Frequently Asked Questions

The B/MD and B/DDS programs are only open to incoming first-year students. The programs are not open to currently enrolled students, transfer students, or any student who is not making the direct transition from high school to first year of college. Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or have a Permanent Resident Card at the time of application.

No, the B/MD and B/DDS programs are both open to non-Indiana residents. However, preference is given to Indiana residents in the selection process.

You can apply to any of our eligible majors:

• Biochemistry (BS)
• Biology (BS, BA)
• Chemistry (BS, BA)
• Forensic & Investigative Sciences (BS)
• Neuroscience (BS)
• Physics (BS)
• Psychology (BS)

You will only be able to access the B/MD and B/DDS applications if you have applied and been admitted to one of the eligible majors listed above.

Yes. Standardized test scores are required for application to the B/MD and B/DDS programs. Make sure to have your official test scores submitted to IU Indianapolis using these campus codes:

• 1325 for SAT
• 1214 for ACT

IU Indianapolis will use the official high school transcripts you submit to calculate a cumulative, unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale for all applicants to the B/MD and B/DDS programs.

You may be able to ask your high school counselor to calculate this for you. If not, you can use an online calculator and your transcript.

See the application instructions and checklists for detailed steps on how to apply.

Students who have applied to an eligible major, been admitted to IU Indianapolis, and meet the admissions requirements should be able to access the applications within their admission student portal.

If you have been admitted to IU Indianapolis and believe you meet the requirements but do not have access to the applications in your applicant portal, please contact the IU Indianapolis Office of Admissions.

Students must complete and submit the B/MD or B/DDS application to be considered. We cannot accept application materials that are submitted outside of this process.

August 1: IU Indianapolis application opens

October 31: Suggested deadline to apply to IU Indianapolis in an eligible major

November 17 (5 p.m. EST): Deadline to apply to the B/MD or B/DDS program in your admissions student portal

December 5: Deadline for high school transcripts, official test scores, letters of recommendation, and dental observation verification letters (B/DDS only) to be received by IU Indianapolis. Materials should be requested far enough in advance to ensure they are received by this date.

Early March: Decision notifications are released to applicants via email and their student portal.

March through June: Waitlisted students will be notified by email of their acceptance if seats become available.

No. You will need to provide the name and email of a teacher, school counselor, or principal who will submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf in the B/MD or B/DDS program application. We’ll contact them via email with a link to submit their letter of recommendation and complete the required form.

No. Each applicant may only have one letter of recommendation.

You’ll provide the name and email of a teacher, school counselor, or principal who will submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. We’ll contact them via email with a link to submit their letter of recommendation and complete the required form.

Letters must be submitted by the letter writer through the link provided to them, and must be on organization letterhead, signed, and dated. We cannot accept letters that are submitted by the applicant.

No. Each applicant may only have one verification letter.

You’ll provide the name and email address of the contact person for the dental practice who will submit your observation verification letter. We’ll contact them via email with a link to submit their verification letter and complete the required form.

Letters must be submitted by the letter writer through the link provided to them, and must be on organization letterhead, signed, and dated. We cannot accept letters that are submitted by the applicant.

Please contact the IU Indianapolis Undergraduate Admissions at iuindy.admissions@iu.edu or (317) 274-4591.

The selection committees of each program will review the entire application, including the short essay response, CV, letter of recommendation, and dental observation verification letter (B/DDS only).

Preference is given to Indiana residents in the selection process.

No. There is no interview for incoming students to be admitted into the programs.

Students will interview with members of the admissions committee from IU School of Medicine or IU School of Dentistry after successful completion of the first year of the B/MD or B/DDS program.

The number of applicants varies each year, but we received 350 applications for Fall 2025 entry to the B/MD program. The applicant pool is highly competitive. The average academic metrics for the Fall 2025 application cycle were 3.92 unweighted high school GPA, 1493 SAT, and 34 ACT.

We expect a similarly competitive applicant pool for Fall 2026 entry to the B/MD and B/DDS programs.

• 25-30 students will be admitted to the B/MD Pathway to Medicine program for Fall 2026.
• 10 students will be admitted to the B/DDS Pathway to Dentistry program for Fall 2026.

Yes. Students placed on the waitlist for their program will be notified when decisions are released on early March. We do not disclose the number of students or the applicant’s position on the waitlist.

Due to the highly competitive nature of the medicine and dentistry pathway programs, not all students who meet requirements will be accepted into the B/MD or B/DDS programs. Some applicants may be placed on a waitlist and may be extended an admission offer if seats become available.

Students on the waitlist will be contacted via email if their admission status changes. Depending on timing, waitlisted students could be contacted as early as March or as late as June.

Yes. All B/MD and B/DDS students are offered the Dean of Science Scholarship, which ranges from $1,000 to $4,000 per academic year, renewable up to four years.

Yes. IU Indianapolis and the School of Science offer many scholarship opportunities for undergraduate students.

If you are eligible for the B/MD or B/DDS programs, you may also meet the criteria for the Honors College, which maintains its own scholarship programs.

Prior to new student orientation, admitted students will consult with the program director regarding the program track.

In consultation with the advisor, you will determine the pathway that is appropriate based on major interest, timeline to degree, and other relevant factors.

You are required to take coursework consistent with the required coursework outlined by the IU School of Medicine (B/MD program) or IU School of Dentistry (B/DDS program). If you come to IU Indianapolis with AP, IB, or dual-enrollment credits in coursework required for admission to the MD or DDS programs, you will be asked to repeat these courses in the School of Science. It is in the best interest of every future medical and dental student to take these courses in college regardless of past experience.

Credits in all subject areas will be reviewed by the Office of Admissions for potential transfer credit. Transfer credit may be used to fulfill the general education core or elective requirements.

You can use the Credit Explorer to see how your credit may be applied to your academic program.

Students in the B/MD program enjoy the following benefits, in addition to all resources and services available to School of Science students at IU Indianapolis:

• A provisional seat at the IU School of Medicine, with the ability to attend medical school at any of the 9 campuses
• A foundation for medical education through rigorous science undergraduate academic program
• Specialized curriculum, advising, and MCAT preparation, and clinical or research experiences
• Undergraduate research experiences in top-tier research labs at Indiana’s only urban Research 1 university, including the School of Science and the IU School of Medicine, as early as freshman year
• Opportunities to gain clinical experience at any of the 5 major hospitals within 1.5 miles of campus, including the only Level-I trauma centers in Indiana
• Mentoring from upper-class B/MD students and School of Science alumni at the IU School of Medicine
• Comprehensive student support resources available to all IU Indianapolis students
• Academic support and pre-professional and career preparation available to all IU Indianapolis School of Science students

Yes! All School of Science students may apply to the IU School of Medicine through other admission pathways (e.g. regular admission, early decision program, etc.).

All Science students also benefit from the exceptional advising and preparation provided by the Pre-Professional & Career Preparation (PREPs) Office.

If admitted to the B/MD program, you will have a provisional seat in the IU School of Medicine. Upon successful completion of your undergraduate education and the program requirements, you will be notified of your admission to IUSM in early October of the application year.

Traditional pre-med students apply to an average of 17 MD programs each cycle (plus many also apply to DO programs) and may receive admissions decisions as late as April or May. The national average acceptance rate to US MD programs is 43%, and the majority of accepted students only receive admissions offers from 1 school.

Yes. Please see the list of program requirements for details.

You are strongly encouraged to participate in undergraduate research as a means of developing many important pre-med competencies.

However, there is no requirement that B/MD students participate in research.

Following your first year of undergraduate education as a B/MD student, you will complete an interview with the IU School of Medicine.

The purpose of the interview is to assess your development of pre-med competencies, particularly oral communication. With mentoring from the B/MD program director, you will prepare for this interview in advance.

No. Students in the IU Indianapolis B/MD program may matriculate to any of the 9 statewide campuses at IU School of Medicine. Campus placements are based on applicant preference rankings, number of requests received and campus capacity.

The IU Indianapolis B/MD program launched in Fall 2024, with the first cohort of accelerated (3+4) pathway students scheduled to matriculate to medical school in Fall 2027.

However, the program was built on a strong foundation of preparing students to successfully matriculate to medical school. Our rigorous academic programs, experiential learning opportunities, advising, and mentoring has a long-standing history of preparing students to be successful medical students.

School of Science students are consistently accepted to US medical schools at rates well above the national average (around 42%). For Fall 2024 entry, over 69% of our students who applied to US medical schools were accepted and over 55% of our students who applied to IU School of Medicine were accepted.

Students in the B/DDS program enjoy the following benefits, in addition to all resources and services available to School of Science students at IU Indianapolis:

• A provisional seat at the IU School of Dentistry
• A foundation for dental education through rigorous science undergraduate academic program
• Specialized curriculum, advising, and DAT preparation, and clinical or research experiences
• Undergraduate research experiences in top-tier research labs at Indiana’s only urban Research 1 university, including the School of Science and the IU School of Dentistry, as early as freshman year
• Opportunities to gain clinical experience in a variety of dental practice settings, including IU School of Dentistry Student Outreach Clinic
• Mentoring from School of Science alumni at the IU School of Dentistry
• Comprehensive student support resources available to all IU Indianapolis students
• Academic support and pre-professional and career preparation available to all IU Indianapolis School of Science students

Yes! All School of Science students may apply to the IU School of Dentistry through regular admission.

Science students also benefit from the exceptional advising and preparation provided by the Pre-Professional & Career Preparation (PREPs) Office.

If admitted to the B/DDS program, you will have a provisional seat in the IU School of Dentistry. Upon successful completion of your undergraduate education and the program requirements, you will be notified of your admission to IUSD in mid-December of the application year.

Traditional pre-dental students apply to an average of 10 dental school each cycle and may receive admissions decisions as late as April or May. The national average acceptance rate to US dental schools is 55%, and the majority of accepted students only receive admissions offers from 1 school.

Yes. Please see the list of program requirements for details.

Following your first year of undergraduate education as a B/DDS student, you will complete an interview with the IU School of Dentistry.

With mentoring from the B/DDS program director, you will prepare for this interview in advance.

The IU Indianapolis B/DDS will accept the first cohort in Fall 2026, with students scheduled to matriculate to medical school in Fall 2030.

However, the program was built on a strong foundation of preparing students to successfully matriculate to dental school. Our rigorous academic programs, experiential learning opportunities, advising, and mentoring has a long-standing history of preparing students to be successful dental students.

School of Science students are consistently accepted to US dental schools at rates well above the national average (around 55%). For Fall 2023 entry, over 70% of our students who applied to US dental schools were accepted.

Yes! We welcome students and their guests to join us on campus to explore the IU Indianapolis community through a daily tour or special event. Find more information about visit opportunities with the Office of Admissions.

You can connect directly with your Admissions Counselor to discuss the B/MD and B/DDS programs. Find your Admissions Counselor’s contact information and appointment scheduling link in your admissions student portal.

There are several events specific to the medicine and dentistry pathway programs throughout the year. You can find a list of upcoming events on the special events website.

All new students will meet with an advisor during new student orientation. Students in the B/MD and B/DDS programs will be advised by the program director of the medicine and dentistry pathway programs. Unfortunately, capacity does not allow for individual meetings with an advisor outside of orientation at this time.