Drake University
Des Moines, IA · “Drake”
- National University
- Private
- Urban campus
- Cold climate
Known for: Business/Management/Marketing, Communication/Journalism, Biological Sciences
A private research university in Des Moines, IA. About 64 of every 100 applicants get in. It gives need-based aid and merit scholarships to international students.
If you apply from Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar → Des Moines
- English: TOEFL 71 · IELTS 6 · Duolingo 105
- Early Action deadline: Dec 1
- US News National
- #183
- Forbes
- #287
- After the average intl award
- Not published by the school
- Full price before aid: ≈$68k/yr
- Admit rate
- 64%
- of applicants get in
- Undergrads
- 2,543
- 4.2% international
- Next deadline
- Dec 1
- Early Action
Plus shows 2 more facts about this school ↓
Getting in
About 64% of applicants are admitted. It is test-optional, so you do not have to send SAT or ACT scores, though strong ones still help.
- Test policy
- Test-optional, for international students too
- Admit rate for internationals
- Not published by the school
- SAT, middle 50%
- 1110–1350
- ACT, middle 50%
- 24–29
- Early Action
- Dec 1
- Regular Decision
- Mar 1
- TOEFL iBT minimum
- 71
- TOEFL iBT 71 overall. IB HL English 5-7 or A/B also accepted
- IELTS minimum
- 6
- Duolingo (DET) minimum
- 105
- Duolingo 105; PTE 48 also accepted
- SAT or ACT can replace the English test
- Yes
Cost & aid
Full price is about $68k a year before aid. The school does not publish what internationals pay after aid.
- Tuition & fees $52k
- Room & board $12k
- Other fees $2k
- Health insurance $1k
- Cost after the average intl award
- Not published by the school
- Aid for internationals
- Need-based and merit
Asking for aid
They decide whether to admit you without looking at your ability to pay, so asking for financial aid does not lower your chances.- Part of the admission decision (need-aware)
Covers all proven need
If they admit you, they cover the full gap between what your family can pay and the total cost, usually with grants you do not repay.- Not published by the school
- Internationals who get aid
- Not published by the school
- Biggest merit scholarship for internationals
- Average award for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Yearly aid budget for internationals
- Not published by the school
- Application fee
- Free
- No application fee at all.
- Local living costs
- 82.4 (New York = 100)
- Day-to-day costs are moderate for the US.
What Plus shows for this school
Biggest merit scholarship for internationals
Its name, top amount, what it covers and whether it renews.
Majors with the STEM work extension
How many majors let you work in the US for up to 3 years after graduating.
And for you: Fledge's read for you · Is your list balanced?
Requirements, full prices, deadlines and warnings stay free for everyone. Cancel Plus any time. Compare plans
Work & visa
OPT lets graduates work in the US for a year after graduation, and STEM majors can add two more years.
- Study
- OPT 1 year
- STEM OPT +2 years
- Majors with the STEM work extension
- CPT internships
- Yes
- Work off campus in your field while you study
- On-campus jobs
- Yes
- Earn while enrolled, no extra visa needed
- Adviser for international students
- Yes
- Immigration and visa support on campus
- Undergraduate research
- Yes
- Co-op built into the curriculum
- No
- IB or A-level credit recognised
- Yes
- Your diploma can earn course credit
- Visa compliance record
- No known SEVIS issues on record
Life & outcomes
84% of first-year students return for a second year. 74% graduate within six years. Graduates start around $58k a year. About 4.2% of undergraduates are international.
- Median starting salary
- $58,233
- All graduates, all majors. Your field will vary.
- Undergraduates
- 2,543
- International undergraduates
- 107
- Share that is international
- 4.2%
- Countries represented
- 50
Similar universities
- University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN · #20 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL · #132 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY · #64 US News · Merit aid
- Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX · #97 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · #17 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- University of RochesterRochester, NY · #46 US News · Need-based and merit aid
Where this comes from
36% of this school's fields are individually verified. Last checked Jul 2, 2026. Figures are for guidance, so always confirm on the school's official pages before you rely on them.
Data sources
- Main source
- College Scorecard (06/2026 release); Intl-aid/CoL batch (2026-06): Numbeo CoL Index; need-blind list per Wikipedia+aggregators; B5/D3 batch (2026-07): co-op per institutional programs; I-20 industry-norm default; SEVIS none-known default; English-req/test-policy: official intl-admissions pages (2026-07); IntlMisc (countries/SHIP/funnel/outcomes): official intl/ISSS/career pages (2026-07); Programs: IPEDS/Scorecard PCIP (Most-Recent-Cohorts, 2024) [Jul 1, 2026]; STEM-OPT %: DHS STEM List 2024 (6-digit) × Scorecard programs (4-digit CIP, split families adj.) [Jul 1, 2026]; Fee-waiver verified vs official admissions page [Jul 1, 2026]; AppFee verified Jul 1, 2026 (official); Deadlines verified Jul 2, 2026 (official)
Sound like a fit?
Add it to your list and its deadlines join your plan.