The University of Iowa College Portrait

Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended

50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.

Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2009-10 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)

Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $21,120

Out-of-State & Other Costs

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The cost to attend The University of Iowa varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.

How much would I pay?

Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?

Scholarships & Grants

• 29% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $6,486. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.

Annual Need-Based Loans

• 39% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $6,173. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.

Percent of 2009-2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid

NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.

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92% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
30% of all undergraduates live on campus

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To ensure that students are secure on campus, the University provides professional law enforcement through the Department of Public Safety, whose police officers are trained and certified by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Public Safety patrols University-owned property 24/7 and has cooperative arrangements with Iowa City and Coralville police, the Johnson County Sheriff's Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. The Hawk Alert System is used to notify the campus community of threats to physical safety in emergency situations, such as tornado, violence, hazardous materials, etc. The University also provides or supports post-emergency and post-crime counseling services.

Campus Crime Statistics

The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/

Basic Type

Research Universities (very high research activity)

Size and Setting

Large four-year, primarily residential

Enrollment Profile

High undergraduate

Undergraduate Profile

Full-time four-year, more selective, higher transfer-in

Undergraduate Instructional Program

Balanced arts & sciences/professions, high graduate coexistence

Graduate Instructional Program

Comprehensive doctoral with medical/veterinary

NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.

The University of Iowa regularly administers the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) as a way to identify how students report spending their time on academic work and other educationally purposeful activities. The University of Iowa analyzes student responses to NSSE alongside other information we collect through a variety of sources, including our Senior Exit Survey, Student Success Team initiatives, the Office of Retention, the Registrar, and numerous other departments and offices that regularly interact with students and contribute to student success. 

The University of Iowa uses this array of student information to help us assess the overall quality of the UI undergraduate experience and to identify actions the university can take to further improve educational programs and services for our students.

Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.

Group Learning Experiences

• 91% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
• 44% of seniors tutored or taught other students
• 28% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports

Active Learning Experiences

• 88% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
• 18% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
• 50% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
• 69% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
• 15% of seniors participated in study abroad
• 92% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year

Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success

• 95% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
• 69% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
• 62% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
• 94% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations

Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff

• 55% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
• 75% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
• 96% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
• 65% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class

Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas

• 61% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
• 87% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
• 48% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity

Student Satisfaction

• 88% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
• 89% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
• 82% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive

Evaluation of Experiences

Survey Administration Process

Survey Information

A 92% four-year success and progress rate means that 92% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.

Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.

• 3,963 First-Time, Full-Time Students
• 1,044 Full-Time Transfer Students

Success & Progress Rate Table

First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 86%

All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.

Student learning outcomes are identified and assessed on a regular basis by academic departments at UI. In addition, each department’s educational programs are reviewed as part of regularly scheduled Academic Program Reviews, and assessment of student learning is a central component of the University’s accreditation. Through departmental assessment of student learning outcomes, departments identify ways to improve their courses, develop the curriculum, and create expanded learning opportunities for students.

Learning Assessment Examples

Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.

The learning outcomes test results are not currently available.