Iowa Eligibility Requirements
To take the HiSET exam in Iowa, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Age:
- You must be at least 18 years of age to take the HiSET exam without meeting special circumstances. If you are 16–17 years old, you may take the HiSET exam, but with the following conditions:
- If you are 16 years old, you must meet one of the following exceptions to take the HiSET exam:
- a resident of an Iowa Juvenile Institution (State Training School(s) or the Iowa Juvenile Home)
- placed under the supervision of a Juvenile Probation Office
- participating in the Job Corps program
- If you are 17 years old, not a resident of an Iowa state training school or Iowa juvenile home, and not under the supervision of a probation office, you may still take the HiSET exam. However, please note that even if you meet these criteria, and you take and pass the HiSET exam, you will not be able to receive your state-issued high school equivalency diploma until you reach age 18 and your class from 9th grade has graduated.
- Residency: You do not have to be a resident of Iowa to take the HiSET exam
- Test Preparation or Instruction: Iowa requires all test takers to receive instruction in an adult education classroom before taking the HiSET exam. The amount of instruction varies by testing center. You can find an adult education program by visiting Iowa’s adult education programs.
- Community College Enrollment: You must be enrolled in one of Iowa’s 15 Community Colleges. You can contact your nearest Community College using this link.
- Practice Test: In Iowa, you must take the official HiSET half-length practice test before taking the official HiSET exam. Official practice test verification is required for admittance to testing and is available through your Adult Education and Literacy program.
- Identification: You must present identification on test day at the HiSET test center. Outdated or expired identification will not be accepted. Acceptable forms of identification include:
- valid driver’s license
- passport
- military ID
- other form of government-issued (national or foreign) identification that shows name, address, date of birth, signature and photograph
Note: Official practice test verification is also necessary on test day. Also, for candidates 18 years old and under, a drop form or proof of non-enrollment is necessary.
