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Scholarships 101

An overview of the process

We encourage all admitted students to seek out scholarships to help cover the cost of college, whether you’re a first-year student, a student transferring to IU, a nontraditional student, or even a current Hoosier.

Here are some of the key steps in the IU Bloomington scholarship process:

Incoming students:

  • All incoming students who submit a complete application for admission by the November 1 early action (non-binding) deadline of November 1 will receive the highest IU scholarship consideration.
  • Submit the IU Scholarships Application by February 15. 
  • Incoming students will know by April 1 if they have received a scholarship(s) from Indiana University. Students should base their enrollment decisions based on the amount shown in their Financial Aid Summary following April 1.

Current IU students:

Review the Dates to Know page for the full timeline for IU scholarships.

In your scholarship search, we encourage you to leave no stone unturned. You may be eligible for external scholarships, some of which are listed in the Non-IU Scholarships page You may also find opportunities through IU schools and departments, nonprofit organizations, local businesss, or you own high school.

76% of IU Bloomington beginning undergraduates received grant or scholarship aid in 2024–2025

Words to know

You might hear a lot of unfamiliar terms as you consider how you will pay for college. Make sure you know what each of them mean. It will help you better understand how to minimize your costs as you navigate your college journey.

Your or your family's wages, salaries, interest, dividends, etc., minus certain deductions from income as reported on a federal income tax return. Commonly referred to as AGI.

Cost of attendance means the total cost of attending college—not just tuition, but also mandatory fees, housing, and other expenses.

Learn more

Financial aid refers to many different ways to access money to pay for college. Scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study are types of financial aid.

Flat-rate tuition means IU Bloomington students can enroll in up to 40 credit hours across fall, spring, and our August and winter intersessions for the same cost. It’s designed to speed up students’ time to graduation and reduce their overall cost.

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Grants are awards from federal, state, or IU sources. They are often need based and do not need to be repaid.

Loans are money borrowed to pay for education costs. They must be repaid. Possible loan sources include the federal government or private lenders.

Need-based is a term used to describe funds given or lent to a student whose SAI is lower than the cost of attendance.

Scholarships are education funds awarded based on academic merit or other factors. Scholarships are not repaid and are sometimes renewable for more than one year.

Calculated from information provided on the FAFSA, the SAI is the number used by a university to determine whether a student is eligible for certain types of aid.

Learn more at Student Central

Work-study is a need-based federal student aid program that provides funding for part-time employment—while a student is enrolled in school—to help pay education expenses.

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Carson Billingsley

At IU, scholarships give you even more than money. The Office of Scholarships provides a supportive scholar community and valuable resources for all aspects of student life.

Carson Billingsley, Class of 2023, College of Arts + Sciences

All students who apply by the November 1 early action (non-binding) deadline will receive the highest scholarship consideration, regardless of whether or not they choose to have test scores considered as part of their application.

We’re here to guide you