The Indiana legislature established the institution in 1820, one of the first public universities west of the Allegheny Mountains. Indiana University (IU) hosted its first international student in 1842 and organized its first study abroad program in 1879.
Indiana University is a comprehensive public research university with campuses around the state of Indiana. Bloomington is IU’s flagship campus, and it is home to world-class business and music schools. IU also has the world’s first school of philanthropy, the nation’s first school of informatics and largest medical school. Forty graduate programs and four schools at Indiana University are ranked among the top 25 in the country. IU has robust and diverse academic programs in the arts and sciences, education, law, international studies, journalism, nursing, public health, and public affairs.
Momentous IU breakthroughs and inventions—like the structure of DNA and the fluoride in our toothpaste—are part of a legacy of transforming how we live through research. IU researchers study an enormous range of interests, tackling the big questions in one of the most respected and exciting environments for discovery. It’s no wonder IU is ranked among the world’s most innovative universities.
Through research opportunities that are as infinite as the cosmos, you’ll be inspired by new perspectives that draw on IU’s global expertise and our passion for doing good in the world.
Career preparation is built into the fabric of IU. After all, you’re here to get an education that prepares you for whatever comes next, whether that’s a job or graduate school.
You have access to career development services throughout your time as an IU student. And you’re encouraged to pursue internships, volunteer activities, and service learning opportunities to build your resume at every turn.
IU prides itself on offering a variety of offices to assist students. A brief list of resources are listed below.
Several libraries can be found around IU’s campus, the most well known being the Herman B Wells Library where students can be found studying, researching, and utilizing the library’s numerous online resources and databases.
For more personalized assistance, contact the UITS Support Center for help via chat, phone, email, or walk-up—24 hours a day, seven days a week. IU also offers support services for technology repair.
The UITS Support Center provides IT support to all IU campuses. So that Support Center staff can efficiently assist you, be ready to provide details about your problem or question.
Our many locations and IU Online offer a learning environment for every kind of student. Wherever you study, you’ll earn an Indiana University degree and find a community where you belong.
If you’re a domestic first-time freshman or transfer student, we’ve made it easier, faster, and more affordable to apply to more than one IU campus.
All IU students have access to the Student Recreational Sports Center, with swimming pools, workout rooms, an indoor track, basketball courts, and group exercise classes.
There are over 750 student organization at IU Bloomington representing professional interests, hobbies, sports and recreation, academics, religion, service, politics, and more.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 8 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 135 | 163 | 155 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 54 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 355 | 306 | 360 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 189 | 198 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | 101 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 100 reviews
The Bloomington campus is beautiful, and it's pretty affordable in terms of living and housing. It's pretty boring outside of campus, but most people would just hang out with friends at dorms or apartments. I am an in-state student and receive scholarships, so compared to what I'm paying, the quality of education I'm receiving is 100% worth it.
One of the most fun colleges in the country. A great social scene but also the great academics and amazing facilities. The campus is beautiful - its consistently been called one of the most beautiful college campuses in the US.
Okay university. Has good music school and business school but is not a target school of many big firms. Lacks a good engineering school to enrich the majors it offers and attract engineering students. Won't recommend after graduation due to some poor experiences with teaching qualities
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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