Prior to arrival, you will likely receive many communications from ISSO with information regarding your upcoming orientation program. If you have missed an email or would just like to review, you can find already sent communications below.

 

Recent Updates for Students - Spring 2027 Entry

 


Hello New International Cyclone!

On behalf of Iowa State University and the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), we are so excited to have you start your journey at Iowa State in Spring 2027 and look forward to meeting you.

As you begin your preparations to arrive, there are several tasks you will need to complete. Your orientation team at ISSO have prepared for you an Orientation and Arrival Checklist to assist you in tracking important pre-arrival steps. The checklist can be found in our International Student Portal, known as Cystart.

This checklist has three sections relevant to you:

  • Arrival Tasks
  • General Orientation Tasks
  • Undergraduate Orientation Tasks

It is important to go through and review every item available to you in these sections, even the optional ones, as they all contain information you will want to have during your arrival process.

Log In to Cystart

In addition to this checklist, we have also prepared a Pre-Arrival Guide, which is a downloadable pdf document that provides more in-depth information on the various arrival steps. All this information can also be found on our New International Students website.

Please review the pre-arrival information carefully, as missing a step could delay your enrollment at Iowa State. It is recommended that you complete all the items in our Orientation and Arrival Checklist at least one month prior to arrival, but it is in your best interest to work through the checklist as soon as possible to ensure you have enough time to get registered for classes and have a successful first semester on campus.

A few reminders:

  • You must arrive in Ames, Iowa, by Sunday, January 10th, which is listed on your I-20 form. If you have an emergency and are unable to arrive in Ames by January 10th, or you would like to defer your admission to a future semester, you must contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@iastate.edu to receive a late arrival later or an updated I-20. Please note that arriving late will impact your course availability and academic success.
  • ISSO New International Student Orientation will take place from Monday, January 11th to Thursday, January 14th and is mandatory for all incoming international students. You must plan to attend all required orientation activities starting January 10th as there are required tasks you must complete. 
  • More information about ISSO New International Student Orientation, such as the complete schedule of events, will be sent to your email in December and will be made available on the New International Student Orientation page of the International Students and Scholars website.


We hope you are looking forward to starting your journey at Iowa State this fall! Everyone at ISSO is here to support you! If you have any questions, email us anytime at isorient@iastate.edu.

Hello International Cyclone! 

Have you reviewed the Orientation and Arrival Checklist in Cystart and completed as many required steps as possible? Please review the checklist carefully, as missing a step could delay your enrollment at Iowa State! 

Log In to Cystart

It is recommended that you complete all the required steps in the checklist at least one month before you arrive, but it is in your best interest to work through the required steps as soon as possible to ensure you have enough time to get registered for classes and have a successful first semester on campus! 

A few reminders: 

  • You must arrive in Ames, Iowa, by Sunday, January 10th, which is listed on your I-20 form. If you have an emergency and are unable to arrive in Ames by January 10th, or you would like to defer your admission to a future semester, you must contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@iastate.edu to receive a late arrival later or an updated I-20. Please note that arriving late will impact your course availability and academic success.
  • ISSO New International Student Orientation will take place from Monday, January 11th to Thursday, January 14th and is mandatory for all incoming international students. You must plan to attend all required orientation activities starting January 10th as there are required tasks you must complete. 
  • More information about ISSO New International Student Orientation, such as the complete schedule of events, will be sent to your email in December and also made available on the New International Student Orientation page of the International Students and Scholars website.

We hope you are looking forward to starting your journey at Iowa State this spring! Everyone at ISSO is here to support you! If you have any questions, email us anytime at isorient@iastate.edu. 

Pre-Arrival Guide

Hello International Cyclone! 

Online Orientation is now available!

(The link to online orientation is only available to students who have completed certain requirements. If you have not received this email or do not have access to it in your Admission MyAccount, please email isorient@iastate.edu for assistance.)

In this required online course, you will learn about Iowa State’s campus and student resources, as well as gain access to course registration for your first semester of classes. You will have access to tutorials, presentations, and links to get you successfully set up as a student at Iowa State University, such as how to pay your U-Bill, Canvas and Workday. Completion of this course is required in order to meet with your academic adviser and register for classes.

To receive credit for completing this course, please make sure to log in using your Iowa State NetID and Password.

We hope you are looking forward to starting your journey at Iowa State this spring! Everyone at ISSO is here to support you! If you have any questions, email us anytime at isorient@iastate.edu. 

Pre-Arrival Guide

Hello International Cyclone!

Have you completed Online Orientation yet?

Completion of this course is required to meet with your academic adviser and register for classes.

To receive credit for completing this course, please make sure to log in using your Iowa State NetID and Password.

We hope you are looking forward to starting your journey at Iowa State this spring! Everyone at ISSO is here to support you! If you have any questions, email us anytime at isorient@iastate.edu. 

Pre-Arrival Guide

International Orientation Schedule

View the schedule of events for our Spring 2027 orientation program. Some details may not yet be finalized, so check back often.