Iowa State University Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

Iowa State University tuition fees for international students are given below:

Living Expenses (Estimated for 2023-2024)

Undergraduate Students

• Living Expenses: USD 15,575 (Around INR 13 lakh)

Cost of Living for Graduate Students (Estimated Expenses)

Also Read: Cost of Living in USA for International Students 

The BS in Computer Science at Iowa State University prepares students for graduate study in Computer Science and for various businesses, industry, and government positions including Information Technologists, Computer Scientists, and Software Developers. Students must have high school education to take admissions in BS in CS at Iowa. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required from Indian applicants. Students who wish to enter ISU directly from high school must also meet the minimum high school requirements for admission as given below:

• 4 years of English language (Focus on Writing, Speaking, and Reading as well as an understanding and appreciation of Literature)
• 3 years of Mathematics (Including one year each of Algebra, Geometry, and Advanced Algebra)
• 3 years of Science (Including at least two years of courses that emphasize elements of Chemistry, Biology or Physics)
• 2 years of Social Studies

Students have to keep certain things in mind while applying to Iowa State University. This includes having the minimum GPA requirements. Iowa State University GPA requirements are stated below:

• Undergraduate Courses: Students must have passed high school in order to take admission to Iowa State University undergraduate courses. A minimum equivalent GPA of B or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required
• Graduate Courses: For admission to graduate courses at Iowa State University, students are required to have a bachelor’s degree or higher degree. A minimum CGPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is needed for admission

Also Read: What is GPA and how it affects your admissions to US Universities?

Iowa State University requirements vary by programme for Indian students. Mentioned below are the admission criteria for Undergraduate and graduate admission at Iowa State:

Iowa State requirements for UG admission:

• Complete a high-school degree in a relevent descipline
• A minimum equivalent GPA of B or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• ISU is 'test-optional'. The ACT/SAT is not required for admission to ISU for international applicants. Applicants may choose whether or not to submit ACT/SAT scores if they have them

Iowa State requirements for PG admission:

• A bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally-accredited college or university prior to beginning graduate studies
• A minimum cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (B grade) is required for admission
• Meet the English proficiency requirements of the Graduate College and the graduate program
• There is no requirement for the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score; however, most programs do require one or the other.

ISU acceptance rate is around 90% for International students. This means that there is a high chance of getting into ISU for those applicants who meet all the entry and application requirements. On top of this, the applicants must submit their application before the specified deadline. Some of the factors that the applicants must consider to improve the chance of getting into ISU are:

• Strong academic record
• Standardized test scores (if applicable)
• English language proficiency score
• All the supporting documents like academic transcripts, resume, financial documents, etc.

As per a student who studied BS in Computer Engineering at Iowa State University, some of the good things at the university: 

• The labs
• Professors and classes
• Tutoring
• Cubs and Activities
• Sports
• Restaurants

According to another student review, the following are the good things at Iowa State University: 

• Campus
• Education
• Safety
• Student organizations

There is no university-wide requirement that graduate applicants of Iowa State University are required to submit the results of GRE or GMAT. However, most of the programs do require one of these exams. The applicants are advised to check the course page to know about the exact requirements from the official website of Iowa State University. Apart from submitting these scores, other application materials that the applicants have to submit for admission to graduate courses at Iowa State University include Statement of Purpose, English language proficiency score, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.

Iowa State University requirements for Indian students are given below:

Undergraduate Applicants

Minimum Academic Requirements

A minimum equivalent GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 scale or B is required for Iowa State University admissions to undergraduate courses

• General Scale: 50%
• India School Certificate: 6 on a scale of 1-9
• CBSE / CCE: B2 on a scale of A1 to E2
• National Institute of Open Schooling SSSE: 61 out of 100, D on a scale of A-I, or Good

Admission Decision

• An admission decision of Iowa State University may be based on the transcripts for the 3 years before the final year of high school along with other supporting documents

Other Details

• The applicants are required to achieve the Higher Secondary Certificate, or its equivalent, and submit complete final official transcripts confirming the completion of high school along with Class 10 and 12 board exam results

Standardized exam scores

• ACT / SAT test scores (Optional policy)

Minimum High School preparation

• 4 years of native language
• 3 years of Mathematics (Including beginning algebra, geometry and advanced algebra)
• 3 years of Science (Including 2 years of courses that focused on Biology, Chemistry or Physics elements)
• 2 years of Social Studies (3 years of applicants to ISU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
• Applicants to majors in the LAS and Engineering colleges should have 2 years of a single foreign language (English can be used if its not the native language)

Graduate Applicants

• A bachelor’s or higher degree
• International degrees must be comparable to the US bachelor’s degree or higher degree
• 3 years degree from India, Canada (excluding Quebec), Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan are not accepted. 3-year degrees from other countries will be reviewed on an individual basis)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for Iowa State University admission

For Iowa State University admissions, international students are required to pay the application fee. The application fee for undergraduate international students is USD 50. On the other hand, Iowa State University application fee for graduate students is USD 100. The documents required to submit Iowa State application are:

Undergraduate Courses

• Academic records
• Financial documents
• Official test results (As applicable)
• English language proficiency score
• Passport copy

Graduate Courses

• Academic records
• Financial documents
• GRE / GMAT
• English language proficiency test score
• Statement of Purpose
• Letter of Recommendation

Also Read: College / University Application Process for USA

Iowa State University acceptance rate is around 90%. ISU University has received 22,995 applications among which 5,859 get admission offers for the fall of 2023-24. As the acceptance rate is not moderately high then it can be said that Iowa State is less selective when it comes to admissions. So, as long as an applicant meets the entry and application requirements, there is a high chance of getting admitted into Iowa State University.

Some of the scholarships that are offered by ISU to international students are given below:

• International Merit Awards: These scholarships are awarded to those undergraduate students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement and outstanding talent or achievements. The award of achievement is USD up to USD 40,000 and the award of distinction is up to USD 16,000
• International Excellence Awards: International first-year students who have been granted admission to ISU will be automatically awarded these renewable merit scholarships for high-achieving applicants on the basis of high school GPA and SAT or ACT score submitted. Under this, President’s Award for International Student Excellence is USD 48,000 and for Dean’s Award for International Students is USD 40,000

Also Read: Scholarships to Study in the USA for International Students 

Iowa State University scholarships are available for first-year International students on the basis of their merit. Scholarship selection is competitive based on a holistic review of SAT or ACT scores and high school marks/grades. Students must complete the ‘OneApp scholarship application’ to apply for the award. Mentioned below are the popular Iowa State scholarships:

Applicants can apply for Professional (part-time) admission in the fall, spring, or summer intake. Mentioned below are the ISU MBA admission deadlines for part-time study:

Iowa State University is a major international teaching and research university that emphasizes Science and Technology while valuing Arts and Humanities. The international reputation of Iowa State University draws students from all over the world. During the Fall Semester 2018, the number of international students enrolled at ISU was above 3,500. There are eight colleges of Iowa State University namely:

• Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Design
• Business
• Engineering
• Graduate
• Human Science (Formerly Education and Family and Consumer Sciences)

Also Read: Top Reasons to Study in the USA

International students must complete a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with a qualifying GPA to study Iowa MS in Information Systems. Mentioned below are the Iowa State University requirements for international students for MS in Information Systems admission:

• A 4-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Academic transcripts
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• English language proficiency score
• GMAT / GRE score is not needed
• Financial Statement

Yes, Iowa State University accepts Duolingo test scores as proof of English language proficiency for admission to both undergraduate and graduate courses. The score required in Duolingo as well as Iowa State University IELTS requirement details are given below:

International students must meet the Iowa GPA requirements to get admission to MS in Computer Science program. Mentioned below is the general Iowa State University requirements for MS in CS admission:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• A 4-year’s bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Academic records / transcripts
• English language proficiency score: TOEFL iBT: 79 / IELTS: 6.5 / PTE: 53 / Duolingo: 105
• Letters of Recommendation
• Financial Statement

Check more details about MS in CS in USA from here

As a programme requirement for Iowa State University MS in CS, GRE score is needed. However, for Spring 2024 and earlier, GRE waivers are automatically considered when evaluating pre-applications. No separate waivers are required for this. From Fall 2024, the applicants who meet the criteria on the Computer Science Department’s Graduate Admissions website may submit a waiver request.

Some of the things that freshman students starting at Iowa State University must know are: 

• Check out the local parks, shop downtown and interact with the locals
• Volunteer
• Go to ISU Sporting events
• Develop social skills
• Get a job as the applicants will need some experience on their resume