Campus & Student Life at University of Northern Iowa

Home to about 8,289 undergraduates in 2020, UNI is a public university located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, UNI offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by UNI can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our UNI Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

UNI Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 7.0% of the student population at UNI. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit UNI Disability Services.

UNI for the Military

While not a "service academy", UNI does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit UNI Veteran Services . For more information, check out our UNI for Veterans Guide.

UNI offers On-Campus Day Care

For students with young families, UNI does offer some day care. Programs like this are often in very high demand, so be sure to inquire as soon as you can.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at University of Northern Iowa

UNI offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at University of Northern Iowa

There were 8,289 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 7,632 (92.1%). Part-time attendance was 657 (7.9%).

University of Northern Iowa is Ranked #2,108 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, UNI is less diverse than average in terms of overall diversity. We rank UNI #2108 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at UNI by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the UNI Diversity Guide.

University of Northern Iowa Competes in the NCAA

UNI has a total of 506 student athletes, 251 men and 255 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to University of Northern Iowa Athletics