Welcome to the BCB, IGG, ImBio, or MCDB interdepartmental graduate programs at Iowa State University!

What should you do first?

• Get your ISU Card.
• Register for your ISU email address.
• Review immunization requirements.
• The English Placement Test is required for all non-native speakers of English (with limited exemptions).
• The Oral English Certification Test (OECT) is required for international graduate students who accept a graduate teaching assistantship.

Program Websites:

• Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Graduate Program
• Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program
• Immunobiology
• Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Planning Your Arrival in Ames

• Orientation Resources for International Students from the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)
• On-Campus Housing from the Department of Residence.
  • Frederickson Court Apartments
  • Schilletter Village (SUV) apartments
  • University Village (SUV) apartments
• Apartments in Ames (NOTE:  This list does not contain all of the companies in Ames that have apartments for rent.  This will be continually updated).
  • Apartment Finder
  • Apartments.com
  • Campustown
  • Core
  • Eastwood of Ames Apartments
  • First Property Management
  • Haverkamp Properties
  • Hunziker Property Management
  • Randall Corporation
  • South Meadow
  • The Grove
  • West End Ames
  • Windsor Pointe Apartments
  • Zillow
• Cy-Ride - Ames and ISU bus system
• Discover Ames - Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau

Orientation & Onboarding

Orientation

• The Biological Sciences Interdepartmental Graduate programs have an orientation/onboarding will be the week before the first week of classes. Fall 2024 the orientation/onboarding will be August 19 - 23, 2024. 
• Graduate College Orientation is held each spring and fall semester.
• The ISSO holds orientation for international students each semester.

Register for Classes

• ISU Graduate College Handbook
• Tuition & Fees
• ISU Schedule of Classes
• ISU Course Catalog (for course descriptions)
• Academic Calendars
• Your faculty adviser or Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) can assist you with course selection.

For Students on Assistantship

• If you have a graduate assistantship, you will receive an email notification regarding your required action in the ISU Workday system. If you do not receive a notification email, log in to Workday with your ISU Net-ID to view your Workday notifications directly.
• Common Workday actions and questions
  • Updating Contact Information and Emergency Contacts
  • Change Preferred Name
  • Workday Onboarding Quick Reference Guide for Student Workers & Graduate Assistants
  • Payroll: How to Add, Update, and View Direct Deposit Information
  • Payroll: How to Update Your Federal W-4 Withholding Elections
  • Payroll:  How to update your State W-4 Withholding Elections
  • Viewing Payslips in Workday
• View Stipend Deposit Schedule
• View Appointment Form
• If you receive a tuition scholarship, the credit will be applied to your university bill as soon as possible.
  • On AccessPlus, check “Yes” to authorize aid release.
  • If your U-Bill is due prior to the availability of the scholarship credit, consider paying the minimum amount due, which will automatically enroll you in the Deferred Billing Plan (additional charges may apply).
• Student Health Benefits – Students with graduate assistantships are automatically enrolled in the Students and Scholars Health Insurance Program (SSHIP). At the start of the semester, you may add dental coverage or for your dependents.
• If you will serve as a graduate teaching assistant, consider the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching’s (CELT) Teaching Assistant Cohort Program.

Things to Know

• Once your academic record is created in AccessPlus, you’ll have a Graduate Student Status tab that shows all the credentials you’re pursuing. This tab will provide you a list of the requirements to complete each degree/credential.
• The Graduate College’s Center for Communication Excellence offers free individual consultations with graduate writing consultants. Students working on their thesis, dissertation, journal article, research proposal, conference paper, or poster presentation can make appointments with Disciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and English Writing Consultants. Students can also join graduate peer review groups, attend seminars and workshops, and access other various resources.
• Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)
• Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) represents the graduate and professional students’ perspectives on campus issues and serves as a liaison between graduate/professional students and the university administration.
• The Graduate College Career Services office offers Iowa State University graduate students and postdoctoral scholars: Individual consultations, Group presentations, Resume workshops, Career Services Resources, and Cyclone Career Strategy.
• Help Van
• International Student and Scholars Office - International Graduate Next Steps Packet - FALL 2022
• ISU Student Organizations and Clubs
• Iowa Weather Information
• Learn@ISU
• Legal Student Services
• Margaret Sloss Center for Women and Gender Equity
• MyState app has one place to find information on CyRide bus routes, classes, events, and more.
• Parking Division
• Iowa State graduate students have access to a plethora of resources through the Parks Library. Staff from the library will provide an overview of the support available to you.
• Professional Advancement Grants (PAG) are provided to graduate and professional students by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) to help defray expenses related to professional meeting and conference travel. You are encouraged to apply 8–10 weeks prior to departure.
• Recreation Services
• The Shop Food Pantry - Students Helping Our Peers (The SHOP) is a student-run, on campus food pantry.  They were created in January 2011 when a group of FSHN learning community was approached by ISU dining about the possibility of opening a campus food pantry.
• Student & Scholar Health Insurance Program (SSHIP)
• Student Accessibility Services
• Student Counseling Services
• Student Wellness
• Writing and Media Center
• There are plenty of resources at ISU to support you and provide a positive experience during your time with us.

Questions?

If you have any questions, contact Carla Harris charris@iastate.edu