International Student Expense Calculator

Please follow these instructions to use the International Student Expense Calculator:

• Select your academic level
• Then choose your Semester, College, Year (Undergraduate only), Credits, Dependents, and Program
• Estimated tuition, fees and living expenses for the semester and academic year will appear in their respective sections. 
• You can then use the financial support section to add in information about any personal, scholarship, assistantship, or other funds available.
  • When entering financial support please be sure to enter it as funds available for one semester and the form will automatically double to show full academic year funding. 
• If additional funds are needed, they will be shown in the Remaining Amount Needed section. 

Estimated Cost of Attendance for International Students

• The cost of attendance is an estimate of the costs of being enrolled for one academic year at Iowa State University. Estimated costs include costs for tuition, fees, living expenses, and dependents and are based on being enrolled for one academic year (fall and spring semester). Students that will remain in Ames over the summer should plan for incurring additional living expenses as well as tuition and fees associated with any summer enrollment. 
  • Estimated expenses for one academic year will be listed on the I-20 (F-1 students)
  • Estimated expenses for the full academic program will be listed on the DS-2019 (J-1 students).
• PLEASE NOTE: the tuition expenses listed in the expense calculator are estimates of tuition and fees based on each academic program.  Some academic programs have higher tuition and fee rates all years, and some majors have an increased tuition and fee amounts during subsequent years of study. To confirm your tuition and fee rate, use the Registrar’s Find Your Tuition page.
• Student tuition, fees, and charges for room & board in university housing are set by the Iowa Board of Regents
  • To confirm your tuition and fee rate, use the Registrar’s Find Your Tuition page.
  • Summer costs of attendance vary depending on each student’s situation — see Tuition and Fees for more information
  • For more information, please view the Tuition & Fees page. 
• Living Expenses may vary based on lifestyle choices of the student
  • Estimated living expenses consist of room & board, books & supplies, personal expenses and health insurance .
  • Room & Board costs will vary based on housing and dining choices made by the student; more information is available from the Department of Residence and ISU Dining
  • All international students enrolled for 1 credit hour or more at Iowa State University are required to purchase the ISU Student & Scholar Medical Insurance Plan – estimated cost of medical insurance is included in the Living Expenses category above
  • Living Expenses do not include cost of international travel to and from Ames, Iowa
  • *Estimated living expenses on the I-20 or DS-2019 are normally calculated at the academic year (9 months) rate. Students planning to remain in the U.S. during the summer should plan to budget another $5,777 to cover their summer living costs.

Proof of Funds

If you need to provide proof of funds to be issued an initial immigration document or for a program extension, please ensure that your documents meet these requirements:

• Financial documents no more than three months old
• Documents should show the date, the balance, and owner of the account
• Documents do not have to be converted into U.S. dollars
• Examples of financial documentation includes, U.S. or foreign bank statements, letter of Intent for graduate assistantships, etc.