Get a head start on college! If you are a qualified, motivated junior or senior in high school, you can take 100- and 200-level courses at IU Columbus before you graduate. By participating in our Early College Program, you can earn IU credit towards a degree from any IU campus, or another institution.
Start College Early
We offer scholarships to early college students on a first-come first-serve basis, so apply early!
Course Formats & Academic Calendar
IU Columbus offers a variety of course formats that include in-person, online and hybrid learning modalities.
Each listing in the Schedule of Classes includes the type of course format, as well as the length.
Your Early College Admissions Counselor
As a prospective early college student, your contact is Samantha Francis. Contact her with any questions, or fill out our contact form and she will contact you.
Get ahead in college
It can help you jump-start your college career which gives you more time for opportunties like double-majoring, minoring, graduating early, participating in study abroad, working part-time, and/or doing research!
Be a real college student
With our Early College Program you can have the advantage of experiencing college before other high school students. It is even more advantageous when students plan to attend IU Columbus after graduating.
Take the courses you want
Classes are offered in the morning, afternoon and evening to fit your high school schedule. We offer more college classes than your high school, so you can take the classes that interests you most at a time that works best for you.
How to Apply
The information below walks you through everything you should know in order to successfully apply for admission to IU Columbus.
Each new term requires a new application. If you are a current Early College student and plan to continue taking classes at IU Columbus next semester, please remember to reapply.
It's important to understand the academic requirements of the Early College program prior to submitting an application.
Acceptance is based on your academic motivation and ability, years completed in high school, and high school success.
- You should be enrolled in the Core 40 curriculum or above.
- If you are a junior, you should rank in the upper 20 percent of your class; if you are a senior, you should rank in the upper 30 percent of your class.
- In addition, you should have a PSAT score of 95 or above, a SAT score of 1060 combined evidence-based reading, writing, and math, or above, or an ACT composite score of 21 or higher.
Applications for the Early College Program are available through school counselors at your high school.
You should apply several weeks before the beginning of the IU Columbus semester you plan on attending.
- Applications for the fall semester should be received by July 15.
- Applications for the spring semester should be received by December 1.
Your application must be signed by your high school counselor or principal and mailed to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. Students who need a digital or paper copy of the application may contact the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. A high school transcript and test scores must be submitted with the application. Home-schooled students are also encouraged to apply.
Our mailing address is:
ATTN: Early College Program
4601 Central Avenue
Columbus, IN 47203
Here are a couple things you can do while you wait for an admissions decision!
1. Make changes to your application
To make changes to your submitted application, please email Samantha Francis with the changes you need made. An admissions staff member will respond with any additional steps we need you to take.
2. Check the status of your application
If you would like to get a status update of your application, please call the Office of Admissions at (812) 348-7362 or email Samantha Francis.
3. Apply for our scholarship
The Early College Scholarship Application is available through your school counselor. You may be awarded a $600 scholarship if you submit an Early College Scholarship Application, have exceptional class rank and test scores (PSAT, SAT or ACT), and a minimum of 3.0 high school cumulative GPA. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, financial need, and available funds.
You may apply for a scholarship every fall and spring semester in which you are enrolled. Only one scholarship is awarded per student per academic year. Otherwise, the tuition for Early College courses follow Indiana University rates and fees.
4. Meet your Early College Advisor
To get all your questions answered and to learn more about IU Columbus, we recommend you schedule a time to meet with your academic advisor, Maggie Evans.
5. Review course listings
Review the Schedule of Classes to see which courses will be offered each semester.
6. Cancel your application
If you wish to cancel your application for any reason, please call the Office of Admissions at (812) 348-7390 or email coadmissions@iu.edu and include your name and date of birth.
If you have already registered for courses and no longer wish to attend IU Columbus, you will need to follow the steps on the Office of Registrar’s website to withdraw and avoid any fees or tuition charges.
