Haven't found the answer to your question yet? If your question is regarding admissions procedures or university offerings, please see the following frequently asked questions.

If you would like to learn more about what life is like at Iowa State, contact one of our international student ambassadors.

Application process

An international student is typically defined as a someone who will be on a nonimmigrant visa, and who is neither U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

No.

The letter of support is the promise of support for the student and is usually in the form of a letter from the parents or other sponsor. It should include how much money will be provided annually and how many years the student will be sponsored. A bank statement is a statement of account showing the first year's funds readily available or an official attestation from a bank officer that the promised funds are available.

Provided you notify us prior to your intended enrollment, you may defer your admission for up to one year without submitting a new application and fee.

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

Entrance exams

International students who have completed the equivalent of Iowa State’s English 150 or 250 with a grade of B or better at an accredited U.S. 2 year or 4 year college or university will be considered to have met the English proficiency requirement.

No.

Yes. Students from any country in which English is the only official language are not required to take English proficiency tests.

Countries in which English is the only official language

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Grenada
  • Guernsey
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • Kiribati
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • Micronesia
  • Montserrat
  • Nambia
  • Nigeria
  • Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and Grenadines
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Sudan
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos
  • United Kingdom
  • Zambia

Two years.

If you graduate from a U.S. high school, you may choose if you want to submit your SAT or ACT score.  If you graduate from a foreign school, you do not need to take these exams.