Student Support
Your Support System
We’re proud of our Biochemistry team and look forward to helping you explore your passions. Here, you’ll have a dedicated Academic Advisor, Student Services Specialist, Faculty Mentor Program, Learning Community, and Peer Mentors. And that’s just within our department! You’ll have support through other affiliations like your College (CALS or LAS), Residence Hall (if applicable), and other ISU programs you may be part of such as Honors or WiSE. Graduate students work directly with their major professor who acts as both their research and academic advisor, while also benefiting from faculty and peer mentors through the Graduate Learning Community
Support to help you stand out
We want to help you distinguish yourself both inside and outside the classroom. Our program provides high-impact ways to help you stand out all within a supportive department community.
Conduct Undergraduate Research
Apply for one of our research scholarships or awards, conduct research for credit, or apply to get a taste of full-time research in the BBMB Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Share your work at Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium, the first national undergraduate-run research symposium—founded right here at ISU by Biochemistry majors. Your research journey might even develop to presenting at national conferences, like Braden Lewis (‘24 Biochemistry), or co-authoring an academic paper, like these biochemistry undergrads did!
Get Involved in Leadership
Join Biochemistry Club or the Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium Planning Committee. Here you can meet like-minded students, bring exciting researchers to give talks at Stupka Symposium, take on interesting projects like website design or developing outreach ideas, and have fun while developing your leadership portfolio.
Showcase Standout Skills
Biochemistry majors may earn micro-credentials from the Pathways Program in Innovation + Leadership. This thoughtful and rapidly expanding program is available to all biochemistry majors and offers a free, accessible way to supplement your coursework with digital badges that get attention from recruiters and grad schools.
Scholarships
In addition to scholarships offered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, we recommend using the Iowa State University One App system to apply for a variety of other scholarships and grants. The deadlines for each scholarship varies with the award.
Undergraduate scholarships
Financial support and benefits for graduate students
Career Information
Detailed information on careers can be found on the Career Planning page. Find salary ranges for some of the most popular occupations within biochemistry.
Don't forget that the support of LAS Career Services or CALS Career Services is available to you. From creating your first resume to finding your first internship or negotiating a job offer, the career services teams will help you jump start your career, before you graduate.
Connections
You’ll find support from your peers, faculty, and staff when you join a learning community. Learn about your path of study, on-campus resources and activities, and future careers. You’ll connect with faculty and students through activities both in and outside the classroom and collaborate with a peer mentor.
Connect with other students developing innovative and entrepreneurial skills in the Start Something CALS or Start Something LAS Academy. Or find other students with similar interests in any of Iowa State’s hundreds of student organizations.
Connect and Thrive
Iowa State is a big university with a close-knit, caring community that provides access to resources that support and enrich your learning, working, and living experience.
The university provides a comprehensive network of academic support, health and safety resources, and supportive communities.