First-Year Application (International)

December 1 is the Early Action Priority Deadline for all programs.

Early Action Priority Applicants will be eligible for the following benefits:

• Priority notification for admission and the Presidential Scholarship
  • Notification between October 15 and January 15
• Priority for housing preferences

March 1 is the regular decision deadline to submit your application and supporting materials for all programs.

• Applications received after the December 1 Early Action Priority Deadline will be considered until the March 1 Regular Decision Deadline, with rolling notification of admission, Presidential Scholarship, and financial aid throughout the spring.
• Applications received after the March 1 Regular Decision Deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Complete one of the following:

• Drake University Application
• Common Application, including the Common Application Member Questions specific to Drake University

Choose either method to apply. Both options are given equal consideration for admission. There is no application fee when applying online.

If you wish to improve your language proficiency before beginning an academic program at Drake, you may apply for admission to an academic program at the same time that you apply for the Intensive English Program. With the exception of the pre-pharmacy program, Drake offers conditional admission to those applicants who meet the University’s academic requirements, but first need to improve English language skills.

Since we review each application for admission individually, there is no single, inflexible set of standards—such as GPA or test score. First-year students are required to complete an online application and submit high school transcripts. In addition,first-year students can choose the Test Score Pathway or Test-Optional Pathway.

• Test Score Pathway- submit ACT or SAT scores
• Test-Optional Pathway - Choice of submitting an application essay OR partipating in an admission interview.

You can visit our Test-Optional FAQs for more details.

Original or certified copies of academic records or transcripts in official form, including exam results, must be submitted by the educational institution directly to Drake either by mail or electronically. 

Photocopies, scans, or faxes of academic records submitted by students without a fresh seal or stamp of the school, college, or university attended are not accepted as official. Academic records are not considered to be official if certified by notaries, commissioners of oaths, or translators, regardless of how they are submitted.

For first-year applicants, official academic records from all secondary schools attended must be submitted whether or not a diploma was earned. Academic records include yearly secondary school records and certified results from external examinations. 

After initial review, the admission committee may request a credential evaluation.

All documents must be in English.  Translated records should be an exact translation (not interpretive) and be accompanied by the official, original-language document.

Sending documents to Drake:

You can email your official documents to: International@drake.edu

You can mail your official documents to:         

Office of Admission
Drake University
2507 University Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505 U.S.A.

Applicants must meet minimum English proficiency and submit proof to the Office of Admission (not required for English-speaking countries).

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):  The requirement is 71 for the iBT.  Drake's TOEFL school code is 6168.

International English Language Training System (IELTS):  The requirement is 6.0 in order to enroll in courses on a full-time basis.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT):  The requirement for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score is 500.  Drake's SAT code is 6168.

Duolingo:  A score of 95 meets requirements.

American College Test (ACT):  An English score of 19 meets the requirements.  Drake's ACT code is 1302.

International Baccalaureate (IB): A score of 5-7 or grade of A or B on HL English meets requirements.

We strongly recommend that you send English proficiency test scores to Drake during the admission process. If you do not submit test scores to Drake prior to your arrival on campus, you must sit for the TOEFL upon arrival at Drake.

Drake University offers a test-optional admission pathway.

If you choose the "test-optional" pathway, you are not required to submit an ACT or SAT score for review. Instead you will choose to complete either an admission interview or essay as a part of your application.

If you choose the "Test-Score" pathway and would prefer to submit your ACT or SAT scores instead, you must send an official copy of your ACT or SAT test scores sent to the Office of Admission from the appropriate testing agency.

• Drake University ACT school code: 1302
• Drake University SAT school code: 6168

Drake also accepts the CSAT from South Korea as a valid test score for admission.

Please note that Drake does not superscore; for admission and scholarship purposes, Drake will consider the highest composite score from one test administration. The essay section on either the SAT or ACT is not taken into consideration.

A recommendation, while not required, is strongly encouraged.

The renewable International Student Grant may offer a partial award toward financial need. This grant, however, will not provide full funding.  Although it may be awarded along with other scholarships, the total combined aid will not exceed 40% of the total cost of attendance.

A link to the grant application process is provided within your Drake admission application.

Please view the Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities for International Students for more information.