The Pre-Arrival Webinar Series is an optional orientation resource. As a new international student, you'll receive the webinar series before you arrive on campus in Iowa City. The Pre-arrival Webinar Series will help you:
- Arrange your travel to, and adapt to living in Iowa City
- Understand and meet orientation expectations and responsibilities
- Transition successfully to student and academic life at the University of Iowa
Fall 2025 Session Descriptions and Recordings
These prerecorded presentations are intended to help you prepare for your arrival to the United States and the University of Iowa. If you have any additional questions about any presentation topic, please do not hesitate to attend Virtual Advising Hours to meet with an ISSS advisor.
1. Getting Started and Making Travel Arrangements
Content Experts/Presenters: International Student and Scholar Services
Session Description: Participants will learn about iHawk and MyUI – two systems that international students will use to start preparing for arrival to the University of Iowa. Presenters will also review in detail the Pre-arrival Checklist. The webinar session will also offer some helpful tips and recommendations for preparing for your travel to the United States and the University of Iowa.
2. Achieving Success: On-campus Involvement and Cultural Adjustment (undergraduate students)
Session Description: Participants will learn about the benefits and the opportunities to get involved on campus, and how involvement can help with cultural adjustment. Current international students will share their involvement experience on campus and highlight how this supported their adjustment.
3. Graduate Student Professionalization and Support
Session Description: Graduate students will learn about campus opportunities for professionalization and support. Presenters will give an overview of how and why to use UI professional development offices and introduce you to specialists that will support your efforts. Highlighted areas will include: writing and speaking about your research, grant writing (including travel grants), teaching support, and career development.
4. International Student Orientation
Content Experts/Presenters: International Student and Scholar Services
Session Description: Participants will learn about how to successfully participate in international student orientation.
5. English Placement Evaluation (EPE) and Spoken Proficiency of English in the Classoom (SPEC) Test
Content Experts/Presenters: English as a Second Language (ESL) Program
Session Description: Participants will hear about the English Placement Evaluation (EPE) and the Spoken Proficiency of English in the Classroom (SPEC) test.
6. On-campus Housing Assignments and Move-in Tips (undergraduate students)
Content Experts/Presenters: University Housing & Dining
Session Description: Participants will learn about on-campus housing application deadlines, how housing assignments work, about on-campus housing options at UI, and how you can select the housing appropriate for your needs. We will also go over the move-in process and tips applicable to international students.
7. Student Employment
Session Description: Participants will learn about finding employment opportunities both on- and off-campus. Participants will learn what authorization, if any, is needed to be employed as a student in the United States.
8. Money Matters - University Billing
Content Experts/Presenters: University Billing Office
Session Description: Participants will learn about University Bill (U-Bill), payment options, creating a guest account, and international student tax information.
9. International Student Health Insurance Requirements
Content Experts/Presenters: University Benefits Office
Session Description: Participants will learn about the requirements and options for health insurance.
10. Student Health, Wellness and Safety
Content Experts/Presenters: Student Health
Session Description: Participants will learn about healthcare services offered by Student Health and immunization and Tuberculosis (TB) screening requirements.
11. Mental Health and Counseling
Content Experts/Presenters: University Counseling Service
Session Description: Participants will learn about mental health services at the University of Iowa.
12. Preparing to be a Hawkeye (undergraduate students)
Content Experts/Presenters: Orientation Services
Session Description: Participants will learn about the Student Online Advising and Registration (SOAR) Page, placement tests, CSI:1600 Success at Iowa course, and On Iowa! experience.