University of Iowa International Programs

09/03/2026

This summer, Iowa students explored ancient Greece firsthand!

From Athens and the Acropolis to Delphi and Olympia, students spent three weeks learning about the language, history, art, archaeology, and culture of ancient Greece through a study abroad program led by UI professor Deb Trusty. 🇬🇷

08/31/2026

Join us at the University of Iowa Study Abroad Fair
Tuesday, September 15, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. IMU International Ballroom

Learn about semester-long, short-term, and faculty-led study abroad programs all over the world. Connect with study abroad advisors, faculty program directors, former participants, and academic advisors to see how international experiences can enhance your time at UI!

08/24/2026

University of Iowa graduate student Lionel Zaccardi traveled to Belgium and France with support from a Stanley Award for International Research to study the art of punchcutting, the traditional craft of engraving the metal punches used to create type.

At the Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp, they handled punches made by 16th-century masters, some nearly 450 years old. Lionel then met with master punchcutters in France who shared techniques and feedback on their own work, experience that will directly inform their thesis at the University of Iowa Center for the Book

08/21/2026

08/20/2026

Here's to making Iowa City feel like home. Welcome to our new international students! 🌍💛

08/17/2026

🎬✨ An International Travel Award took Assistant Professor Cathy Parrott straight to a Netflix film set!

This summer, Cathy worked as an assistant costume designer on Hannibal, starring Denzel Washington and directed by Antoine Fuqua. At Rome's historic Cinecittà Studios, she researched ancient Roman clothing, drawing on resources from the University of Iowa libraries to help bring the film's historical costumes to life.

In Venice, she explored historic textiles, garments, masks, and decorative arts, gathering inspiration she's now sharing with her students back at Iowa. 🇮🇹

📸: Cathy Parrott

08/12/2026

What can a writer learn by living like a monk?

MFA student Benjamin Marra spent two months in France and Germany with support from a Stanley Graduate Award for International Research, studying monastic life and historic monasteries. His research culminated in a week-long silent retreat at a Carthusian monastery, where he experienced monastic life firsthand.

The experience will help shape the novel that will become his MFA thesis.

📸: Benjamin Marra at Mont Saint-Michel

08/06/2026

Associate provost and dean of International Programs Russ Ganim joined Iowa students in Iceland this summer for an interdisciplinary expedition that brought together global learning and hands-on research. 🇮🇸

Students collaborated across disciplines to launch weather balloons, collect atmospheric data, and gain experiences that will last a lifetime. 🔬

08/03/2026

With support from an International Travel Award, assistant professor Sam Young, from the University of Iowa School of Music, traveled to Istanbul, Türkiye this summer to share his research and creative work with an international audience.

Alongside fellow Hawkeyes, he led a hands-on workshop where participants transformed passages from Virginia Woolf's writing into original violin compositions, bringing stories to life through music. 🎻🌍

07/30/2026

How do artists keep centuries-old traditions alive while pushing them in new directions? 🎨

MFA student Jesus Santa Cruz traveled to La Ceiba Gráfica in Veracruz, Mexico, with support from a Stanley Graduate Award for International Research to study innovative lithography techniques. Learning from expert printmakers and experimenting with locally sourced materials, Jesus gained hands-on experience that will shape his MFA thesis and future career in printmaking and education.