The University of Iowa and the Iowa City area:

• has 29,000 students from 100 countries around the world,
• has 2200 international students,
• is located within 270 miles of Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, and St. Louis,
• Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is a 25 minute drive from campus,
• contains 90,000 people,
• is ranked the 1st most livable metropolitan area by Editor and Publisher,
• is ranked the 3rd most educated area in the United States by USA Today,
• is one of Kiplinger's "Top Ten Smartest Cities",
• is ranked the 5th best small town in which to work by Forbes magazine,
• provides a free bus rides on the Campus bus system,
• and has more bookshops, coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, galleries, artisan shops and movie theatres in its downtown area than are found in cities many times its size.

Check out an article about Iowa City from the NY Times travel section.

Hancher Auditorium brings the world's finest musicians, dancers, actors, and entertainers to the University. It is part of the Iowa Center for the Arts, which includes the Museum of Art and cultural/educational programs in music, theater, art and art history, dance, and literary arts.

Iowa City is alive with festivals and ethnic celebrations. Music, drama, and dance can be found on stage or on street corners. Sculptures adorn campus green spaces and plazas, and works by local artists and craftspeople entice visitors to outdoor markets.

The University can help put enthusiasts on cross-country skis or in a sailboat. Weight lifting, tennis, fencing, the martial arts, handball, soccer, rugby, football, spelunking, horseback riding, gymnastics, and golf are all available and convenient. The University's Macbride Nature Recreation Area, just 15 miles from campus, offers hiking, cross-country skiing, sailing, and canoeing. The University fields 10 varsity teams each for men and women. Iowa is a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference, and University teams, from field hockey to football, enjoy fan support from the community and a large region of the state.