Graduate Student Life & Community

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Map of the midwest US, showing distances to Iowa City, IA from nearby major metropolitan areas.Some interesting notes, including facts and figures, about the University of Iowa and the Iowa City area:

  • more than 30,000 undergraduate and professional students from 100 countries around the world attend the University of Iowa.
  • 2200+ international students are enrolled at the University of Iowa.
  • Iowa City is located within 270 miles of Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, and St. Louis.
  • The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is approximately a 25-minute drive from campus.
  • During the academic year, the Iowa City area contains more than 90,000 people (including students).
  • Iowa City has more bookshops, coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, galleries, artisan shops, and movie theatres in its downtown area than are found in cities many times its size.
  • The university's Cambus bus system provides free bus rides for students and the general public.

The Iowa City area is consistently ranked as one of the best cities among many publications including the following:

  • the 1st most livable metropolitan area by Editor and Publisher.
  • one of the best places to live according to a "2015 Best Towns competition" by Outside magazine.
  • the "Healthiest Town in the United States" by Men's Journal (February 2010).
  • the 3rd most educated area in the United States by USA Today.
  • one of Kiplinger's "Top Ten Smartest Cities."
  • the 5th best small town in which to work by Forbes magazine.

Events and Attractions in Iowa City

Hancher Auditorium brings the world's finest musicians, dancers, actors, and entertainers to the University. It is part of the Iowa Center for the Arts, which includes the Museum of Art and cultural/educational programs in music, theater, art and art history, dance, and literary arts.

Iowa City is alive with festivals and ethnic celebrations. Music, drama, and dance can be found on stage or on street corners. Sculptures adorn campus green spaces and plazas, and works by local artists and craftspeople entice visitors to outdoor markets.

The University can help put enthusiasts on cross-country skis or in a sailboat. Weight lifting, tennis, fencing, the martial arts, handball, soccer, rugby, football, spelunking, horseback riding, gymnastics, and golf are all available and convenient. The University's Macbride Nature Recreation Area, just 15 miles from campus, offers hiking, cross-country skiing, sailing, and canoeing. The University fields 10 varsity teams each for men and women. Iowa is a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference, and University teams, from field hockey to football, enjoy fan support from the community and a large region of the state.

Hancher Auditorium
Iowa City/Coralville Events and Attractions
University of Iowa Athletics
 

Helpful Iowa City Links

The University of Iowa
The UI Grad Guide
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)
Office of Student Life
City of Iowa City's Summer of the Arts
Iowa's Cultural Corridor Alliance
Old Capitol Cultural District
Iowa City / Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau
UI Off-Campus Housing Services Website
Compare the Cost-of-Living in Iowa City to other communities