Healthcare in the U.S. can be extremely expensive. A single, non-emergency visit to a doctor’s office can cost several hundred dollars and one night stay in a hospital can run into the tens of the thousands. For this reason, almost all Americans carry health insurance which can be purchased individually or offered through your employer or school.

Some visa types require that you show proof of insurance to enter the U.S. The University of Iowa requires that all enrolled international students, regardless of visa type, carry insurance. You can fulfill this requirement by purchasing a qualifying independent insurance plan or purchasing the student insurance plan through the University. If you are traveling with a spouse and/or children (commonly referred to as “dependents” for insurance purposes), they may be eligible to use the university’s insurance plans as long as you are also registered.

Note: Past CPH international students have reported that their independently purchased plans did not qualify as sufficient coverage by the university’s standard and were automatically charged for the university’s health insurance plan, despite already carrying insurance. For this reason, we recommend verifying that your insurance plan qualifies before you purchase independently OR purchasing the university’s health insurance plan.

Learn More about UI Insurance Plans for Students

As a university town, there are many apartments, condos, houses for rent within walking distance or a short bus ride of campus and the College of Public Health Building (CPHB). Past international students have recommended the following apartment complexes and locations as trustworthy and safe.

• Aspire at West Campus: Owned by the University of Iowa. Graduate and faculty housing only.
• Seville Apartments
• Westgate Apartments

Incoming students can also search for off-campus housing and roommates using the UI Off-campus housing search. If you are searching for an apartment and are unable to view the property in-person before moving in, please be aware of potential scams in the area and learn how to protect yourself.

Most leases in Iowa City start on August 1st and last 1 year. If you arrive in Iowa City prior to the beginning of your lease and need a short-term housing option, there are a few affordable hotels in the area that may work. Some of these are traditional hotels and some are suite-style, meaning they offer a small kitchenette and dining area in your room.

• Heartland Inn, 87 2nd St, Coralville, IA
• Travelodge, 2216 N. Dodge St, Iowa City
• Comfort Suites, 2431 James St, Coralville
• Home2 Suites, 740 Coral Ridge Ave, Coralville
• Homewood Suites, Iowa River Landing, Coralville
• Residence Inn, 2681 James St, Coralville

The University of Iowa also has a 10 residence halls on campus with a variety of living styles (single rooms, suite-style, etc). These residence halls are typically used by first and second year undergraduate students. Undergraduate international students that are new to campus are encouraged to live in the residence halls. There is even a public health-focused living learning community.

• Residence Halls and Housing General Information
• Public Health Living Learning Community

Regardless of if you live on- or off-campus, you will be required to provide some or all of your furnishings yourself. Residence halls will provide you with a bed, desk, and dresser, but you will need to supply your own bed sheets, pillows, and other small items. Off-campus apartments in Iowa City are usually completely unfurnished. Past international students have recommended the following business for finding affordable furnishing (new and used) for your housing needs.

Good Quality Secondhand and Used Items:

Note: Secondhand shopping (sometimes referred to as thrifting) is very common in the U.S. and is primarily seen as a way to reduce waste and impact climate change. It is a cultural norm to shop secondhand when desired, regardless of socioeconomic needs.

• Goodwill
• Salvation Army
• Houseworks
• Crowded Closet
• Stuff Etc

Affordable New Items:

• Target
• Walmart

Childcare for children who are not yet school-aged (usually 0-5 years old) is very competitive and expensive in Iowa City due to the number of young families needing care. Depending on the age of your child, you may be placed on a waitlist at several daycare centers while they determine if they have room for your child. If you need infant and/or toddler care while you are in Iowa City, it is best to start your search for a provider as soon as possible.

Daycare providers are usually categorized as Centers or In-Home.

• Centers will look more like a school with multiple classrooms, teachers, and a larger number of children. They operate as a traditional business and are subject to stricter health and safety policies. As such, they are typically more expensive.
• In-Home daycares are usually run by one or two people and they take care of your child in their own home. There are usually only a few children present and their time during the day may be less structured. Some of these providers are registered with the state and some are unregistered. This is usually the most affordable option.

Childcare safety and health guidelines are created and assessed by the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS). The DHS website is a good resource to find a list of all daycare providers in the area. They also make their safety and health reports publicly available.

• DHS Website
• Daycare provider search for the State of Iowa
• Compliance and Complaints Reports

The University of Iowa also offers a family services resource guide and a childcare subsidy program for students with families (available funding dependent).

Iowa City is served by the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) and typically provide education for children in kindergarten through 12th Grade (approximately 5-18 years old). Public schools are the most common choice for children in the U.S. and Iowa City is considered one of the best education systems in the state. Placement in a school is generally determined by where you live. Elementary schools are small and localized in neighborhoods where children and parents can usually walk from home to school. Junior high schools and high schools are larger and may require transportation. For students who live more than 1 mile from school, transportation to and from school is generally provided by ICCSD in large yellow school buses. Students are not required to purchase or wear uniforms in U.S. public schools.

Iowa City also has a number of alternative schools and educations options. These schools are not funded by the state and therefore will require that you pay additional tuition for your child to attend.

• Iowa City Public Schools
• Regina Catholic Education
• Scattergoods
• Willowwind Montessori School

UI Childcare Subsidy Program UI Childcare Resources

Most Americans shop at large supermarkets. In Iowa City, popular supermarkets include Hy-Vee, Fareway, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and others. Iowa City is also home to a number of culturally specific grocery stores where you may be more likely to find food and ingredients that you are used to cooking with. The following are just a few examples.

• Al Salam International Foods | 787 Mormon Trek Blvd, Iowa City
• Asian Market | 624 S. Gilbert St, Iowa City
• Iowa City African and Oriental Market | 1055 US-6 East, Iowa City
• Iowa City Halal and Grocery | 1806 Boyrum St, Iowa City
• MODINA African Market | 399 IA-1, Iowa City
• Taj International Foods Indian and Asian Grocery | 2419 2nd St #2, Coralville
• World Fresh Market | 2301 2nd St #1, Coralville

If you are in need of food assistance or are experiencing short-term food insecurity, Iowa City and the University of Iowa have a number of free resources for finding kitchen items.

• Food Pantry at Iowa | 278 IMU or Pride Alliance Center | This resource is on-campus.
• CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank | 1121 S. Gilbert Ct, Iowa City
• Coralville Community Food Pantry | 1002 5th St, Coralville

The U.S. federal and state governments have several food assistance programs that provide food stipends and allowances for families in need. Depending on your immigration and visa status, you may be eligible for some of these programs. School-aged children may also qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches at school if family income is below a certain threshold.

• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assitance Program): Apply | Eligibility
• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): Apply | Eligibility
• Iowa Department of Education Free and Reduced Cost Lunch: Apply | Eligibility
• Other food assistance programs: View More

Download a List of Diet-Friendly Iowa City Restaurants

Americans typically use cars as their primary source of transportation. However, unless you need to travel long distances outside of Iowa City, you do not need a car to live in Iowa City. The following resources are available to individuals in the larger Iowa City area.

City Transportation: The University offers subsidized bus passes for the city bus systems to help reduce the cost of travel for individuals.

• Iowa City Bus Transit
• Coralville Bus Transit
• CAMBUS (University of Iowa on-campus transportation. Free to everyone.)

Taxis and Ride Share:

There are a number of taxi services in Iowa City. Most of them need to be called in advance to pick you up. (They rarely drive around looking for fares like they would in a larger city.) Ridesharing apps are also very popular among University of Iowa students. Uber and Lyft are both available in Iowa City.

Bikes and Walking:

Iowa City is a very walking and bike-friendly city. Iowa City has a very robust set of trails and extra-large sidewalks to allow for those who would like to use bikes are their primary mode of transportation. Purchasing a bike in Iowa may be moderately expensive, although it is less of a financial strain than a car. The Iowa City Bike Library has bikes available to borrow as needed. Bike Iowa City is also a helpful resource.

Traveling outside Iowa City:

Rail travel is not common in the U.S. and the train systems that do exist are not well-maintained. The closest inter-city train station is one hours south of Iowa City in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. For travel to nearby cities like Des Moines or Chicago, there are interstate buses that run regularly for relatively cheap.

• Greyhound Bus Service
• Trailways Bus Service
• Megabus

For travel outside of Iowa and the surrounding states, air travel is generally the fastest option.

• Cedar Rapids Airport
• Quad Cities Airport

Iowa is in a part of the U.S. known for certain types of severe weather. What to do and how to prepare for various weather events is detailed below:

TORNADOS: Tornados affect much of the middle United States and typically occur in the fall or spring when the outside temperature is more likely to swing between hot and cold. Tornados are funnel clouds that move in a circular motion over land and can be extremely destructive. To stay safe from a tornado, it is important that you take shelter inside on the lowest level of the building (a basement or underground level is best) and stay away from windows. There are a number of warning systems in place in Iowa to keep you safe if a tornado is sighted nearby.

1. Air sirens: if a tornado is sighted (meaning a funnel cloud has touched down), the county will turn on air sirens to let you know to take shelter immediately. In Iowa City, these sirens are always tested on the first Wednesday of the month.
2. Digital notifications: You may receive a notification on your U.S. cellphone from the National Weather Service, a weather app you have downloaded, or the UI Hawk Alert system. You can sign up to receive Hawk Alerts on MyUI. These notifications will tell you if there is a Tornado Watch or a Tornado Warning. A Tornado Watch means the conditions are right for a tornado but none have been sighted. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted and you should take shelter immediately.

It is important to note that tornado watches and warnings rarely result in an actual tornado. Some tornados only stay on the ground for seconds. However, because tornados behave unpredictably and do not usually follow a defined path, it is extremely important that you take all of these warnings seriously.

SNOW AND SEVERE COLD: Iowa typically experiences snow on the ground from December through March. This can create hazards for walking and driving such as ice that can lead to an increased chance of injury, car accidents, etc. The university typically does not shut down school for snow unless the circumstances are extreme so it is important that you are prepared for snow in winter. If you are not comfortable driving in snow, be prepared to walk, take the bus, or carpool with a friend. If you are living in a house with a driveway that is not maintained by the landlord, you may need to shovel snow to get out of your driveway and to prevent ice from accumulating.

Iowa can also get extremely cold during the winter with temperatures dipping as low as -30F/-34C. When temperatures hit these extreme lows, it is important that you have an appropriately warm coat, hat, gloves, and boots as prolonged exposure to the elements can be dangerous. We recommend waiting until you get to Iowa City before purchasing your winter coats as local businesses may be able to recommend the most effective option.

HEAT: Summers in Iowa (May to September) can be extremely hot and humid. Most buildings and homes in Iowa have central or window air conditioning units to help stay safe from the heat.

ISSS student advisors can provide guidance for students currently residing in the U.S. on F-1 student, J-1 student, or J-1 scholar visas who are in need of immigration assistance. The University of Iowa also offers third-party support through CIBTvisas. (This service requires a fee.)

Visit ISSS Visit CIBTvisas

For information on current tuition and fees and how to pay your tuition through the online U-Bill system, please visit the links below. International students are considered non-residents for tuition purposes.

Current Tuition and Fees How to Pay Your U-Bill

International students who are in the U.S. on a student visa (F1, J1, etc) are NOT eligible for U.S.-based financial aid. Unfortunately there is no central financial aid fund currently available to support international students on our campus.

For students who are experiencing an emergency cash shortage, there are a few short-term loan options available through the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Division of International Programs. The Hallway Loan Program and the Short-term Loan Program are detailed on the ISSS webpage.

On-campus work is available for certain students depending on your visa status (see Employment and Job Resources below). For students who do acquire on-campus jobs, please remember that some of these jobs – such as GRAs – are not available during the summer and you will not receive a paycheck while you are not working. It is important to verify with your work supervisor the conditions of your employment and if work will be available over university breaks at the time that you start your on-campus job.

Students who experience severe economic hardship may be able to request an emergency authorization to work off-campus by submitting a USCIS application. Your eligibility for this program will depend on your visa status and the amount of time you have lived in the U.S. prior to applying.

EducationUSA, an entity of the U.S. State Department, may also be able to provide some information and resources on financial assistance and other needs for non-U.S. citizens studying in the U.S.

Short-term Financial Aid Assistance Severe Economic Hardship Waiver

Your ability to work in the U.S. will depend on a number of factors and the current status and type of visa you have traveled on. Most international students are allowed to on-campus jobs (employed as student workers by a university department) with limitations on the number of hours allowed per week. On-campus jobs may include graduate research assistantships (GRAs), teaching assistants (TAs), or other opportunities.

International students who hope to work as or have already been hired as TAs may participate in the Teaching Assistant Preparation in English (TAPE) Program, which is designed for prospective teaching assistants whose first language is not English and who need additional work on English communication skills. Entry to the program is determined by a test.

For students who do acquire on-campus jobs, please remember that some of these jobs – such as GRAs – are not available during the summer and you will not receive a paycheck while you are not working. It is important to verify with your work supervisor the conditions of your employment and if work will be available over university breaks at the time that you start your on-campus job.

Employment for Visa Holders Public Health Career Resources TAPE Program

ISSS currently recommends that international students use TaxSlayer as the tax software to file their U.S. taxes and can provide logins at free or reduced cost. International students are not able to utilize the same software or resources as U.S. citizens so it is important that you not file your taxes through Turbotax, HR Block, or other resources that your American peers may recommend.

Both International Programs and the Tippie College of Business offer tax consulting with Volunteer Income Tax Consulting (VITA) program. International students are eligible and encouraged to utilize this program as needed. ISSS advisors are NOT able to provide advising on filing taxes.

Generally, F-1 international students are automatically considered non-residents for tax purposes
for their first 5 calendar years in the US. J-1 Scholars are generally considered non-residents for their first 2 years. If you are unsure which status to file as, please consult with the Tippie VITA consultants.

Access TaxSlayer Contact VITA

The University of Iowa is currently home to more than 500 student organizations representing a large variety of hobbies, interests, backgrounds, politics, and government. Many of these organizations allows students from religious and culturally-specific backgrounds to meet, organize events, celebrate holidays, and find a community in Iowa City. Below are a small sample of student organizations that may be of interest to incoming international students.

View All Available Student Organizations