved annually. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
The Plater Scholarship replaces the admissions-based Jaguar Excellence Award , Honors College recipients do not receive both. Students may apply for multiple Honors competitive scholarships but can only receive one.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to IU Indianapolis by November 1, then submit the full Honors College application , including the Chancellor's Scholarship materials plus the Plater-specific globalization essay (800–1,000 words), an international/cross-cultural scholarship resume, and one letter of recommendation , by November 15. Finalists are notified in mid-December and invited to interview in January; final decisions go out in mid-February.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic achievement, global awareness, cross-cultural experience, leadership, and the quality of required essays and interview.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Plater International Scholars receive $12,000 per year for up to four years, a $2,500 study abroad stipend, and a $2,500 freshman housing stipend. One international student slot is reserved each year alongside the main cohort , all others must be Indiana residents. The application requires an 800–1,000 word essay on globalization and cross-cultural competency, a dedicated international/cross-cultural resume, and one letter of recommendation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Exceptional incoming freshmen , Indiana residents or one selected international student , with strong academics and a genuine, demonstrated passion for international affairs, cross-cultural experience, and global engagement.
App Requiredindiana residentleadershiphonors
Adam W. Herbert Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Mid-February for finalist decisions; mid-December for interview invitations. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$12,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Open to Indiana residents only. Not available to out-of-state or international applicants.
🏫 3.8+ GPA👥 ~Part of the system-wide Herbert Presidential Scholars cohort across IU campuses; limited number of awards each year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
The Herbert Presidential Scholarship replaces the admissions-based Jaguar Excellence Award , Honors College recipients do not receive both. Students may apply for multiple Honors competitive scholarships but can only receive one.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to IU Indianapolis by November 1, then submit the Honors College application , including the Chancellor's Scholarship materials plus the Presidential Scholarship essay, leadership resume, and letter of recommendation , by November 15. Finalists are notified in mid-December and invited to interview in January; final decisions go out in mid-February.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing outstanding academics, extensive leadership experience, and a compelling vision for impact , evaluated through essay, resume, recommendation, and a finalist interview.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Herbert Presidential Scholars receive $12,000 per year for four years, a one-time $1,500 freshman housing stipend for living in the Honors Learning Community, a one-time $1,200 supplemental educational expense award, and a $2,500 study abroad stipend. The selection process involves a leadership-focused essay (800–1,000 words), a dedicated leadership resume, one letter of recommendation, and a finalist interview in January. Open to Indiana residents only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Outstanding Indiana high school seniors with a 3.75+ GPA who demonstrate extensive, documented leadership experience and the drive to make a meaningful impact at IU Indianapolis and beyond.
Data last verified Jun 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
When are the flagship scholarship deadlines?
Apply for admission to IU Indianapolis by November 1, then submit all Honors College and scholarship materials by November 15. Finalists hear in mid-December, interview in January, and get final decisions in mid-February.
Can an out-of-state student win Bepko, Presidential or Plater?
No, not as a domestic out-of-state applicant. Presidential is Indiana residents only. Bepko and Plater accept Indiana residents plus one international student each year. Out-of-state students should aim at the Chancellor’s Scholarship instead, which pays nonresidents $19,000 per year.
What does Bepko actually cover?
Undergraduate tuition, mandatory fees and books for four years, two years of on-campus housing with freshman year required in the Honors Living Learning Community, and a $2,500 study abroad stipend. Scholars who stay at IU Indianapolis for graduate or professional study can be named Bepko Fellows and receive $5,000 per year for four more years.
Can my student apply for more than one?
Yes, and they should if they qualify. But only one award is granted. Winning Bepko, Presidential or Plater replaces the Chancellor’s Scholarship rather than adding to it.
What do the applications require?
Each one asks for an 800 to 1,000 word essay on its own theme (service for Bepko, leadership for Presidential, global engagement for Plater), a scholarship resume focused on that theme, and one letter of recommendation that cannot come from a family member. All of it is due by 5 p.m. on November 15. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help organize this.
Is the Cox Scholarship worth chasing?
For working Indiana students, yes. It runs $5,000 to $15,000 a year, up to 75 percent of cost of attendance. The catch is the work requirement: contribute 25 percent of your cost of attendance through employment, or log 300 work hours a year, and document it annually. Financial need is strongly preferred, and applications with a FAFSA are read first.
Does IU Indianapolis have a National Merit or Stamps package?
No to both. It is not a Stamps partner and does not advertise a National Merit package.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Portal Nobody Tells You About
Getting admitted to IU Indianapolis does not put your student in front of most of its scholarship money. The university awards more than $55 million a year, and a large share of it sits inside the IU Scholarships portal, which your student cannot even open until they have an IU computing account.
Apply for admission, then create the IU computing account.
Complete the General Application first. Nothing else unlocks until you do.
Open “Other Recommended Opportunities” and work the list for your student’s school and major.
File the FAFSA. A lot of these funds are need-weighted, and IU reads FAFSA applicants first.
Screenshot every confirmation after you submit.
Parent translation: skip the General Application and your student is invisible to most of the money, even with a perfect transcript.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are not automatic, but most of them stack, and several are wide open simply because families never find them. The Herron award in particular is one of the best out-of-state values at any public university in the Midwest, and almost nobody outside art and design circles knows it exists.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyresidencymajor restricted
Herron Nonresident Award Program
📅 Deadline: No separate deadline. Tied to Herron admission. Submit the Herron portfolio and the IU Indianapolis General Scholarship application by February 1 for full scholarship consideration. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,046/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Limited to Herron School of Art and Design undergraduates from the 41 listed states with a 3.0 GPA.
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
A tuition rate cap rather than a scholarship credit, so it applies before scholarships and layers with Herron and IU Indianapolis merit awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
The most overlooked award on this page. Nonresident students pursuing a bachelor's degree at Herron School of Art and Design pay no more than 150 percent of the in-state tuition rate, which for 2026-2027 works out to about the same rate Indiana Partner students pay. Eligible states are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. Requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Between this program and Indiana Partners, nearly every out-of-state art and design student with a 3.0 has a path to reduced tuition.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state students admitted to a Herron bachelor's program from one of the 41 eligible states with a 3.0 GPA. You must select a Herron major on your IU Indianapolis application to be considered for Herron awards.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyfinancial needtransfer pathway
Bowen Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: November 1 for spring semester consideration and April 1 for fall consideration. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires prior participation in an IU Indianapolis student success program or the Ivy Tech Bowen Scholars Program, plus demonstrated financial need.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of existing aid for students already in a success program, though final packaging depends on total need and cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Educational Success Program route: apply through the IU Scholarship Portal with supplemental question responses, a completed FAFSA, and a letter of reference from a program staff member. Ivy Tech route: contact the Ivy Tech Bowen Scholars Director and submit an application, essay, Ivy Tech transcript, FAFSA completed by March 1, and a letter of recommendation.
Selection criteria: Review weighs program engagement, academic standing, financial need, and the strength of the reference from program staff.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by the Bowen Family Foundation. Two separate doors. Second-year IU Indianapolis students who spent their first year in an Educational Success Program can apply if they are in good academic standing, demonstrate financial need, and have participated in 21st Century Scholars, DEAP, Indy Achieves, THRIVE, TRIO Student Support Services, or Upward Bound. Ivy Tech Bowen Scholars can apply on transfer if they hold an associate degree or are in a select Ivy Tech program and have executed an approved transfer plan. IU does not publish a dollar amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students already inside an IU Indianapolis student success program who apply during their second year, and Ivy Tech Bowen Scholars transferring in. This is not an award a first-year applicant from outside those pipelines can chase.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Through Their Eyes Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies by year; administered through the IU Scholarships system. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Award is determined after state and grant aid and may adjust total need-based aid but can coexist with merit awards.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the IU Scholarships (AcademicWorks) general application, then search for and submit the IUIN–Through their Eyes Memorial Scholarship application with required essay and documentation of family ties to Ransom Place or Indiana Avenue.
Selection criteria: Selection emphasizes verified connection to displaced Ransom Place or Indiana Avenue families, quality of personal essay, academic performance, and commitment to community and social justice.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Honors the descendants of Black families displaced from the Ransom Place and Indiana Avenue neighborhoods during the building of the downtown campus. IU Indianapolis does not publish a dollar figure. The university states that the award amount is determined by enrollment level and financial need after other state and grant aid is applied. Requires enrollment in an undergraduate degree program and at least 6 credit hours.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming or current IU Indianapolis students who can document that their family was displaced during the establishment of the downtown campus. Preference goes to applicants who can provide evidence of family ties to the Ransom Place or Indiana Avenue communities.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
International Major- & Service-Based Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies by scholarship and academic year. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
These supplemental awards typically stack on top of base international merit scholarships but may be limited by overall cost of attendance and other aid.
📄
How to Apply
International students search the IU Scholarships (AcademicWorks) portal and Office of International Affairs listings for awards tied to their major, service, leadership, or special populations, then submit required applications and documents.
Selection criteria: Criteria vary by award but often consider academic performance, major fit, leadership, and community or service involvement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
IU Indianapolis highlights additional awards for international students beyond the primary international merit tiers, many of which are housed in IU Scholarships and departmental listings and are tied to major, leadership, or service.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
International students who proactively search for smaller, targeted awards linked to their academic program, service or leadership record, or specific identity or interest areas.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
School & College Scholarships (Departmental Awards)
📅 Deadline: Varies by school and specific scholarship; many follow February 1 or later IU Scholarships deadlines. Non-Renewable
$500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Departmental and donor-funded awards often stack with automatic and Honors scholarships, though some need-based funds may affect overall aid packaging.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the IU Scholarships (AcademicWorks) general application and any school- or department-specific applications; follow instructions on individual IU Indianapolis school and departmental scholarship pages.
Selection criteria: Determined by individual departments and donors; may consider GPA, major, financial need, service, leadership, or other criteria.
💡
Strategic Detail
IU Indianapolis schools such as Liberal Arts describe extensive internal scholarship programs with hundreds of awards totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars annually; individual awards commonly fall in the $500–$5,000 range.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who meet donor criteria for their school or major and who take time to complete the IU Scholarships application and any supplemental materials.
Data last verified Feb 7, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
🎨 A Word on the Herron Nonresident Award
Herron School of Art and Design caps nonresident tuition at 150 percent of the in-state rate for students from 41 states with a 3.0 GPA. Cross-reference that list against the Indiana Partner states and something becomes obvious: between the two programs, nearly every out-of-state art and design student in the country with a 3.0 has a path to reduced tuition at IU Indianapolis. If your student is looking at art schools and comparing $60,000 private sticker prices, this deserves a hard look.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do these stack with my student’s automatic award?
Usually yes. Departmental and donor-funded awards are meant to fill gaps and generally layer on top of merit. The exceptions are the ones IU spells out: Honors scholarships and the Cox Scholarship both replace the automatic award instead of adding to it. Always read the award letter.
When are the deadlines?
Most school and departmental awards follow the campus calendar: November 15 for priority merit consideration and February 1 as the final date. Herron scholarships close February 1. Bowen runs on its own schedule, November 1 for spring and April 1 for fall. Spring-start students generally face an October 1 deadline.
What is the Through Their Eyes Memorial Scholarship?
It honors descendants of the Black families displaced from the Ransom Place and Indiana Avenue neighborhoods when the downtown campus was built. Applicants submit an essay documenting their family’s connection to those communities. IU does not publish a dollar figure, because the award is set by enrollment level and remaining need after other state and grant aid. Students need to be in an undergraduate degree program carrying at least 6 credit hours.
Can current and transfer students get these?
Yes, and this is where IU Indianapolis is genuinely strong. Bowen is built for second-year students already in a success program and for Ivy Tech transfers. Norman Brown takes incoming freshmen, transfers and current students. Cox has a separate April 15 window for current students. Many departmental awards do not open until sophomore year.
How will we know if we won?
Notifications come through your student’s IU email and the IU Scholarships portal. Kelley, as one example, notifies recipients by May 1. Some departmental awards require your student to formally accept before the money is applied.
The IU Indianapolis Honors College works differently from most honors programs, and the difference is worth understanding before your student applies. Every single student admitted to the Honors College receives a scholarship. There is no version of getting in and getting nothing. Admission is competitive and requires a separate application, but the money is guaranteed once you are in.
Minimum to apply: 3.75 cumulative high school GPA
Open to: Indiana residents, out-of-state students and international students
Priority deadline: November 15 (required for Bepko, Presidential and Plater)
Final deadline: February 1 for Chancellor’s Scholarship only
💰 The Out-of-State Surprise
The Chancellor’s Scholarship pays Indiana residents $8,000 a year and nonresidents $19,000 a year, both for four years, both with a $2,500 study abroad stipend. That is not a typo. For an out-of-state family this is the single most valuable award on the page, and it is also the one award the three glamorous named scholarships are closed to them on.
The catch: students who already hold the MSEP Award or the Student Excellence Award receive the $8,000 resident rate instead, since their tuition is already reduced. Run both paths before you assume which one wins for your family.
Honors College Scholarships
App Required
Chancellor's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Mid-March for Chancellor's-only applicants; mid-February for students who also applied for a flagship scholarship. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$8,000–$19,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
The Chancellor's Scholarship replaces the admissions-based Jaguar Excellence Award , students admitted to the Honors College receive the Honors award in place of their automatic merit scholarship, not in addition to it.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to IU Indianapolis, then submit the Honors College application by November 15 if also applying for Bepko, Presidential, or Plater , or by February 1 if applying for the Chancellor's Scholarship only. Materials include a transcript, scholarship resume, a sample of academic work with a verification paragraph, and a 400–600 word essay. Students admitted to the Honors College who are not selected for one of the three flagship awards automatically receive the Chancellor's Scholarship.
Selection criteria: Holistic Honors review requiring a minimum 3.75 cumulative high school GPA; considers coursework rigor, essay, scholarship resume, and a sample of academic work.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The baseline Honors College award. Every student admitted to the Honors College receives one of the four Honors scholarships, and most receive this one. Indiana residents receive $8,000 per year for four years. Nonresidents receive $19,000 per year for four years. Both include a $2,500 study abroad stipend. Students who already hold the MSEP Award or the IU Indianapolis Student Excellence Award receive the $8,000 resident rate instead of the $19,000 nonresident rate, because their tuition is already reduced.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The majority of incoming freshmen admitted to the IU Indianapolis Honors College. Indiana residents typically receive $8,000 per year; nonresidents receive $19,000 per year. MSEP and Student Excellence Award recipients also receive the $8,000 resident rate.
Data last verified Jun 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
The Bepko, Adam W. Herbert Presidential and Plater International scholarships are also Honors College awards. Because they require their own essays, resumes, recommendation letters and a January interview, we cover them in the Flagship Scholarships section above.
Deadline Note: If your student has any interest in Bepko, Presidential or Plater, they must apply for admission to IU Indianapolis by November 1 and submit every Honors and scholarship material by November 15. Applying only for the Chancellor’s Scholarship pushes the deadline to February 1, but it also closes the door on the other three for that cycle.
Honors College — FAQs
Is Honors admission automatic if my student has the GPA?
No. A 3.75 is the minimum to apply, not a guarantee. Review is holistic and considers the transcript, course rigor, a scholarship resume, an essay of 400 to 600 words, and a sample of academic work with a paragraph explaining why your student chose it.
What counts as a “sample of academic work”?
Anything original your student produced that took real effort: a research paper, a lab report, a portfolio, a capstone or seminar project, a science fair presentation. It does not have to match their intended major. Quizzes, tests and group projects are not accepted. If it has a grade on it, the committee ignores the grade.
Does Honors add money on top of the automatic award?
No, and this trips people up. The Honors Scholarship replaces the Jaguar Excellence Award. It is almost always a large upgrade, but do not add the two together when you build your budget.
What is the timeline after we apply?
Mid-December brings admission and finalist decisions for the three named scholarships. Interviews happen in January. Final decisions go out mid-February. Chancellor’s-only applicants hear in mid-March. Everyone has until May 1 to decide.
Are Honors courses harder?
They are smaller and more discussion-driven rather than heavier. Honors students also get access to a living learning community, research opportunities and study abroad funding built into the award.
Can transfer or current students join?
Yes, through a separate process for current and transfer students, though the four-year freshman scholarship packages are tied to entering as a first-year student.
IU Indianapolis is the health care campus of Indiana University, and that shapes almost everything about it. It sits in the middle of downtown, wrapped around a hospital district, which means clinical placements and internships are a walk away rather than a drive. If your student is headed toward medicine, nursing, health sciences or public health, the location alone is worth real money in opportunity.
Nationally Known Program: IU School of Medicine — the largest medical school in the United States, headquartered on this campus. For undergraduates that translates into research labs, clinical shadowing and a pre-health pipeline most universities cannot match. The School of Dentistry and the School of Nursing sit alongside it, making this one of the deepest health science campuses in the country.
⚠️ Important if your student wants engineering or computer science: Those programs are no longer here. When IUPUI split on July 1, 2024, the School of Engineering and Technology and the Computer Science department moved to Purdue University in Indianapolis, which confers Purdue West Lafayette degrees and has its own separate admissions and scholarships. IU Indianapolis still offers computing through the Luddy School of Informatics, including applied computer science, but a traditional engineering degree in Indianapolis now comes from Purdue, not IU.
Kelley School of Business Indianapolis: The same Kelley name as Bloomington, on a downtown campus, with direct admit pathways and more than 50 of its own scholarships in finance, accounting, marketing and supply chain.
Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering: The nation’s first school of informatics, and the program IU is actively expanding in Indianapolis. This is where computing lives on this campus now.
Herron School of Art and Design: A serious, portfolio-reviewed art and design school inside a public university, with its own scholarships and a nonresident tuition cap that makes it one of the better values in the country for out-of-state art students.
O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs: Public affairs, nonprofit management and policy, a few blocks from the Indiana statehouse. Internships here are unusually easy to come by.
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy: The first school of philanthropy in the world. There is genuinely nowhere else to study this at the same depth.
McKinney School of Law: Indiana’s law school in the capital, relevant for students planning a 3+3 or an early law track.
🔗 Official IU Indianapolis Links
Use IU Indianapolis’s own pages below to confirm deadlines, award terms and costs. Every link here was checked and working at the time of our last update. Always treat these as the final word over any third-party site, including ours.
Here is the short version. IU Indianapolis is a downtown health sciences and professional campus that admits about three out of four applicants, does not require test scores for merit money, and holds in-state tuition flat through 2027. The headline merit award is modest, running $1,000 to $5,000 a year, and the Honors College replaces it rather than adding to it. That is the whole automatic-merit story, and it is smaller than what you will find at a school like Alabama.
The real money here works differently. If you live in one of eleven nearby states or Puerto Rico, the Indiana Partner rate cuts about $20,000 a year off the out-of-state price automatically, before any scholarship enters the picture. If your student is an art or design kid from almost anywhere else, Herron does something similar. And if they get into the Honors College from out of state, the Chancellor’s Scholarship pays them $19,000 a year, more than it pays Indiana residents. Those three levers matter more than every essay-based award on this page combined.
So the playbook is simple. Check Indiana Partners eligibility first. Get the application in by November 1 if Honors is in play, and no later than November 15 for full merit consideration. Complete the IU Scholarships General Application, because most of the $55 million a year sits behind it. And if engineering or computer science is the goal, look at Purdue Indianapolis instead, because those programs left this campus in 2024.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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