Information for International Students
Please register at least three months before your class starts. If you are coming directly from your home country,
you must apply for a student visa to study through the University of Iowa. If you are already in the US on a student
visa, your current I-20 form should be valid for your study here (if it does not expire before your course ends).
Procedure
1) Complete the registration form as soon as possible, preferably three months prior to the course starting.
If you don’t need the course for a graduate degree, register as an undergraduate. Undergraduate tuition is less expensive and undergraduate registration is simpler. International students cannot attend class on a non-credit basis.
If you register as a graduate student, you must provide evidence that you have earned a U.S. bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Please ask your university to send an official copy of your degree certificate and academic record to the University of Iowa International Admissions Office. If your documents are not in English, please include an official translation.
2) Demonstrate that you have enough money to cover tuition, fees, and living expenses. After you register, the International Admissions Office will send you an e-mail about the I-20 form. Before we can send you the I-20, you will need to complete and return the Financial Statement for International Applicants.
3) Apply for a student visa. When we send you your I-20 form, we will include instructions on how to apply for your visa. You will need to pay the SEVIS fee on-line ($100-$200). Take the receipt for your SEVIS payment and your I-20 form to your visa interview appointment. You will also have to pay a visa application fee (currently $130).
4) Arrange health insurance. You are required to have health insurance while you are in the U.S., with a minimum coverage of $75,000 for hospitalization. If you already have insurance, please send the following information to the University Benefits Office: Proof of Coverage Form (see below), a copy of your health insurance identification card, and one of the following: 1) a copy of your policy or 2) a descriptive brochure. If your documents are not in English you should obtain an official translation before leaving your country. If you do not have insurance, or do not provide proof of insurance by the deadline, the University of Iowa will bill you for a single student health insurance policy. The cost is currently $130 per month. See http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/benefits/health/student/exempt.pdf for additional information.
5) When you arrive for your course, you will need to provide the following documents to the University of Iowa Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS): passport, visa, I-94 card (issued when you enter the US), and stamped I-20 form. Please contact their office at oiss@uiowa.edu or 319-335-0335 to make arrangements to provide them the required documents.
Resources for International Students
Information booklet on short-term study in the US
http://www.educationusa.info/pdf/study/english3.pdf
Student visa information:
http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/visa.php
Health insurance requirements and exemption guidelines (including Proof of Coverage Form):
http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/benefits/health/student/exempt.pdf
Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS)
http://international.uiowa.edu/oiss/
