Public university in Cedar Falls training educators and leaders since 1876.
UNI offers more than 160 majors, minors, and certificates across five colleges: Wilson College of Business, Education, Humanities/Arts/Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Graduate College. The university emphasizes teacher training and educator preparation, reflecting its founding mission. Notable academic programs include business, engineering, computer science, education, and sciences. UNI is a space-grant institution and active member of the University of the Arctic, supporting international research and education initiatives.
The Study Abroad Center provides access to 25+ countries and 40+ programs for all students. UNI hosts the Culture and Intensive English Program (CIEP) for non-native speakers preparing for undergraduate or graduate study. The university publishes The North American Review, a prestigious literary magazine founded in Boston in 1815, featuring past contributors including Mark Twain, Henry James, and Kurt Vonnegut. UNI also operates a Teaching and Research Greenhouse with botanical gardens and an Aquatic Learning Center.
The 900-acre campus in Cedar Falls features the UNI-Dome (football venue), McLeod Center (basketball/volleyball arena), and Rod Library. Student life includes fraternities, sororities, and culturally-based Greek chapters. The Northern Iowan serves as the student newspaper. Public transportation via Metropolitan Transit Authority provides student access to Cedar Falls and Waterloo for $0.75 per ride with student ID.
UNI Panthers compete in NCAA Division I: Missouri Valley Conference (most sports), Big 12 Conference (wrestling), and Missouri Valley Football Conference (football/FCS). The men's basketball team made the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2010 after defeating top-seeded Kansas, earning the ESPY Award for Best Upset. The football team went undefeated 11–0 in 2007 and appeared in the I-AA championship game in 2005. Notable alumni include NFL MVP Kurt Warner and Defensive Player of the Year Bryce Paup.
Alumni include U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, NFL MVP Kurt Warner, professional basketball coach Nick Nurse, and professional football player David Johnson. Faculty have included poet James Hearst, composer Jeremy Beck, and author Robert James Waller. The university has produced successful coaches in college football and basketball, including Chris Klieman and Norm Stewart.