International Students and Scholars Office

What 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, operating under the university's Dean of Students Office and located at 2229 Lincoln Way, 4530 Memorial Union, Ames, Iowa. The office serves the international student and scholar population at ISU, comprising F-1 and J-1 visa holders across undergraduate, graduate, transfer, and post-doctoral levels, and discharges federally defined Designated School Official / Responsible Officer functions including issuance of Form I-20 and DS-2019, travel signatures, Form I-9 employment eligibility verification, and SEVIS-related compliance maintenance.

Its service portfolio is structured around a small, defined catalog of core services — ISSO Quick Student Advising (walk-in and call-in), scheduled student appointments, scholar check-in, ISSO scholarships, immigration updates, taxes guidance for non-resident aliens, and travel signatures — alongside supplementary programs including the Cultural Ambassador Program, the English Together conversation-pairing initiative, and the U ST 1100 academic transition course. The product set is delivered as integrated student-support workflow rather than discrete commercial modules and is documented to be free of charge to its users.

Commercially, the ISSO does not operate a revenue model: it is a non-traded, government-affiliated cost center funded through ISU's institutional budget, with no external investors, no subscription pricing, and no independent P&L. Distribution is exclusively on-campus and direct, supported by an organic social presence on Instagram (@iowastateisso), Facebook (IowaStateISSO), and YouTube (@iowastateinternationalstud8837), plus discovery through the Dean of Students Office website and Iowa State portals. The office has 9 employees, no subsidiaries, no disclosed patents or certifications, and no M&A, partnership, or funding history in the source material.

Name

International Students and Scholars Office

Legal name

International Students and Scholars Office

Website

https://isso.iastate.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Students and Scholars Office is an administrative unit within Iowa State University that delivers immigration advising, SEVIS compliance, travel signatures, employment verification, tax guidance, and cultural programs to F-1 and J-1 international students and visiting scholars on the ISU campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Student Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Student Advising & Compliance (SEVIS/UKVI/IRCC) (EDALANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visa & Immigration Processing Support (I-20/DS-2019, visa letters, renewals) (EDALANAB), 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 advising
• Immigration compliance services
• Visa status management
• Cultural integration programs
• Employment eligibility verification

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) provides immigration advising and compliance support for F-1 and J-1 visa holders at Iowa State University, including visa status maintenance, Form I-9 employment eligibility verification, travel signature processing, and tax guidance for non-resident aliens. The office also delivers cultural integration programs such as the Cultural Ambassador Program, English Together language exchange, and the U ST 1100 transition course, plus scholarship resources for international students. All services are delivered free of charge as part of Iowa State University's student support infrastructure.

Product overview

International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is an institutional advising office at Iowa State University, not a commercial software product company. It provides a unified suite of student services and programs for international students (F-1 and J-1 visa holders) and visiting scholars. The core service portfolio includes advising appointments, immigration document processing (Form I-9, travel signatures), financial resources (scholarships), tax guidance, and compliance support. Supplementary programs include the Cultural Ambassador Program, English Together conversation practice, and U ST 1100 transition course. These services function as an integrated support system within the Dean of Students Office structure, rather than discrete software products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISSO Quick Student Advising Call-in and walk-in advising service available to international students Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., covering immigration, visa status, and academic matters.
• Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Employment eligibility verification service for international students and scholars seeking work authorization in the United States, completed via Form I-9 scheduling.
• ISSO Scholarships Financial scholarship programs and resources available specifically for international students enrolled at Iowa State University.
• Immigration Updates Information resource providing current immigration policy changes, regulatory updates, and compliance guidance for F-1 and J-1 visa holders.
• Scholar Check-In Check-in process for new and incoming international scholars to verify their immigration status and provide orientation to ISSO services.
• Student Appointments Scheduled one-on-one advising appointments for international students requiring personalized immigration or academic guidance.
• Taxes Resource Tax-related resources and guidance for international students and scholars, including information on filing requirements and tax treaty benefits for non-resident aliens.
• Travel Signatures Service for obtaining travel signatures on Form I-20 for F-1 students and DS-2019 for J-1 scholars, required for re-entry to the United States.
• Cultural Ambassador Program Program enabling international students to serve as cultural ambassadors, promoting cross-cultural understanding and global awareness on the Iowa State University campus.
• English Together Language support program pairing international students with native English speakers to improve English language proficiency through conversation practice.
• U ST 1100 Course Academic course designed to support international students in their transition to university life in the United States.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• MIT International Students Office: Direct peer: another U.S. public/private university office serving F-1 and J-1 international students and scholars with immigration advising, SEVIS compliance, and cultural programming.
• Stanford Bechtel International Center: Direct peer: university international student and scholar services office offering immigration advising, employment authorization support, and cultural integration programs.
• University of Illinois International Student and Scholar Services: Direct peer: Big Ten university office offering F-1/J-1 immigration advising, SEVIS compliance, and scholar services comparable to Iowa State's ISSO.
• University of Michigan International Center: Direct peer: Big Ten peer institution office providing immigration advising, tax services, cultural programming, and employment authorization support.
• NYU Office of Global Services: Direct peer: large private university office providing immigration, visa, and cultural support services to international students and scholars at scale.
• Columbia International Students and Scholars Office: Direct peer: Ivy League university office with a near-identical service mandate—immigration advising, SEVIS reporting, employment authorization, and scholar check-in.
• Harvard International Office: Direct peer: provides immigration advising, visa documentation, employment eligibility, and cross-cultural programs to Harvard's international students and scholars.
• UC Berkeley International Office: Direct peer: university office delivering SEVIS-based immigration advising, scholar services, and intercultural programs to F-1/J-1 students.
• University of Wisconsin–Madison International Student Services: Direct peer: Big Ten university international student services office providing F-1/J-1 advising, scholar services, and cross-cultural programming.
• University of Minnesota International Student and Scholar Services: Direct peer: Big Ten university office with overlapping immigration advising, scholar services, and cultural programming for international students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Students and Scholars Office