Iowa State University admissions are not very selective with an acceptance rate of 91% in the Fall of 2021. Currently, 30,708 (25,808 undergraduate) students are enrolled in the university. A total of 20,357 applicants applied for admissions this semester, out of which, 18,524 students were offered admission.

It was classified recently into Carnegie’s R1 Doctoral University which means the university has a very high research activity. Programs at Iowa State University include more than 100 bachelors, masters, 43 Ph.D. programs, and other professional programs through its 8 colleges and two schools., the university offers its students chances to foster such interest by providing them the right initiatives through its experts.

Iowa State University invites admissions in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Not all graduate programs are offered in all the sessions. Graduate admissions have program-specific application deadlines. 

  • Graduate programs require students to submit GMAT/GRE scores or their alternatives such as minimum GPA requirements or work experience. 
  • Applicants should also fulfill the country-specific requirements as asked by the university.
  • International applicants must submit English Proficiency Test Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent)

Iowa State University Admissions Deadline

The full-time academic session at Iowa State University begins in the Fall and Spring seasons. The students may apply up to one year in advance for early decision. Currently, the admission process for the session in the Fall season is ongoing.

Course Deadline
Undergraduate
Early Admission Spring: Aug 1 Fall: Feb 1 Summer: Feb 1
Regular March 31
Postgraduate
Regular Varies with course

Iowa State University Class Profile 

Tabulated below is the Class Profile for the year 2021 

Total Enrollment  30,708
Undergraduate Students  25,808
Graduate Students 4,264
Professional Students 636
Students Enrolled in 2021 6,741
Freshman Students  5,387
Average High School GPA  3.7 GPA 
International Students Enrolled  2,532
Percentage of International Students  8.2%
Male Students  13,761
Female Students  16,947

Highlights

Application Portal Official Website
Application Fee (non-refundable) UG: 50 USD for International students PG:100 USD for International students
Mode of Payment U-bill
Academic Calendar Semester-based
Intake Seasons Fall and Spring season
Work Experience Required for MBA
Financial Aid Grants, loans, work-study, and Scholarships

Iowa State University Undergraduate Admission

It offers more than 100 undergraduate programs through its colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine.

Application Portal: Coalition Application or Common Application
Application Fee: 50 USD (~3,950 INR)
Admission Requirements: Applicants must fulfil the following requirements to be eligible for Iowa State University admissions:

  • Completed Application
  • Official high school transcripts
    • Must be accompanied by English translations if not in English.
  • Academic requirement includes:
    • 4 years of English or your native language
    • 3 years of science (including at least two years of laboratory science courses which emphasise elements of biology, chemistry, or physics)
    • 3 years of Maths (including algebra and geometry)
    • 2 years of social studies
  • Some programs require additional documents such as Portfolio, Writing Supplement, or Interview

Transfer academic requirements:

  • A minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.25 in all transferable courses attempted. Applicants who have earned an associate’s degree may be admitted with at least a 2.0 GPA or 73-76%)
  • International applicants must submit English Proficiency Test Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo). 
  • Bank Statements
  • Verification/Affidavit of Sponsor’s Financial Support Form

Iowa State University Graduate Admissions

Iowa State University enrols around 10,000 students each year in more than 150 graduate programs. Each program offered here has different admission requirements and eligibility criteria.

How to apply: The students have to apply through the official website
Application Fees: 100 USD
When to apply: The application deadline varies from course to course
Academic Requirements: 

  • Transcripts
  • GPA of 3.0 (~83-86%) or higher
  • Standardised test scores as specified by the program
  • English Proficiency score
  • Recommendation letters.
  • Academic requirements vary from course to course.

Financial Aid: Student loans, work-study, and Scholarships.

Supporting Documents: Verified financial bank statement, Proof of financial support or sponsor, International information sheet, authorised clearance for transfer students.

English Proficiency Test Score for International Students

Admission Requirements at Iowa State University needs the International students to demonstrate English proficiency by submitting any one of the following English Proficiency Test scores:

Test Name Minimum Score Required (Undergraduate) Minimum Score Required (Graduate) Iowa State University Code
TOEFL iBT- 71 with at least 17 in the Speaking and Writing sections PBT- 17 in all sections iBT- 80-100 PBT- 500-600 6306
IELTS 6.0 with all subscores 5.5 or above 6.0-7.5 Doesn't use codes
PTE 48 50-70 Doesn't use codes

Undergraduate applicants can also use DET(Duolingo English Test) to provide evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum score must be 100.

Requirements for International Students Visa

All admitted international students require a US student visa to be able to study at Iowa State University.

  • After the student is selected for admission, the university will email the Certificate of Eligibility for a Student Visa (Form I-20). Once received, check all the details carefully.
  • Completed non-immigration visa application form (DS-156) with passport size photo.
  • A valid passport.
  • Receipt of visa application fee.
  • Evidence of SEVIS fee payment (I-901 receipt).
  • Additional documents: Transcript(s), scores of any standardised tests taken, financial evidence showing sufficient funds.

Iowa State University Country-Specific Requirements 

Along with the basic admission application requirements, Iowa State University requires certain specific documents from different countries depending on their education system. Below mentioned are some South-Asian countries with minimum specific requirements:

Country Admission Application Requirement
India Minimum 60% in the required subjects in XII with an overall positional average of grade B along with English Proficiency Test Scores.
China 80% average grade in the required subjects, GPA of 2.75-above, along with English Proficiency Test Scores.
South Korea Average of 4.0 grade or 80% average marks in the required subjects along with Proficiency Test Scores.
Indonesia Minimum 70% grade or 7.0 grade in the required subjects along with English Proficiency Test Scores.
Malaysia SPM or STPM passes in the required subject along with English Proficiency Test Scores.

Popular Courses at Iowa State University

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Admissions

MBA at the Iowa State University #47 in Top 50 MBA Programs in 2020 U.S. News & World Report. The students should apply as soon as possible and not wait for the deadline.

Application Deadline Fall Semester: US students- July 1 International students- Spring:December 1 Fall: July 1
Application Portal Official Website
Application Fees US students: 60 USD International Students: 100 USD
Academic Requirements Academic Records GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale GMAT/GRE 2+ years of work experience
Supporting Documents Two essays; Current Resume; Two Letter of Recommendation; State of Purpose
Additional Requirements for International students TOEFL score: PBT- 600; iBT- 100 IELTS score: 7.0; PTE Score: 68
Cost of Attendance (per semester) Resident: 6,392.20 USD International students: 14,416 USD

Graduate Program in Aerospace Engineering Admissions

ISU College of Engineering was ranked 41st among 205 graduate engineering schools by US News and World Report 2020. It's comparatively lower tuition and cost of living in Iowa makes the course extremely affordable without compromising with the quality.

Application Deadline Fall Semester: January 15 Spring Semester: September 1
Application Portal Official Website
Application Fees US students: 60 USD International Students: 100 USD
Academic Requirements Academic Records GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale GRE – 2+ years of work experience
Supporting Documents 1-3 Letters of Recommendation; Statement of Purpose; Current Resume
Additional Requirements for International students TOEFL score: PBT- 550; iBT- 80; IELTS score: 6.5 & PTE Score: 52
Cost of Attendance (per semester) Residents: 6,370.20 USD International students: 13,589.20 USD

Master in Business Analytics (MBS) Admissions

Designed for graduate students as well as working professionals, it equips business analysts, data scientists or analytic system designers to deal with problems arising in business decision-making.

Application Deadline Summer Semester: June 30
Application Portal Official Website
Application Fees US students: 60 USD International Students: 100 USD
Academic Requirements Academic Records GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Supporting Documents Letters of Recommendation(1-3) Statement of Purpose
Additional Requirements for International students TOEFL score: PBT- 600; iBT- 100 IELTS score: 7.0 PTE Score: 68
Cost of Attendance (per semester) Residents: 6,392.20 USD International students: 14,416 USD

Graduate Program in Material Science and Engineering(MSE) Admissions

Iowa State University's ISU is one of the top in the U.S. It is also one of the largest in the nation and boasts of distinguished faculty members.

Application Deadline Fall Semester: February 2, applications accepted year round
Application Portal Official website
Application Fees US students: 60 USD International Students: 100 USD
Academic Requirements Academic Records GPA: higher than 3.0 GRE: Verbal-145; Written- 3.0; Quantitative-155
Supporting Documents Letters of Recommendation; Statement of Purpose
Requirements for International students TOEFL score: PBT- 550; iBT- 79 IELTS score: 6.5 PTE Score: 53
Cost of Attendance (per semester) Residents: 6,370.20 USD International students: 13,589.20 USD

MS Applied Mathematics Admissions

Application Deadline Fall Semester: February 1
Application Portal Official website
Application Fees US students: 60 USD International Students: 100 USD
Academic Requirements Academic Records GPA: higher than 3.0 GRE: Verbal-145; Written- 3.0; Quantitative-155
Supporting Documents Letters of Recommendation Statement of Purpose
Requirements for International students TOEFL score: PBT- 550; iBT- 79 IELTS score: 6.5 PTE Score: 53
Cost of Attendance (per semester) Residents: 5,519.20 USD International students: 13,428.20 USD

Iowa State University has provided the students with specific admission guidelines. Every year, the batches get full quite quickly, so it better for the students to complete their admission process as soon as possible.

FAQs

Ques. Is there any difference between letter of support and bank statement?

Ans. Usually, the letter of support is a promise of financial support by an applicant's parents or sponsor. It also states the amount of money that will be provided to the student annually for the year the student is being sponsored for. Whereas, a bank statement shows a student's first year funds which are readily available.

Ques. Is there a common graduate application deadline for Iowa State University?

Ans. Application deadlines vary for different academic programs as they may have different supplemental requirements. International applicants should check program-specific requirements and deadlines.

Ques. Can I apply to more than one graduate program at ISU? If yes, how many LORs are required for all the programs?

Ans. Yes, you can. However with each extra program, application fee must be paid each time. Only three letters of recommendations are required irrespective of the number of applications submitted by the applicant.

Ques. What GPA is required to get admission into IowaState University?

Ans. While there is no guarantee of admission for meeting minimum GPA and test scores requirements, a GPA of 3.64 is considered to be 'above average', as per ISU's standards.

Ques. How much does an international student need to arrange in order to study at Iowa State University?

Ans. For undergraduate international students, expenses add up to around 40,860 USD annually. For graduate international students, the estimated amount adds up to 42,962 USD annually.

Ques. Are international students required to take the SAT or ACT?

Ans. If you graduate from a US high school, you must take either the SAT or ACT. If you graduate from a foreign school, you do not need to take these exams.

Ques. Is the TOEFL required of non-native English speakers who are transferring from U.S. colleges?

Ans. Yes. Completion of English courses in the United States will not exempt students from the TOEFL score requirement.

Ques. I just started attending a university in my home country. Can I apply to Iowa State as a freshman?

Ans. No. If you have attended a university after completing high school, you are considered a transfer student. If you have completed less than 24 credits, you must meet the freshman application requirements as well as the transfer requirements.

Ques. Does Iowa State University offer scholarships/grants to international students?

Ans. Yes. Iowa State University offers scholarships and grants to international students. Applicants have to submit separate application forms according to deadlines.