“Pennsylvania public research university celebrating its 150th anniversary.”
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) is a public doctoral-granting research university in Indiana, Pennsylvania, about 55 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1875 as the Indiana State Normal School, IUP is today the largest member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and enrolls roughly 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six academic colleges — the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology and the Colleges of Education and Communications, Fine Arts, Health and Human Services, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. IUP is best known nationally for its graduate program in Criminology (US News ranked Top 40 nationally), its AACSB-accredited Eberly College of Business, and one of Pennsylvania's most respected music and fine arts conservatories outside of the Philadelphia region. For international applicants, IUP stands out for its combination of low cost, accessible admissions, and long-established international infrastructure. The American Language Institute (ALI) on IUP's campus has been providing intensive English instruction since 1976, and offers a formal ALI Bridge Program that lets students earn up to nine credits toward their degree while still building English skills — successful completion waives the TOEFL/IELTS requirement for matriculation. English proficiency thresholds are among the most accessible at any U.S. public research university: TOEFL iBT 61, IELTS 5.5, Duolingo 90, or PTE 46 for undergraduate admission. SAT/ACT are not required. All full-time undergraduate international students receive a Partial Tuition Waiver of $2,500 per semester (with a 40-hour community service commitment), and F-1 students are eligible for on-campus employment plus CPT and OPT authorization through IUP's Office of International Education. IUP's 374-acre main campus combines classical late-19th-century buildings with modern residential suites, a recreation complex, and the 1,900-seat Fisher Auditorium for the performing arts. Student life features 200+ organizations, NCAA Division II athletics (the Crimson Hawks compete in the PSAC), a very active music-performance calendar, and IUP's nationally recognized Safety Sciences program — the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania. The town of Indiana (pop. ~13,000), known as the birthplace of actor Jimmy Stewart, offers a walkable small-town setting at an accessible cost of living.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRegular Decision (Fall — intl)
Undergraduate international fall deadline. Mid-August deadline for F-1 students already in the U.S. with valid immigration status.
Regular Decision (Spring — intl)
Undergraduate international spring deadline. Mid-January deadline for F-1 students already in the U.S.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$11,380
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$16,297
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
AACSB-accredited college with roughly 2,338 undergraduates and 274 graduates. Strong in accounting, finance, marketing, management information systems, and international business.
Home to the renowned Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (US News Top 40 graduate program), plus sociology, political science, history, and geography.
Conservatory-style music training plus art, theater, and dance. Approximately 588 undergraduates and 39 graduates. Hosts year-round performance calendar at Fisher Auditorium.
Nursing, nutrition, hospitality management, and the unique Safety Sciences program — the only ABET-accredited Safety Sciences program in Pennsylvania.
Strong programs in geoscience, biology, chemistry, and computer science. Geology and geography programs have regional research prominence.
Teacher preparation (PA state-approved), plus a flagship Communications Media program with strong TV, radio, and film production facilities.
4 years
One of only a few dedicated Criminology doctorates in the country, US News Top 40 nationally. Strong placement into academic, federal law-enforcement, and research career paths.
4 years
The only ABET-accredited Safety Sciences bachelor's in Pennsylvania. Graduates work as occupational health and safety professionals across manufacturing, construction, and government.
1 years
Intensive English + credit-bearing program that lets international students earn up to 9 degree-applicable credits while building English proficiency. Completion waives TOEFL/IELTS for matriculation.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $16,297
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
