Students are encouraged to complete a bachelor's degree prior to entering the School of Optometry. Some exceptional students, however, can enter the optometry program after three years of undergraduate work, which can decrease the total years of university study to seven. Early decision is also available for these students. These students must have a minimum GPA of 3.6.

Admission to the School of Optometry under this process (after three years of undergraduate work) is conditional upon the following:

• Maintaining a cumulative minimum GPA 3.6.
• Obtaining a minimum score of 320 on the Quantitative and Total Science sections of the Optometry Admission Test, with no section score below 300. Students should plan to take the OAT for the first time in the spring/summer of their second year of college. Students who do not achieve this level in the spring of their second year can take the test again.
• Completing all the prerequisite courses for admission to the School of Optometry as outlined in this bulletin.  Students must complete all preoptometry prerequisites as outlined in this bulletin including completion of four GENERAL EDUCATION course:  two courses (6 cr. hrs) that satisfy the Breadth of Inquiry for Arts & Humanities and two courses (6 cr hrs.) that satisfy the Breadth of Inquiry for Social & Historical Studies.  A minimum of two courses of foreign language are required.  This requirement for an IU Bachelor of Science in Optometry may be met by placement examination.  Students who have completed two or more years of a single foreign language in high school with an average grade of C or above are exempt from this requirement. 

If a student who is conditionally admitted under an early admission plan for acceptance after three years of undergraduate study fails to meet the above conditions but meets the conditions for acceptance after four years, the student will be accepted after four years.