Iowa State University International Merit Scholarships — Bachelor's Scholarship

Iowa State University awards these competitive scholarships to a limited number of admitted international first-year and transfer students. Recipients study for a bachelor’s degree in person at the university’s campus in Ames, Iowa.

Selection considers academic strength and demonstrated accomplishments. The university states that SAT or ACT scores are not required for this scholarship, while its scholarship page notes that submitted scores and high-school grades may be considered in the holistic first-year review.

Benefits & funding

First-year Award of Achievement: $5,000–$10,000 per year, up to $40,000 total.
First-year Award of Distinction: $2,000–$4,000 per year, up to $16,000 total.
First-year funding lasts up to eight semesters or until degree completion, whichever comes first.
Transfer Award of Achievement: $5,000–$8,000 per year, up to $20,000 total.
Transfer Award of Distinction: $2,000–$4,000 per year, up to $10,000 total.
Transfer funding lasts up to five semesters, or 2.5 years, or until degree completion, whichever comes first.
Funds apply only to undergraduate tuition and fees. Renewal requires a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, at least 12 credits per semester outside summer, and continued international-student classification.

Eligibility

Applicants must be offered admission as an international first-year or transfer student and be assessed international tuition rates; the university does not publish a country-by-country nationality list.
Transfer applicants must have a cumulative GPA equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a B average.
First-year selection is highly competitive and considers high-school grades and the holistic application record. SAT or ACT scores are not required for this scholarship.
Applicants must accept their admission offer by May 1 for fall entry or December 15 for spring entry.
The International Merit Scholarship cannot be combined with the International Student Excellence Award.
No age, gender, residency, or work-experience requirement is stated.

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Education required
High School · Bachelor Enrolled

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Application process

1
Apply to Iowa State University and receive an offer of admission as an international first-year or transfer student.
2
Sign in to OneApp using the account used for admission; admitted users may later use their university Net-ID.
3
Complete the OneApp General Application.
4
Under Opportunities and then Recommended, select the International Student Admissions Scholarship Application for the intended entry term and submit it by the applicable deadline.
5
Accept the admission offer by the required date for the intended term.

Program timeline

Most recent fall transfer final deadline.
June 30, 2026
September 15, 2026
OneApp opens for the 2027–2028 scholarship year.
Fall first-year priority deadline each cycle.
February 15
Fall transfer priority deadline each cycle.
March 1
Fall first-year final deadline and admission-offer acceptance deadline.
May 1
Fall transfer final deadline each cycle.
June 30
Spring priority deadline for both applicant routes.
November 15
Spring final deadline and admission-offer acceptance deadline.
December 15