Admissions Partnership Program

Exclusive benefits of the Admissions Partnership Program (APP) include:

• Dedicated academic advisors: Get personalized guidance from Iowa State advisors to ensure your community college courses transfer seamlessly to your intended major.
• Early connections: Begin building your Iowa State network before transferring by obtaining your ISUCard and setting up your ISU email.
• Optional perks: By paying the optional Iowa State Student Activity fee, you can participate in intramurals, access workout facilities, join student clubs and organizations (when eligible), and enjoy discounted student tickets for athletics events.
• Career resources: Gain access to Iowa State’s Career Services, career fairs, and networking opportunities with potential employers.
• Free transcript exchange: Enjoy free transcript transfers between your community college and Iowa State.
• Streamlined admissions: Experience a stress-free admissions process when you’re ready to transfer.
• Guaranteed admission: As long as you meet the program requirements, your admission to Iowa State is guaranteed.

Before completing the Admissions Partnership Program (APP) application, we encourage you to meet with your Iowa community college advisor to determine if APP is the right fit for your transfer goals.

Please note that the APP application is separate from your admission application to Iowa State and your community college. For information about applying to your community college, contact them directly. When you’re ready to transfer to Iowa State, you will need to complete a separate application for admission.

Eligibility requirements

• Must be a high school graduate.
• Must be enrolled at an Iowa community college and taking courses for transfer.
• Students with previous community college coursework must have a cumulative transferable (academic) GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • GPA is calculated from all colleges attended, not just the APP institution.
  • Career technical, developmental/remedial, and military credits do not count toward the transferable academic GPA.
• Current or former Iowa State credit students, including those in off-campus programs, are not eligible.
• Students who took Iowa State courses prior to or during the summer after high school graduation are eligible for APP.

Design majors

Students interested in architecture, graphic design, industrial design, integrated studio arts, interior design, or landscape architecture must complete the one-year pre-professional Design Core Program. For more information about how this affects APP, please contact Jennifer Anderson at 515-294-7415.

Nonresident applicants

Participation in APP does not automatically qualify you for residency at Iowa State. Residency guidelines differ between institutions, and being classified as a resident at a community college does not guarantee residency at Iowa State. For additional information, reach out to the Iowa State Office of the Registrar at 515-294-0762 or visit their website.

Students with disabilities

Information regarding accommodations provided by community colleges will not be shared with Iowa State. Students seeking accommodations at Iowa State should contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services at 515-294-7220.

• Provide a valid email address on your application, as email is the primary way your Iowa State academic advisor will communicate with you.
• Item #1: Use your legal name, especially if your college records are listed under a different name.
• Item #6: If you are enrolled at an Iowa community college and want to start APP right away, select the current term.
• Item #16: List all the colleges where you have attempted coursework.
• Item #17: Include any college courses you are currently taking or plan to take before joining APP.
• Submit official transcripts from each college you’ve attended to Iowa State. After being admitted to APP, no further transcript requests are necessary.
• Access additional transfer resources such as course equivalency guides, transfer plans, and TRANSIT.

Teamwork makes your Iowa State journey possible! Together, we’ll set you up for success.

Your Iowa State academic advisor and your community college advisor will collaborate to plan your transfer coursework, ensuring you're prepared for your next steps and beyond.

In addition to your advisors, Iowa State offers several transfer planning resources to guide you through the process:

• Course equivalency guides: Iowa State provides course equivalency guides for all Iowa community colleges, showing how your community college courses match Iowa State’s equivalent courses.
• Transfer plans: Many Iowa State majors have transfer plans, outlining which community college courses fulfill program requirements at Iowa State.
• TRANSIT: Our online articulation system allows you to see how your credits from community colleges or other universities will transfer to Iowa State.

If you’re unsure who your APP advisor is, reach out to us at app@iastate.edu for assistance.

Participants

• Remain enrolled at a participating community college in a major or coursework suitable for transfer into your intended program at Iowa State.
• Collaborate with both your Iowa State advisor and community college advisor/counselor to create a clear transfer plan.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative academic GPA of 2.0. If your GPA drops below 2.0, you will have one semester of probation to improve it. Work with your community college advisor or Iowa State Admissions for support. Failure to raise your GPA after the probation semester will result in withdrawal from the program. Note: Career technical, developmental/remedial, and military credits are not included in your academic GPA.
• Submit an Undergraduate Application for Admission to Iowa State no later than one semester before transferring (excluding summer). The application fee will be required upon submission.
• Keep in mind that transfer GPA requirements vary: a 2.0 GPA is acceptable for students with an AA or AS degree. However, without these degrees, a minimum 2.25 academic GPA is required. Students transferring with fewer than 24 academic credits must also meet first-year admission requirements and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.25 in all college coursework. While the 2.25 GPA is the current admission standard for transfer, it does not guarantee acceptance into all programs.

Iowa State University

• Assigns an academic advisor from your intended college or program.
• Provides career exploration programs for open option (undeclared) students, assigning an open option advisor from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• Supplies a transfer plan to guide your community college course selection based on your desired Iowa State degree program.
• Issues access to an ISUCard and Iowa State email account.
• Offers opportunities to utilize career exploration resources, CyRide, libraries, athletic events, recreation services, and more (some resources may require payment of a student activity fee).
• Reviews student records to confirm eligibility for admission once requirements are met.
• Provides access to early orientation and registration programs before transfer.
• Ensures an Iowa State admissions counselor is regularly present at your community college campus.

Community college

• Assigns an educational advisor/counselor to support your academic journey.
• Sends an official transcript to Iowa State upon entry into the program and after each semester of participation.