Our biology program works hard to establish a sense of community within a large major. Here, you’ll find your people through an active learning community, informative first-year orientation classes, fun clubs and organizations, cutting-edge labs and courses, undergraduate research opportunities, helpful tutors, and more!  

Academic advisors

Our advising team is prepared to help you succeed at Iowa State and beyond. Our advisors teach the biology orientation courses, where they implement fun and informative activities to help you get to know your biology peers and faculty members. For those students seeking pre-health and pre-medical paths, our advisors are trained in your unique requirements and will partner with you to ensure you are meeting important deadlines.  

Our advising office is located in 103 Bessey Hall. Advising appointments are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We recommend you use Navigate to schedule advising appointments. To request an advisor change, contact Lauren Ramos.  

For questions about research, internships, and experiential learning opportunities, contact Norah Warchola.  

BEST Learning Community and orientation classes 

The Biology Education Success Teams (BEST) Learning Community helps you navigate your first year as a biology major and connects you with peers, faculty, and staff – inside and outside the classroom.  

You’ll also engage with other biology majors, peer mentors, faculty, and staff through the BIOL 1100 orientation course, where you’ll participate in community-building events, learn about campus resources, and explore courses and experiential learning opportunities that support your professional goals.  

If your career interests include pre-health, we offer an optional first-year course called The Sky’s the Limit. Led by faculty, this learning community-style course introduces you to additional health-focused career opportunities beyond medicine, which also includes lab experiences.  

Learn more about the BEST Learning Community

Biology Help Room and study rooms 

Tutors in the Biology Help Room, located in 110 Bessey Hall, are dedicated to helping you with BIOL 2110 and BIOL 2120 coursework. Free assistance is available Monday through Thursday, 3 to 6 p.m.  

The biology program also offers numerous study spaces in Bessey Hall, which are key card protected. Here, you can study quietly by yourself and collaborate with small groups. These spaces are available to all biology, genetics, and environmental science majors. The atrium of Bessey Hall is often buzzing with students, either studying together or simply socializing.  

Scholarships  

You will not only receive academic support in our biology program, but you may also qualify for financial assistance through several scholarship opportunities from both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. You can apply for these and other college and university scholarships through OneApp. 

Additional scholarships are available for study abroad trips and undergraduate research experiences in both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

Learn more about scholarships

The university provides a comprehensive network of academic support, health and safety resources, and supportive communities.