Academics & admin
Office of Student Financial Success
Provides free financial coaching, budgeting workshops, and loan debt reduction strategies to help ISU students build smart money habits.
The student guide to Ames, Iowa: where to eat, live and get help, what a year really costs, and the free stuff most students miss.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.
After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $18,517.
Academics & admin
Provides free financial coaching, budgeting workshops, and loan debt reduction strategies to help ISU students build smart money habits.
Getting around
Free bus system for ISU students operating 13 fixed routes across campus and Ames, plus Moonlight Express late-night service and Dial-A-Ride for…
Health & safety
Free confidential counseling for ISU students offering individual therapy, group sessions, crisis intervention, and career counseling.
Health & safety
Outdoor adventure programs offering equipment rentals, guided trips, free bike tune-ups, and wellness activities for ISU students.
Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

All-you-care-to-eat dining center in Maple-Willow-Larch Commons featuring rotating global cuisine stations, salad bar, grill, and dessert options.
122 University Village
All-you-care-to-eat dining center in the Union Drive Community Center serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with diverse food stations.
126 Union Drive Community Center
All-you-care-to-eat dining center located in Oak-Elm Hall on the east side of campus, offering home-style meals and comfort food.
2338 Union Drive
Casual dining venue inside Friley Hall offering grab-and-go meals, snacks, and beverages with a convenient location for west campus residents.
212 Beyer Court
Convenience market in Maple-Willow-Larch Commons stocked with grab-and-go meals, snacks, beverages, and grocery essentials for east campus students.
122 University Village
Convenience market in the Union Drive Community Center offering snacks, drinks, frozen meals, and essential grocery items for west campus residents.
126 Union Drive Community Center
Grab-and-go market and cafe in the Memorial Union featuring sandwiches, salads, snacks, beverages, and Starbucks coffee.
2229 Lincoln Way
Multi-vendor food court in the Memorial Union featuring Panda Express, Sushi Do, and other popular fast-casual dining options.
2229 Lincoln Way
Cozy cafe inside Parks Library serving coffee, espresso drinks, pastries, and light snacks — perfect for a study break.
701 Morrill Road
Coffee shop inside the Gerdin Business Building serving espresso drinks, teas, and light fare for business students between classes.
2167 Union Drive
Cafe in Lagomarcino Hall serving coffee, smoothies, and grab-and-go items in the heart of central campus.
901 Stange Road
Fast-casual eatery in Wallace-Wilson Commons on south campus serving burgers, sandwiches, and late-night snacks.
917 Welch Road
Sports-themed eatery in the Union Drive Community Center offering pizza, wings, and other game-day favorites.
126 Union Drive Community CenterResidence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

One of the nation's largest residence halls with 1,220 beds across 23 houses.
212 Beyer Court
Renovated 713-bed residence hall in the Union Drive neighborhood with learning communities for aerospace, CS, and STEM students.
221 Beyer Court
Iowa State's newest residence hall — 8 stories with 784 beds, suite-style rooms, and modern amenities on the south edge of campus near Lincoln Way.
2152 Lincoln Way
Three air-conditioned high-rise halls on east campus (Richardson Court) near Seasons Marketplace dining center and Lied Recreation Center.
204 Beach Road
South campus residence halls near Welch Road with South Side Eats dining, green spaces, and a short walk to central campus academic buildings.
917 Welch Road
Suite-style residence hall near Lincoln Way and Geoffroy Hall offering air-conditioned rooms with semi-private bathrooms and modern furnishings.
2160 Lincoln WayShuttles, parking and accessible rides.

Free bus system for ISU students operating 13 fixed routes across campus and Ames, plus Moonlight Express late-night service and Dial-A-Ride for…
601 N. University Boulevard
Manages campus parking permits, lots, and meters. Students can park free at Iowa State Center lots with CyRide Orange Route service to campus.
27 Armory Building, 2519 Osborn Drive
Free bike safety inspections, tune-ups, and registration through ISU Outdoor Recreation.
2325 Union Drive
Regional transit hub connecting ISU students to Des Moines via DART and Greyhound bus services, with indoor waiting area and parking.
129 Hayward AvenueTypical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 70 bachelor's majors with published pay.
Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.
5 things worth doing early
"To validate their enrollment in each course at the beginning of the semester, students must attend the first or second meeting (first meeting if the class meets only once a week)." If you do not, "the instructor has the option to offer a registered place in the course to another student." The trap: losing the seat does not drop you. "Students who do not validate their enrollment must drop or withdraw from the course or they will receive an F grade." Go to the first meeting, or tell the instructor beforehand.
Iowa State's university-wide graduation requirements include "LIB 1600 Introduction to College Level Research," along with Communication Proficiency, U.S. Cultures & Communities, International Perspectives, 120 credits and a 2.00 GPA. Take it early, while research papers are new.
"A late registration fee is assessed for registration initiated on or after the first day of classes for fall and spring terms." And "if registration is not initiated by the end of the fifth day of classes, students must obtain permission from the instructors for the courses they plan to take, their advisor, and in some cases, approval from the dean." Register during your assigned window.
"Undergraduate students are not limited in the number of courses they may drop during their academic career. Drops (course withdrawals) processed after the fifth day of classes of each semester will appear on the permanent record." Changes in the first five days need no advisor approval and leave no trace. Use that week to settle your schedule.
Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.
Gus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Iowa State University. Tips checked against Iowa State's own pages in September 2026. Campus info last updated April 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides