There are endless paths to Iowa State

From the moment you step on campus, you'll be surrounded by world-class professors, valuable resume-building opportunities, and state-of-the-art facilities designed to help you achieve your goals. 

Nearly 20 percent of Iowa State students transferred here from another college or university, so we know how to help. You'll benefit from our dedicated staff, specialized transfer orientation, and new student programs—all designed to ensure a smooth transition and help you connect with fellow students along the way.

  • Transfer Honor Roll and Tau Sigma logos

    Academic excellence

    Iowa State is dedicated to supporting the academic success of transfer students through Phi Theta Kappa scholarship opportunities and our own Iowa State chapter of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society—the first of its kind in the state!

Next steps

Apply to Iowa State University

Iowa State operates on a rolling admissions policy, allowing transfer applications to be submitted up to one year before your intended entry term. Transfer students are encouraged to apply at least six months prior to their desired entry term.

Submit your transcripts

Request transcripts from all colleges you have attended. Official transcripts are preferred and should be emailed to the Office of Admissions. Unofficial transcripts can also be used for application review and can be uploaded directly through your application account.

Complete your FAFSA and explore scholarships

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using Iowa State’s code number: 001869. Iowa State's FAFSA priority date is February 25* for transfer students starting in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026.

With Iowa State's OneApp scholarship portal, students can apply for multiple scholarships through a single platform. The Office of Student Financial Aid, along with academic colleges, departments, and other campus units, uses the information in OneApp to select scholarship recipients. The OneApp Scholarship priority deadline is March 6 for incoming Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 transfer students. Note that other scholarship deadlines may vary by department or academic college.

Additionally, the Office of Admissions offers scholarships for qualified students who are admitted by March 1.

*Most scholarships and institutional aid are granted on an academic year cycle, so it's essential to meet fall entry deadlines to be eligible. Students who submit their applications after the priority deadlines will still be considered for financial aid based on remaining available funds.

Accept your offer of admission

Confirm your decision to attend Iowa State. For summer and fall entry students, the deadline to receive a refund on your acceptance fee is May 1, while for spring entry students, the refund deadline is November 1.

Once you accept your admission offer, you’ll receive an invitation to orientation and class registration. For summer and fall entry, orientation takes place on various dates from April through August, with invitations sent out starting in February. For spring entry, orientation and class registration are held from November through January, with invitations sent starting in October.

Explore your housing options

Learn about living options, including residence halls, university apartments, and fraternities and sororities. To reserve your space in university residence halls or apartments, you'll need to submit a housing contract after accepting your offer of admission. You can complete your housing contract online if you choose to live in university residence halls or apartments. Please note that this contract does not apply to sororities, fraternities, or off-campus (non-university) housing.

Meet the team

Our transfer team is committed to helping students navigate the transfer admission process, understand the next steps, and answer any questions along the way. 

Be sure to visit our Transfer Center during your campus tour—we're located in Room 12 of the Enrollment Services Center. We're here to support you every step of the way!

  • Cassidy Conway

    Cassidy Conway

    Transfer admissions counselor

    Cassidy assists students from all over Iowa (excluding DMACC).

    Email Cassidy
  • kat_klingseis

    Kat Klingseis

    Transfer admissions counselor

    Kat spends much of her time in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Kansas. She also assists all out-of-state transfer students.

    Email Kat
  • Katie Mott, transfer admissions

    Katie Mott

    Strategic partnerships specialist
     
    Katie works with all students from DMACC and manages both the DMACC-ISU Connect program and the Admissions Partnership Program (APP).
    Email Katie