Admissions policy for students under the age of 18 years

The University of Iowa is an adult environment, and our students are normally 18 years old or above at the time they start courses. We treat all of our students as mature individuals and expect them to have the necessary skills to study and live independently alongside people of all ages and from a variety of backgrounds.

This policy provides additional conditions that would apply in individual cases where we may decide to admit students who would be under 18 on their first day of classes, and would therefore be regarded as children under U.S. law. The aim of this policy is to ensure that children, and all those who work with them, are safe and appropriately supported within the University of Iowa.

• Applicants must be 16 years old by the first day of classes at the University of Iowa, and must have graduated from high school.
• Applicants who will not be 16 by the first day of classes can submit a petition for exception. If admission is granted, there are restrictions of services including:
  • Students under the age of 16 cannot live in the residence halls.
  • Students under the age of 16 are not eligible for treatment at Student Health and Wellness.
  • Students under the age of 16 are not allowed to live in a fraternity or sorority, or participate in formal or informal greek recruitment.
  • Students under the age of 16 are not allowed to participate in Study Abroad.
• Students who choose to graduate high school early and enroll at the University of Iowa in the spring term are not eligible for Admissions-awarded merit scholarships until the following fall term.