Iowa State University - International Students and Scholars Office

What Iowa State University - International Students and Scholars Office does

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is an administrative department within Iowa State University of Science and Technology (a public land-grant university established 1858), operating under the university's Dean of Students Office and headquartered at 4530 Memorial Union, Ames, Iowa. ISSO is the SEVP-certified designated office (School Code: OMA214F00163000) responsible for delivering immigration services to the university's F-1 and J-1 international students and J-1/H-1B international scholars and employees. The office employs approximately 8 staff, including seven international student advisors assigned by college/major and one I-9 processing contact.

ISSO's core services span three visa-based tracks: F-1 student services (I-20 issuance, Curricular Practical Training, Optional Practical Training with 12-month standard and 24-month STEM extension authorization, program extensions, and travel signatures), J-1 student and scholar services (DS-2019 issuance, Academic Training of up to 18 months for bachelor's/master's and 36 months for doctoral students, J-2 dependent work authorization), and H-1B scholar services (status changes, extensions, travel, and dependent support). Document requests are processed through the CyStart/Cystart online portal (authenticated via ISU NetID) with 10-working-day SLAs on OPT/Academic Training I-20 recommendations and 1-2 business days on travel signatures. Employment eligibility verification is completed through Workday per IRCA requirements, and scholars are checked in via SignUpGenius-scheduled sessions. Supplementary services include need-based scholarship administration (Global Scholars Award for Retention, International Impact Scholarships, Cyclone Success Assistance emergency funds), tax guidance, scam awareness resources, and referrals to CyHire for career support including Big Interview and GoinGlobal.

ISSO is not a commercial entity and generates no independent revenue. Funding flows from the Iowa State University Dean of Students Office budget and from international differential tuition revenue, with the scholarship program partially supported by differential tuition. Pricing is non-commercial: basic services are bundled into university student fees, scholarships are need-based, and only third-party pass-through fees apply to specific federal filings (e.g., $520 J-2 work permission application, $1,780 USCIS OPT premium processing). Customer concentration is structurally absolute: ISSO's only served population is the international student and scholar community of a single university.

Name

Iowa State University - International Students and Scholars Office

Legal name

International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) - Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Website

https://isso.dso.iastate.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is Iowa State University's SEVP-certified administrative office providing immigration advising, I-20/DS-2019 document services, OPT/STEM OPT/CPT employment authorization, travel signatures, Form I-9 verification, and scholarship administration for ISU's F-1, J-1, and H-1B international students and scholars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education International Student Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Visa & Immigration Processing Support (I-20/DS-2019, visa letters, renewals) (EDALANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Student Employment & Practical Training Support (CPT/OPT/AT, work authorization guidance) (EDALANAF), International Student Travel, Re-entry & Document Services (travel signatures, re-entry guidance) (EDALANAG), Student Immigration Status Maintenance & Reporting Support (EDAIADAG)

Keywords

• International student services
• Immigration advising
• Visa document processing
• Employment authorization
• Scholarship administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. University Funding: ISSO is funded through Iowa State University Dean of Students Office budget and student fees. Scholarship funding is partially supported by international differential tuition rate.
2. Scholarship Administration: ISSO administers need-based scholarships and emergency funds for international students. A portion of scholarship funding comes from international differential tuition rate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ISSO provides immigration advising and document services for F-1 international students, J-1 exchange visitors, and H-1B scholars at Iowa State University, including issuance and maintenance of I-20 and DS-2019 forms, employment authorization processing (CPT, OPT, STEM OPT, Academic Training), travel signatures, Form I-9 employment eligibility verification, and administration of need-based scholarships and emergency funds. Services are delivered at the 4530 Memorial Union office in Ames, Iowa and through the CyStart/Cystart online portal, with direct coordination with USCIS, the Department of State, and the SEVP Portal.

Product overview

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) at Iowa State University is an administrative office providing immigration-related services and support for international students and scholars. The office offers a comprehensive suite of services organized around visa status types: F-1 student services (including CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT), J-1 student and scholar services (including Academic Training), and H-1B scholar services. Core functions include processing immigration documents (I-20 and DS-2019), providing travel signatures, conducting Form I-9 employment verification, managing scholar check-ins, and administering scholarships and emergency funds. Document processing and requests are handled through the Cystart internal system, while employment authorization applications are filed through the USCIS myUSCIS portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• F-1 Student Services Comprehensive immigration services for F-1 international students including document collection, Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT extensions, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), on-campus employment, program extensions, and travel signatures.
• J-1 Student and Scholar Services Immigration support for J-1 exchange visitors and students including Academic Training (pre and post-completion), DS-2019 document processing, J-2 dependent work authorization, and travel signatures.
• H-1B Scholar Services Support for H-1B visa scholars including status information, extensions, changes in employment terms, travel outside the U.S., H-4 dependent information, and change of address reporting.
• Form I-9 Employment Verification Employment eligibility verification processing for international students and scholars (F-1, J-1, J-2, H-1B, TN, O-1 statuses). International employees complete Form I-9 with ISSO, while US citizens complete with University Human Resources.
• Travel Signature Services Processing of travel signatures for immigration documents (I-20 for F-1, DS-2019 for J-1). Signatures verify student enrollment and status for reentry into the U.S. F-1 signatures valid for 12 months; J-1 travel signatures valid for 6 months.
• Scholar Check-In Orientation and check-in process for new international scholars. Unpaid scholars schedule at 8:45 a.m.; paid scholars on ISU payroll schedule at 10:15 a.m., with sessions available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
• Academic Training (J-1) Academic learning experience allowing J-1 students to apply theoretical knowledge in business settings. Pre-completion AT available during studies; post-completion AT available within 30 days of program completion. Duration limits: 18 months for bachelor's/master's, 36 months for doctoral.
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) 12-month period of work authorization for F-1 students to apply classroom knowledge professionally. Employment must be directly related to student's major. 90 days maximum unemployment allowed. Students apply up to 90 days prior to program completion through USCIS.
• STEM OPT Extension 24-month extension of post-completion OPT for F-1 students who completed STEM-designated degree programs. Requires employer E-Verify enrollment and Form I-983 Training Plan. Maximum 150 days total unemployment (90 + 60 extension days). Reporting required every 6 months.
• ISSO Scholarships and Emergency Funds Financial support for international students including Global Scholars Award for Retention, International Impact Scholarship (Kennedy-Nehru Memorial Scholarship, Marie and Binford Spencer International Scholarship, Mario Gutierrez Award), and Cyclone Success Assistance emergency funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standard OPT provides 12 months of post-completion work authorization; STEM OPT extends this by 24 months; Academic Training provides up to 18 months for bachelor's/master's and 36 months for doctoral students
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)coreOthersISSO coordinates with USCIS for employment authorization documents (EAD), OPT/STEM OPT processing, change of status applications, and I-9 employment verification compliance. All international employee I-9 verification is completed through ISSO per IRCA requirements.
• U.S. Department of State (SEVP/Exchange Visitor Program)coreOthersISSO operates as Iowa State University's designated office for SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) certification and J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsorship, maintaining SEVIS records for all international students and scholars.
• WorkdaycoreTechnology or IntegrationISSU uses Workday for electronic Form I-9 completion for all student and non-student employees hired after November 6, 1986, in compliance with IRCA requirements.
• E-VerifycoreTechnology or IntegrationSTEM OPT employers must be enrolled in E-Verify program as required by USCIS regulations for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
• Iowa State University Dean of Students OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISSO operates under the Dean of Students Office at Iowa State University, providing institutional support and administrative framework for international student and scholar services.
• ISU Career Services NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISSO partners with multiple ISU Career Services offices (Engineering, Business, Agriculture, Design, etc.) to provide specialized career guidance for international students seeking CPT/OPT employment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: The principal US professional association for international educators, including university international student offices like ISSO. NAFSA sets regulatory advocacy direction, training standards, and best practices that directly shape how ISSO operates.
• INTO University Partnerships: Private-sector provider of international student pathway programs and support services that partners with US universities — adjacent to ISSO's international student support mission and a potential alternative delivery model for the same student population.

Direct peers

• Ohio State University Office of International Affairs: Big Ten peer institution with a comparable centralized international student and scholar services function, providing the same F-1/J-1 advising, immigration document services, and OPT/STEM OPT processing as ISU's ISSO.
• Purdue University International Students and Scholars: Purdue's designated SEVP-certified office for F-1/J-1 student and scholar services, with comparable scale, STEM-heavy international population, and the same advisory, OPT/STEM OPT, and I-9 service mix as ISU's ISSO.
• University of Iowa International Student and Scholar Services: Operates the analogous SEVP-certified international student and scholar services function at the University of Iowa, providing identical F-1/J-1 immigration advising, I-20/DS-2019 issuance, OPT/STEM OPT processing, and scholar check-ins — making it the closest functional peer within the Big Ten.
• Cornell University International Services: Comparable SEVP-certified international student and scholar services office at a research-intensive university, providing directly overlapping F-1/J-1 immigration advising, OPT/STEM OPT, and scholar support functions.
• Michigan State University Office for International Students and Scholars: Big Ten peer operating a directly comparable SEVP-certified international students and scholars office with similar F-1/J-1 immigration advising, OPT/STEM OPT, and scholar employment support services.
• University of Minnesota International Student and Scholar Services: Big Ten peer institution operating a similarly structured SEVP-certified international student and scholar services office with comparable F-1/J-1 advising, OPT processing, and H-1B scholar support responsibilities.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison International Student Services: Big Ten peer operating a directly comparable SEVP-certified international student services function with overlapping F-1/J-1 advising, OPT/STEM OPT processing, and scholar check-in responsibilities.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign International Student and Scholar Services: Large Big Ten peer with a comparable SEVP-certified ISSS office serving a STEM-heavy international population with the same F-1/J-1 advising, OPT/STEM OPT, and scholar employment authorization services as ISU's ISSO.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@iowastateinternationalstud8837
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaStateISSO
• Instagraminstagram.com/iowastateisso
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-state-university-international-students-and-scholars-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Iowa State University - International Students and Scholars Office