The University of Iowa

Iowa admitted about 79.9% of applicants in the most recent cycle, offering admission to roughly 25,100 of around 31,500 applicants and enrolling about 5,560 first-years. It is accessible by flagship standards, though competitive colleges and scholarship tiers run tighter than the headline rate suggests.

No — out-of-state applicants are admitted at nearly the same rate as Iowa residents. For Fall 2025 the university admitted 84.6% of in-state applicants and 81.1% of out-of-state applicants, a gap of only a few points. Non-residents actually make up the large majority of the applicant pool and about 48% of the entering class.

Enrolled first-years average a 3.86 high school GPA, and Iowa weighs academic GPA and the rigor of your course load as very important factors. There is no hard cutoff: admission runs through the Regent Admission Index, which combines your GPA, course rigor, and (if submitted) test scores, so strong grades in a demanding schedule matter most.

Yes, a 1300 is a strong score for Iowa. It sits near the 75th percentile of 1320 for enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1130–1320 on the SAT and 21–28 on the ACT. A score in that upper range also positions you well for merit scholarship consideration.

Yes. Under an Iowa Board of Regents policy, you may apply without ACT or SAT scores. If you do submit, scores are weighed as a very important factor and are used only when they help your case for admission or merit aid; applicants without scores may be asked for additional academic documents. Among enrolled first-years who submitted, the middle 50% scored 1130–1320 on the SAT and 21–28 on the ACT.

Annual tuition and required fees run about $11,622 for Iowa residents and $33,710 for out-of-state students. Roughly 38% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average need-based package near $14,098, and Iowa meets about 53% of demonstrated need on average.

Business and marketing is the largest area at about 27% of bachelor's degrees, followed by parks and recreation programs at roughly 9% and the health professions at about 8%. The social sciences, engineering, psychology, and the arts round out the most-awarded fields.

For most first-year applicants, no — Iowa's Common Data Set lists the application essay as 'not considered,' because admission is driven by the Regent Admission Index of GPA, course rigor, and test scores. An essay or personal statement can still come into play for applicants who don't submit scores or fall under a secondary holistic review, so a clear, specific statement is worth preparing if you're a borderline or test-optional candidate.