University in United States
Ames, IA, United States
University profile
Iowa State University of Science and Technology is a large university in Ames, Iowa, that describes itself as having a small-school feel. It was founded as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm and is part of the land-grant tradition created under the Morrill Act. Fall 2026 enrolment is 30,772 students, of whom more than 61% are in a STEM major.
The main campus covers 1,900 acres in Ames. Undergraduates choose from more than 100 majors, minors and certificates across six undergraduate colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Health and Human Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Graduate College offers more than 250 graduate programs (doctoral, master's, online master's and certificates), and the College of Veterinary Medicine awards the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Iowa State opened the nation's first state veterinary medicine school in 1879.
Student life centres on more than 800 student organisations, learning communities (93% of first-year students join at least one), the Department of Residence with traditional, suite-style and family apartments, and ISU Dining with more than 20 locations. Varsity teams compete as the Cyclones in the Big 12 Conference, and Recreation Services runs fitness, adventure programmes and more than 40 types of intramurals. Campus features include the Campanile, Lake LaVerne, University Museums and the 17-acre Reiman Gardens.
International students come from more than 100 countries; 2,605 international students enrolled in Fall 2026 (8% of enrolment). Study abroad programmes run in more than 50 countries, and the International Students and Scholars Office supports visa and immigration matters. International applicants can qualify for automatic and competitive merit scholarships.
Undergraduate retention reaches 88.4% after one year, and the six-year undergraduate graduation rate is 77.2%. About 85% of students receive some form of financial aid.
More than 85% of students receive some form of financial aid. Need-based aid is determined from the FAFSA Student Aid Index, and packages combine gift aid, federal loans and work-study. International students are not eligible for federal or institutional loans and may use private loans; they must document funds for the full cost before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued.
Automatic, renewable awards for admitted international first-year students: President's Award $56,000 total ($14,000 a year, SAT/ACT required), Dean's Award $48,000 ($12,000 a year, SAT/ACT required), Innovator's Award $40,000 ($10,000 a year, minimum 3.70 GPA) and Launchpad Award $24,000 ($6,000 a year, 3.50-3.69 GPA). Transfer students receive Transfer Gold Scholar $24,000 ($8,000 a year, 3.70+) or Transfer Cardinal Scholar $12,000 ($4,000 a year, 3.50-3.69). Offer must be accepted by May 1 (fall) or December 15 (spring). Official page.
Competitive award for first-year (Award of Achievement up to $40,000; Award of Distinction up to $16,000) and transfer students (up to $20,000 and up to $10,000), applied for through the OneApp scholarship portal. First-year priority deadlines are February 15 (fall) and November 15 (spring); final May 1 and December 15. Transfer priority March 1 (fall) and November 15 (spring); final June 30 and December 15. Official page.
The OneApp portal lets undergraduates apply for scholarships from the Office of Student Financial Aid, colleges and departments. The Generations Award gives nonresident children and grandchildren of Iowa State graduates $1,500 a year; transfer scholarships include the Community College Transfer Scholarship ($500-$2,000). Graduate students seek scholarships and assistantships through their department or college. Scholarships.
International Student Excellence Award →
International Merit Scholarship →
Iowa State Community College Transfer Scholarship →
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View scholarships for Iowa State University →Iowa State has rolling admissions: applications are reviewed as received. Fall applications open July 1 of the preceding year; other terms open about 12 months before the term. Apply with the institutional application or the Common App. Decisions use the Regent Admission Index (RAI): ACT composite (or converted SAT or CLT) x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5. Applicants with an RAI of at least 245 who meet the course requirements are automatically admitted; those below 245 who meet the course requirements may be admitted after individual academic review. Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants.
Minimum high school courses: 4 years English, 3 years mathematics (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra), 3 years science (at least two years of biology, chemistry or physics), 2 years social studies. Engineering also requires 2 years of a single world language; Liberal Arts and Sciences requires a third year of social studies and 2 years of a world language. Admission is contingent on the final official high school transcript. Admission is not decided by major.
Transfer applications are accepted up to one year before the start date and should be submitted at least six months in advance. Official transcripts from all colleges attended are required. Nearly 20% of students transferred from another institution.
Minimum high school GPA equivalent to 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, plus the core courses above. SAT/ACT is not required; an SAT of 1200+ or ACT composite of 25+ is treated as meeting the GPA requirement. Required documents: English proficiency results, transcripts from all schools or universities attended, copy of passport, and a bank statement or sponsor letter showing one year's expenses of $52,000 (most majors) or $54,300 (Design majors and Animal Enterprise and Innovation). Scans are accepted for review; official final documents are required after admission. The application fee cannot be deferred or waived for international students. Admitted students pay a $425 acceptance fee. Offers can be deferred up to one year.
English proficiency minimums: TOEFL iBT 71 (17+ on Speaking and Writing); IELTS 6.0 overall, no subscore below 5.5; Duolingo English Test 105; PTE 48; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 460; ACT English 19; IB English 5; AP English Language 3 or Literature 4; IGCSE/A-Level grade D in First Language English or C in English as a second language. IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest are not accepted. Scores are valid two years. Exemptions apply to native English speakers from English-speaking countries, US high school graduates, and students who passed Iowa State English 1500 or 2500 with a B or higher at a US college. Credit equivalency guides exist for GAC/A-Level, Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, AQA, IB and AP.
Applications for graduate study open September 1 through the Graduate College; departments handle programme-specific requirements and funding enquiries.
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