Nearly all students who enter the university as first-year students are automatically eligible for the university’s Four-Year Graduation Plan.

Students who fulfill the student responsibilities outlined below have a commitment from the University of Iowa that they will be able to enroll in the courses they need to graduate in their primary major in four years. Students wanting to stay on track for four-year graduation need to work closely with their advisors to make sure they understand the requirements that must be met, as well as the appropriate sequences in which to take those courses.

Student responsibilities

To remain eligible for the benefits of the Four-Year Graduation Plan, you must:

  1. Begin at the university as an entering first-year student.

  2. Understand that this plan covers primary majors only.

  3. Stay on track with your semester hours.

    You must earn 90 s.h. prior to the beginning of your senior year. Summer school is a great way to catch up or get ahead on hours or requirements.

  4. Meet with your advisor at least once each semester.

    At each meeting, discuss your progress toward graduation and identify courses you need in the following semester.

  5. Meet the checkpoints (a sequence of required courses) outlined for your major. 

    If you should fall behind the timetable for the checkpoints, see your advisor to determine if it is possible for you to restructure your academic plan in order to stay on a four-year path to graduation. 


    Find specific checkpoints for each eligible major in the departmental sections of the university's General Catalog. 

    If you are working to get into a competitive admission major or if you change majors once you are at the university, consult your advisor once you are in your new major to see if it is still possible to meet the new checkpoints.

  6. Monitor your progress.

    Accept responsibility for monitoring your own progress so that you stay on track for graduating in four years.

  7. Stay in good academic standing.

    If you should be placed on academic probation, work with your advisor or collegiate office to see if a four-year graduation plan is still the best path for you.

  8. Accept responsibility for timely annual application for financial assistance.

    Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid to learn about financial aid options.

  9. Share any issues you encounter with course availability right away. 

    If your graduation may be delayed due to the unavailability of a required course, notify in writing the executive officer of the department offering the course as soon as you recognize that the course is unavailable.

The university's commitment

The university assures Four-Year Graduation Plan participants who fulfill the student responsibilities that they will be able to enroll in required courses that permit graduation in a single major in four years. The plan does not apply to second majors, minors, or certificates.

In the event that you would be unable to graduate due to the unavailability of a course (or courses), the department and college offering the major will choose one of the following remedies:

  1. Allow you to graduate in four years by substituting a different course (or courses) or independent study assignment, as determined by the department and college offering your major.
  2. Allow you to graduate in four years by waiving the requirement, as determined by the department and college offering your major.
  3. If, for some reason, neither of these two remedies are available to you, the university will pay the tuition and fees for you to take the unavailable course(s) at the University of Iowa in a later term.

There are a few majors that are not included in the Four-Year Graduation Plan:

  • Art Education
  • Computer Science
  • Data Science
  • Elementary Education
  • English Education
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Informatics
  • Mathematics Education
  • Music Education
  • Music Therapy
  • Nuclear Medicine Technology
  • Nursing (for those not admitted to the College of Nursing directly out of high school)
  • Radiation Sciences
  • Science Education
  • Social Studies Education
  • World Language Education

Although these departments do not participate in the program, with careful planning students may still be able to complete some of these programs in four years.