First Time Freshman Undergraduate Spring Arrival Information
It is very important to check both your admission letter (and materials) and your I-20 or DS-2019 for your arrival dates.
Planning Ahead for the Semester:
The first day of the Spring 2025 semester is January 13, 2025.
We have included additional information on specific topics for you below. If you have additional questions, please contact us at iwelcome@iu.edu.
Bridge Requirement
You should prepare to arrive in Indianapolis by the arrival date listed on your F-1 I-20 or J-1 DS-2019 document. As a first-year university student, you are new to the university experience, and we want to prepare you for success at IU Indianapolis. Therefore, all international first-year students at IU Indy are required to attend the Bridge Program.
The week-long Bridge Program will introduce you to the academic skills and resources you will need in order to succeed at IU Indy. It will also enable you to begin your studies with a clear advantage. We will send you more information about the Bridge Program by email before you arrive in Indianapolis.
Learn more about the Freshmen Bridge Program
Please complete the orientation e-forms in your Atlas Pre-Arrival Checklist. You can log into your Atlas account using your university technology account.
Placement Assessments
Placement assessments are surveys that measure your current skills in a subject area and provide score ranges. These score ranges help academic advisors place you into courses in that subject area where you will be most successful. At IU Indianapolis, students might take placement exams in English and mathematics. If you plan to earn a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math, you may also need to take the Chemistry assessment.
You must take your placement exams before you meet with your academic advisor during your Academic Orientation. Please review your Additional Letter Materials included with your Admission letter (also found in your Atlas account) to see which assessments you are required to take.
See more information about individual placement assessments
A $52 placement test fee will be charged to your Bursar bill. This fee includes all placement tests (EAP, Math Skills Assessment, foreign language) that you may need to take. Bring a photo ID when you take the EAP exam.
English for Academic Purposes, or EAP, Assessment
All undergraduates are required to complete English W131 as a condition of graduation. The EAP exam tests your ability in academic English and determines if you should be placed into additional academic English courses in order to complete English W131 successfully. Learn more about IU Indy's EAP department.
Math Assessment
Most students must take this placement exam before they can register for a math class at IU Indianapolis. The math placement exam used at IU Indy is called ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces). You begin this assessment from home (as long as you have internet) and can improve your placement by completing the review modules within the program.
ALEKS allows students to take the placement first (be rested and studied) and then assigns each students review modules tailored to your skill level. Students can then work through the review modules and re-take the assessment.
Once you arrive on campus, you will be assigned a time to take a proctored ALEKS assessment. Essentially, you will take the same ALEKS placement you have been working on at home, but in a computer lab on campus. Your academic advisor will then use your proctored ALEKS score and your desired field of study to select the math course that will meet your needs at IU Indianapolis.
Chemistry Assessment
The Chemistry Placement Assessment is an open-book, 45-minute, 40 multiple choice online tool to evaluate readiness to begin the main science major sequence, Chemistry C105-C106. Generally, students planning to earn degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics should plan to take CHEM C105.
You cannot receive assistance from any person during the assessment to ensure accuracy of the placement process. The assessment can be taken on any computer with reliable internet access, but mobile devices or tablets are not suitable for testing. You must use a valid IU username to enroll in the placement assessment and you will only be allowed one attempt at the assessment.
Technology
IU Indianapolis uses different software programs for different purposes. As a newly admitted student, it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the software you will come into contact with regularly. We have provided extensive resources for IU Indy Technology for your review here.
In order to be prepared for International Welcome, please be sure to complete the following steps:
- Set up your IU Indy Technology Account
- Complete your Pre-Arrival checklist located in your Atlas account.
- Register your DUO device (see your Pre-Arrival Checklist for complete instructions).
- Open the Canvas app in One.iu.edu at least once prior to coming to IU Indianapolis.
