Housing for exchange students

As an exchange student, you are guaranteed a spot in university housing, though the type of housing to which you are assigned depends upon available space. You will find a description of several of the housing options below. Regardless of where you live on campus, you will experience a community of persons from diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. This environment gives you the opportunity to learn from other students in an atmosphere of understanding and mutual respect.

Housing contract

Complete the housing contract included in your packet (.pdf) and return it with the rest of your application materials.

The housing portion of your application will be forwarded to the Department of Residence after you have been accepted to Iowa State University. The Department of Residence will notify you of your status for university housing upon receipt of your contract.

Residence Halls

Richardson Court

Richardson Court residence halls are located on the east side of the Iowa State campus. Rooms are double-occupancy and are offered at the lowest rate on campus. High-speed Internet connection and cable television hookup are provided. Rooms are furnished, including study desk/chair, bed, chest of drawers, and clothes closet or wardrobe. Students provide their own telephones and pay for long distance phone calls. All other utilities are provided.

Services available within the Richardson Court residence hall neighborhood include residential dining centers, a convenience store, post offices, vending, laundry, recreation, and lounge/meeting space.

Residents of Linden-Devitt Hall are part of a unique experience, as they are paired with roommates from other countries in the cross-cultural house. If you are interested in participating in the cross-cultural program, please indicate a preference on your contract.

Buchanan Residence Hall

Upper-division single student residence hall housing is provided at Buchanan Hall, which includes both single and double suite style rooms for increased privacy. High-speed Internet connection and cable television hookup are provided. Students provide their own telephones and pay for long distance phone calls. All other utilities are provided.

The suites in Buchanan Hall are carpeted and furnished, including a lofted bed, desk with bookcase and file, soft seat desk chair, and a wardrobe/dresser combination unit (all are per resident). The newly remodeled double suites in Buchanan Hall have a sink in each room and share a toilet and shower with the adjacent room. Single-room suites share a bathroom (which includes a sink, toilet, and shower) with one other single room.

Student lounges and kitchenettes are available on most floors. Vending and laundry are also located in the building. Buchanan Hall also provides "Plus Break" housing to each resident at no additional charge, which means that students may stay in their rooms during the break between fall and spring semesters.

Frederiksen Court Apartments

Unmarried student apartment accommodations are available in Frederiksen Court, located on the north side of campus, in air-conditioned, single-gender, two-bedroom shared and four-bedroom single apartments (each apartment houses four students). Due to high demand for four-bedroom apartments, exchange students attending Iowa State for only one semester will only be eligible for housing in two-bedroom apartments.

Microwave, dishwasher, and garbage disposal, as well as a washer and dryer, are provided in each apartment. High-speed Internet connection and cable television hookup are provided. Students provide their own telephones, pay for long distance phone calls, and should also plan to provide for the upkeep/cleaning of the apartment. All other utilities are included.

The new Frederiksen Court Community Center houses a fitness center, amenities center with office equipment available for resident use, conference room, private dining room, and a retail dining facility and convenience store with indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor recreation facilities, including volleyball and basketball courts, are located on site.

ISU Dining

Students residing in the residence halls at Iowa State University are served nutritious all-you-care-to-eat meals in nearby dining centers. Students may select from a variety of meal plans (meals plans are required in all residence halls; optional in student apartments at Frederiksen Court).

Students who choose to live in the residence halls will be assigned automatically to the Cyclone 17 Plus meal plan, which allows students to eat any 17 meals per week and also receive 150 "Dining Dollar$" per semester (Dining Dollar$ are credits that allow you to make retail food purchases in addition to traditional meals). You may, however, change your meal plan to a smaller or larger plan once you arrive on campus if that is your preference.

There are also a number of retail dining options available on campus. Dining Dollar$ are available for purchase or as part of a meal plan, allowing students to make convenient purchases of meals, snacks, and convenience items without carrying cash.

For much more information on campus housing and dining, please see the Department of Residence at http://www.housing.iastate.edu.