Indiana: school, college and career rules
Indiana students earn the Indiana Diploma with Core 40 (40 credits) plus Graduation Pathways until a new diploma takes over for the class of 2029; IU charges in-state tuition after 12 months of residence, and the Frank O'Bannon Grant is the main need-based state grant.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
Indiana Diploma with Core 40 designation, for students who entered high school in 2012-13 (class of 2016) and later. Core 40 is required by law unless parents opt their student into the General designation, and it is a minimum admission requirement at Indiana's public four-year universities. Read through the Internet Archive capture of 15 April 2026.IDOE
| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English / language arts | 8 credits (literature, composition and speech) |
| Mathematics | 6 credits: Algebra I, geometry and Algebra II (or Integrated Math I–III); a math or quantitative reasoning course every year |
| Science | 6 credits: biology, chemistry or physics (or integrated chemistry-physics), and one more Core 40 science |
| Social studies | 6 credits: U.S. history, U.S. government, economics, and world history or geography |
| Directed electives | 5 credits from world languages, fine arts and CTE |
| Physical education | 2 credits |
| Health and wellness | 1 credit |
| Electives | 6 credits (College and Career Pathway courses recommended) |
40 state credits. Schools may add local requirements (not for students with an IEP). Academic and Technical Honors need at least 47.
State tests for the diploma
Students graduating in 2023 and later must also complete Graduation Pathways: the diploma requirements, employability skills and a postsecondary-ready competency (the last can be waived). Read through the Internet Archive capture of 15 April 2026.IDOE
Also good to know
- A new single Indiana Diploma with readiness seals (Enrollment, Employment and Enlistment honors) was approved on 11 December 2024. Current requirements sunset on 1 October 2028, so it applies to everyone from the class of 2029; schools could opt in from 2025-26.
IDOE
New Indiana Diploma Requirements Approved with Unanimous Support (news release, 11 Dec 2024, PDF)Indiana Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read through the Internet Archive capture of 29 Sept 2025.
View source - Course and credit breakdown from IDOE's Core 40 summary.
IDOE
Indiana Diploma with Core 40 and Honors Designation Requirements (class of 2016 and later, PDF)Indiana Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read through the Internet Archive capture of 13 Oct 2026 (in.gov times out from India).
View source
State test: ILEARN
Indiana's Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network. ILEARN measures achievement and growth on the Indiana Academic Standards. Grades 3–8 math and English language arts use a through-year design: three Checkpoints and an end-of-year summative test. Read through the Internet Archive capture of 24 July 2026.IDOE
| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| ILEARN through-year | English language arts and mathematics | Grades 3–8 |
| ILEARN summative | Science | Grades 4 and 6 |
| ILEARN summative | Social studies | Grade 5 |
| ILEARN Biology end-of-course | Biology (required after the course) | High school |
| ILEARN U.S. Government end-of-course | U.S. government (optional) | High school |
Source: Read through the Internet Archive capture of 24 July 2026.IDOE
What the scores are used for
- Checkpoint data guides teaching during the year; end-of-year results check mastery, evaluate programs and feed school accountability.
IDOE
ILEARNIndiana Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read through the Internet Archive capture of 24 July 2026.
View source
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- Indiana University (IU)University system · Public university founded in 1820, with more than one Research 1 campus; one of Indiana's public four-year universities.
- Ivy Tech Community CollegeCommunity colleges · Indiana's community college: 70+ academic programs at 40+ locations plus online, with transfer agreements with Indiana four-year universities.
Sources: IU
View sourceIvy Tech
View source
Every school in Indiana, public and private, with cost and completion: 147 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 17 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- Indiana University: an independent student, or a dependent student's parent, must have set up permanent residence in Indiana mainly for a reason other than in-state tuition at least 12 consecutive months before the first day of the semester.
IU
Rules Determining Resident and Nonresident Student Status for Indiana University Fee Purposes (VPSO-07)Indiana University, Policy Office- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- The 12-month rule may be waived when the move to Indiana was for a predominant purpose other than in-state tuition. Each public university applies its own residency rules.
IU
Rules Determining Resident and Nonresident Student Status for Indiana University Fee Purposes (VPSO-07)Indiana University, Policy Office- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Frank O'Bannon Grant
Need-based grant (Higher Education Award and Freedom of Choice Award) for full-time Indiana residents at eligible Indiana public, private and proprietary colleges; file the FAFSA by April 15. Earning 30 credits a year gives the full on-time award. Read through the Internet Archive capture of 10 July 2026; the eligibility example on the page still uses the 2023-24 year.CHE
Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a Indiana license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | Indiana board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | Indiana State Board of Law Examiners | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 80). NextGen UBE from July 2028. NCBEIndiana: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | Medical Licensing Board of Indiana | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | Indiana Board of Accountancy | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | Indiana State Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since July 1, 2020 NCSBNContact Indiana State Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
Work for Indiana
Indiana State Personnel Department
- Search and apply for jobs with Indiana state government on the Work for Indiana job board.
- The State Personnel Department site covers benefits, training and state employee policies.
Source: Read through the Internet Archive capture of 11 Oct 2026; it links the state job board at workforindiana.in.gov.INSPD
Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
Indiana has no State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- Indiana Apprenticeship Office (U.S. Department of Labor)Indiana has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Indiana Apprenticeship Office registers and oversees programs.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: Apprenticeship.gov
View source
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- Indiana: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact Indiana State Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- Graduation Requirements · Indiana Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- New Indiana Diploma Requirements Approved with Unanimous Support (news release, 11 Dec 2024, PDF) · Indiana Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Indiana Diploma with Core 40 and Honors Designation Requirements (class of 2016 and later, PDF) · Indiana Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- ILEARN · Indiana Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- About: Indiana University · Indiana University checked 2026-10-22
- About Ivy Tech · Ivy Tech Community College checked 2026-10-22
- Rules Determining Resident and Nonresident Student Status for Indiana University Fee Purposes (VPSO-07) · Indiana University, Policy Office checked 2026-10-22
- Frank O'Bannon Grant · Indiana Commission for Higher Education checked 2026-10-22
- Indiana State Personnel Department · State of Indiana, State Personnel Department checked 2026-10-22
- State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by state · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21