College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2021 Best Colleges in Iowa for Students from Canada

11 Colleges
$28,315 Avg Tuition & Fees*
42% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

It's not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for international students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Our analysis looked at 11 schools in Iowa to determine which ones were the best for Canadian students in Iowa. To come up with this ranking, we look at a number of factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include the school's overall quality as determined by our Best Colleges ranking and the percentage of international students on campus.

See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.

Customizing Your List

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
Other Rankings Narrow by Field of Study

We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to online students or returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Top Colleges in Iowa for Students from Canada

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

1

Our 2021 rankings named Iowa State University the best school for Canadian students in Iowa working on their bachelor’s degree. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6,998 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 8.1% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at Iowa State are China, India, and Malaysia.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Iowa State University

2
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

Out of the 11 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 5,998 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 5.9% are international. Students from as far away as China, South Korea, and India come to Iowa to study.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full University of Iowa Report

3
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, IA

Out of the 11 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Drake University landed the #3 spot on the list. Drake is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Des Moines, Iowa. It awarded 838 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.4% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Drake come from such countries as Malaysia, China, and Vietnam.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Drake University Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #4 in this year’s ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 2,555 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 3.5% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as Saudi Arabia, China, and Mexico come to UNI to study.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full University of Northern Iowa Report

5

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Saint Ambrose University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for Canadian students in Iowa. St. Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davenport, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 626 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.3% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at St. Ambrose University are Saudi Arabia, India, and United Kingdom.

Full Saint Ambrose University Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Maharishi International University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa. MIU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fairfield, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 134 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 42.6% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Nepal, Ethiopia, and China come to MIU to study.

Read full report on Maharishi International University

7

Emmaus Bible College landed the #7 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 77 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Around 2.1% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Emmaus Bible College come from such countries as Canada, South Korea, and India.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Emmaus Bible College Report

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Dubuque did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa. UD is located in Dubuque, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 423 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Of the total number of students at the school, 4.8% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at UD are Saudi Arabia, China, and Taiwan.

Read full report on University of Dubuque

9

Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa ranking, coming in at #9. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Lamoni, Iowa, and it awarded 289 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 4.1% are international. Students studying at Graceland Lamoni come from such countries as Canada, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Full Graceland University - Lamoni Report

10
Waldorf crest
Waldorf University
Forest City, IA

Waldorf University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa ranking. Forest City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 540 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 2.8% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Waldorf come from such countries as Canada, Brazil, and Germany.

Read More…

11

William Penn University landed the #11 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Canadian Students in Iowa. William Penn University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Oskaloosa, Iowa that handed out 214 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 5.0% are international. Students from as far away as United Kingdom, Rwanda, and Australia come to William Penn University to study.

Read full report on William Penn University

Best Colleges for International Students in the Plains States Region

View Best Colleges for International Students Nationwide >

More Rankings >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*Avg Tuition and Fees and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 11 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options