About the policy

The $425 acceptance fee is specific to the term for which you accept your offer of admission. Students who delay their entry term no more than one year are typically not assessed the fee a second time. However, these students are still held to the refund deadline for their original entry term.

Your $425 acceptance fee is applied as follows:

  • $290 is applied toward the New Student Programs fee (Orientation and Destination Iowa State programs)
  • $135 is an advance payment on your university bill

If you contract for university residence halls or apartments, your $135 advance payment will be used to make your $135 housing prepayment. If you cancel your housing contract and/or your admission, your $425 acceptance fee may be partially refundable, depending upon the date by which the Office of Admissions or the Department of Residence receives your notice of cancellation.

Students who wish to withdraw their admission and receive a partial refund of their admissions acceptance fee based on the deadlines listed below, must initiate their own withdrawal by logging into their Admissions MyAccount and declining their offer of admission.

Entry SemesterDeadline Date
Fall SemesterMay 1
Spring SemesterNovember 1
Summer SemesterMay 1

* If you are offered admission after the deadline for cancellation, the acceptance fee is nonrefundable.

Canceled When Housing Refund Amount
Admission
(i.e., no longer plan to attend Iowa State)

Before deadline

  

$375 if no housing contract was submitted.

$365 if housing contract was submitted. 
  After deadline  

$135 if no housing contract was submitted

No refund if housing contract was submitted. 
Housing contract
(i.e., still plan to attend Iowa State, but do not plan to live in university housing)		 Before deadline

Non-university housing

No direct refund. However, $125 will be credited to university bill.
  After deadline Non-university housing No refund and a cancellation fee of 50% for the rate of your housing assignment and 80% for the rate of your dining meal plan is assessed. Additional information can be found on the Department of Residence website.

Almost all women who join a sorority live in residence halls during their first year, while some men who join a fraternity move directly into the fraternity houses.

If you are interested in moving into a sorority or fraternity chapter house, you may go ahead and submit a university residence hall or apartment contract to enhance your chances of getting your top housing preferences and to give you more time to decide whether you wish to move into a fraternity or sorority chapter house. If you are interested in cancelling your contract after the deadline, please speak with the sorority or fraternity in which you have joined, as they may have some financial assistance available.

If you decide to move into a fraternity or sorority chapter house, it is critical you cancel your contract by May 1.