The University of Northern Iowa provides a high quality and diverse educational experience, purposefully guiding students to find and develop their strengths and prepare them for success after college. Building on its historic excellence in teacher education, the university has developed outstanding programs in business, natural sciences, humanities and fine arts, and social and behavioral sciences with advanced degrees available in many programs.
 
The University’s attractive size, approximately 12,000 students, allows UNI to offer faculty, facilities, and academic choices characteristic of a much larger university while retaining a friendly, small-college atmosphere on a park-like campus.  A rigorous liberal arts curriculum and experiential learning opportunities such as undergraduate research, internships, student teaching, international study programs, community service and cooperative education create a classroom connection with real-world experience.  Outside of the classroom, UNI's vibrant campus is home to more than 300 student clubs and organizations, 17 Division I collegiate sport teams, and a multitude of fine arts options.
 
UNI enjoys national recognition for its high educational standards and possesses a distinctive mission of being the comprehensive state university for Iowa with a specific focus on teacher education.  UNI has been recognized for the past 18 years as one of the "Best Midwest Universities" by U.S. News & World Report. The institution was also named to the 2014 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the sixth year and is one of the top 100 "Best Value Public Colleges," according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.  Located in Cedar Falls, the campus is comprised of more than 40 buildings and 940 acres. To learn more about UNI, visit www.uni.edu.
 
The metropolitan community of Cedar Falls/ Waterloo has a  combined population of nearly 110,000 residents.  The Cedar Valley offers a pleasant residential setting with a strong and growing industrial base.
 
There are many reasons why people choose to live, learn, work and play in the Cedar Valley. There are more than 110 miles of trails to explore, unique dining experiences, a symphony, hockey and baseball teams, playhouses, and annual citywide festivals and celebrations that show UNI students how much Cedar Falls/Waterloo appreciates the bond between the cities and university.