IU

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

IU
Stands forIndiana University Bloomington
Meanings2
CategoriesEducation & Academia, Medical

IU has two meanings. It stands for Indiana University Bloomington (university) or International unit (prescription).

Meanings of IU at a glance

#IU stands forContext
1Indiana University BloomingtonEducation & Academia › University
2International unitMedical › Prescription

1. Indiana University Bloomington

Education & Academia · University Abbreviations

Flagship campus of Indiana University, founded in 1820, known for its Jacobs School of Music, Kelley School of Business and the Kinsey Institute for research on sexuality. Its Hoosiers have won five NCAA men's basketball championships and compete in the Big Ten.

Example: She chose IU for the Jacobs School of Music's opera program.

The Indiana University system also includes regional campuses and IU Indianapolis. Basketball coach Bob Knight led the undefeated 1976 team, the last men's team to go undefeated for a full season. Hoosier, the nickname for Indiana residents, has an uncertain origin.

2. International unit

Medical · Prescription Abbreviations

Unit of biological activity used for vitamins A, D and E and some hormones and blood products. "IU" is on The Joint Commission "Do Not Use" list because it has been misread as "IV" (intravenous) or as the number 10.

Example: Label: vitamin D3 50,000 IU capsule, take one weekly for 8 weeks.

The Joint Commission requires "international unit" (or "units") to be written out in orders. Manufacturers still print IU on supplement labels, and US Nutrition Facts labels now give vitamin D in micrograms with IU optional; 1 mcg of vitamin D equals 40 IU.

More university abbreviations

  • HUJI – Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • IIM – Indian Institute of Management
  • IIT – Indian Institute of Technology
  • ISU – Iowa State University
  • IUPUI – Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
  • JHU – Johns Hopkins University
  • JSU – Jackson State University
  • KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

See all 135 university abbreviations →

More prescription abbreviations

  • eRx – Electronic prescription
  • gr – Grain
  • gtt/min – Drops per minute
  • HS – Hora somni (at bedtime)
  • LD – Loading dose
  • mane – Mane (in the morning)
  • mcg – Microgram
  • mcg/kg/min – Micrograms per kilogram per minute

See all 77 prescription abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.