University of Iowa

Public · Moderately Selective · IA

Photo: Warren LeMay (CC BY-SA 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationIA · Midwest

SettingUrban

Undergrads22,264

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate58.2%

6-yr grad rate74.6%

Drop-out rate9.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$33k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity25.6%

Gender diversity56.6%

International1.2%

Identity—

Overview

The University of Iowa in Iowa City is defined by an unusually strong literary identity: it created the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the first creative-writing MFA program in the country, and that culture runs through the whole university and its UNESCO City of Literature hometown. It is also a major public research university with a large academic medical center attached, anchored by the historic Pentacrest and Old Capitol at the heart of campus, and a Big Ten athletic culture centered on Kinnick Stadium.

Academics

Writing and the broader liberal arts benefit directly from the university's literary reputation, with visiting writers, the separate International Writing Program for established authors from abroad, and a serious undergraduate creative-writing culture even outside the graduate workshop itself. Health sciences are another core strength, backed by University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, one of the largest academic medical centers in the country, giving pre-health and nursing students substantial clinical exposure. The Tippie College of Business is a further strength, and undergraduates across majors can often find a path into research labs given the university's medical-center scale.

Campus & student life

Iowa City is a genuine college town built around the university, small enough to feel walkable but energized by a large student population and a strong independent bookstore and literary events scene tied to the City of Literature designation. Big Ten athletics, especially football on fall Saturdays at Kinnick Stadium, give the campus a classic large-public-university social rhythm alongside its literary and academic identity — including the widely known tradition of players and fans waving to patients in the adjacent children's hospital after the first quarter of every home game.

Getting in

Admissions is generally more straightforward and less essay-intensive than elite privates, rewarding solid academic preparation, though creative-writing-minded applicants can lean into that interest in supplemental materials. Out-of-state students, including many drawn specifically by the writing reputation, make up a notable share of the class.

After graduation

Graduates of the writing programs go on to publish and teach at a rate unusual for any university's undergraduate alumni base, and the broader university has strong placement into Midwest health systems, law, and graduate programs, aided by the medical center's scale and reputation.

Worth knowing

The literary culture is not confined to English majors — readings, journals, and workshops touch students across disciplines, and Iowa City's identity as a City of Literature makes it a distinctive place to study writing even before graduate school. The children's-hospital wave after the first quarter of football games is one of the most genuinely beloved traditions in college sports.

uiowa.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate83.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1130–1330 · ACT 21–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Priority / scholarshipFeb 1

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗