Study abroad at Des Moines

Des Moines is the thriving capital and economic heartbeat of Iowa, situated at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, celebrated as the 'Insurance Capital of America' and one of the top financial and agritech centers in the world (home to Principal Financial Group, Wells Fargo, EMC Insurance, Corteva Agriscience, and John Deere Financial). Des Moines is acclaimed for its golden-domed Iowa State Capitol, Pappajohn Sculpture Park, lively East Village cultural district, the famous Drake Relays track and field event, and for offering one of the highest qualities of life and lowest costs of living in the United States (ranked #1 Best Place for Young Professionals by Forbes). Des Moines is home to premier higher education institutions: Drake University (founded in 1881, prestigious private university with over 5,000 students, ranked in the US top 100, celebrated for the Zimpleman College of Business - AACSB-accredited leader in Actuarial Science, Finance, and Data Analytics, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences - Doctor of Pharmacy PharmD with 100% residency match, Drake Law School - famous for the First-in-the-Nation Iowa Caucuses and Agricultural Law, and School of Journalism & Mass Communication), alongside Des Moines University Medicine & Health Sciences (DMU - premier osteopathic medical school founded in 1898 offering accredited DO, DPT, and DPM medical degrees on its new $250m West Des Moines campus), Grand View University, and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from exceptional actuarial and corporate financial internship pipelines, generous merit scholarships, low Midwestern living costs, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Des Moines for international undergraduate students at Drake University range between $51,500 and $53,800 per academic year for Actuarial Science, Data Analytics, Zimpleman Business, Computer Science, and Pre-Pharmacy (with Drake University offering generous international merit scholarships such as the Presidential Scholarship awarding $22,000 to $32,000/year to qualified international applicants, bringing net tuition down to approx. $19,000–$29,000/year). At Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), tuition is approx. $11,500/year. Postgraduate Master's and professional degrees (MBA, MS in Business Analytics) range from $16,000 to $28,000 per year. On-campus university residence halls (Drake Goodwin-Judkins, Stalnaker, Carpenter Hall) cost between $750 and $1,250 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Drake Neighborhood, Beaverdale, Downtown Des Moines, and East Village range from $600 to $1,050 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $750 and $1,250.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards), the International Student Services Office (Drake ISSO) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).