What Resources Does the Iowa State Graduate College Website Offer to Current Graduate Students?

Updated

Current Iowa State graduate students can find three core resources on the Graduate College website: the Graduate Handbook, Student Forms, and Graduate Deadlines. These cover the practical side of graduate study — understanding policies, completing required paperwork, and meeting dates that govern milestones like thesis or dissertation completion. If you are a current student trying to resolve a policy question, submit a form, or check a deadline, these three sections are the fastest route.

The three core resources for current students

The site groups its current-student support around these entries:

Resource What it is for
Graduate Handbook Policies and expectations that govern graduate study
Student Forms Forms you need to submit at various stages of your program
Graduate Deadlines Dates and deadlines tied to graduate milestones

The site frames this section around a simple promise: "From understanding policies to writing your thesis or dissertation, we are here to help you attain your goals." That sentence maps directly onto the three resources — the Handbook for policy questions, Forms for procedural steps, and Deadlines for timing.

When to use each one

  • You have a question about a rule or requirement (for example, how a policy applies to your situation): start with the Graduate Handbook.
  • You need to file something (for example, a form required at a stage of your program): go to Student Forms.
  • You are planning around a milestone (for example, a thesis or dissertation deadline): check Graduate Deadlines before you commit to a date.

Because deadlines and policies can change, it is worth checking the Deadlines and Handbook sections periodically rather than relying on a version you saved earlier.

Other support the site points to

Beyond the three core entries, the Graduate College site also directs students to:

  • Professional development — described as opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to "actively shape your future career trajectory."
  • International student support — the site notes thousands of international students and hundreds of international faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars.
  • Community and belonging resources — including Principles of Community and general support for Cyclones.
  • News, honors, awards, and publications, plus an events calendar.

Events relevant to graduate school planning

The site's upcoming events include a workshop series on graduate school preparation and application, held at 0114 SICTR (Student Innovation Center):

  • Session 2: "Building your CV/Resume" — Thursday, Oct 01, 2026, 5:00–7:00 pm
  • Session 3: "Demystifying the Statement of Purpose" — Thursday, Oct 08, 2026, 5:00–7:00 pm
  • Session 4: "Selecting Your Future Graduate Program" — Thursday, Oct 15, 2026, 5:00–7:00 pm

These are oriented toward applicants and future students rather than current-student procedures, but they are listed on the same site and may be useful if you are advising others or planning ahead.

Quick starting point

If you are a current student with an immediate issue, decide which of the three categories it falls into — policy, form, or deadline — and go straight to that section. For anything that changes term to term, check back rather than assuming last year's information still applies.