Department of Mechanical Engineering

Welcome to campus and to our program!

All incoming students should plan to arrive on campus the week before classes start in order to attend orientation sessions. Once you arrive on campus, immediately go to the ME Graduate Programs Office in 2019 Black to pickup your welcome packet and to obtain specific instructions for important matters such as payroll.

Please click here to see a checklist of tasks to complete when you arrive. Please allow one day to get your ISUCard, an ISU email account and sign up for payroll.

Please plan to attend the following orientation sessions.

ME Department Orientation: All new students must attend the ME orientation session that is held Friday before classes start.

Basic Safety Orientation: All M.S. and Ph.D. students must attend Basic Safety training presented by the Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) during the week prior to start of classes. This is a mandatory training required under state and federal law for all new employees and for any employees who have not received prior ISU training.  More information can be found in the welcome package.  The package also lists additional mandatory web-based training that new students must complete during the first semester.

New Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation: In addition, students on a teaching assistantship should plan to attend orientation seminars for teaching assistants conducted by the Center foor Excellence in Teaching and Learning.  Find out more including on how to register here. International students who will be TAs must take the English Placement and SPEAK/TEACH test before they can begin their duties.

International Student orientations: International students should check with International Students and Scholars Office (ISS) for additional orientations. (http://www.isso.iastate.edu/Pre_Arrival/).

Students need to be signed up for payroll no later than early morning on the 15th of the month to get a paycheck for that month.  Paychecks are issued the last working day of the month.

Signing up for payroll requires that you have two forms of identification.  They include a federal or state photo ID/driver’s license, and social security card or certified birth certificate or a passport. 

NOTE:  You must be registered for classes in order for you to be placed on appointment.  Even if you have not decided on all classes, register for research credits (M E 699).  You can change your class selection once you are here and able to talk to faculty members.

From the time that you arrive and under the best of circumstances, your first paycheck for your assistantship or fellowship can be between two weeks to a month after you arrive.  Further, since your appointment will typically start on the 16th of the month, for example for the Fall semester, your first paycheck will only be for two weeks. 

Please plan accordingly so that you have enough cash for up to one month.  If you are planning to stay in an apartment, this can include two months of rent, food, books, and at least one third of the tuition payment.

Contact the ISU Admissions Office if you want additional information to estimate these costs or go to the Admissions Office website for graduate students and click on the Financing Graduate Education link.

Incoming graduate students can register before classes begin by clicking on AccessPlus from the ISU homepage.  Use your birthdate (mm/dd) and social security number.  The Schedule of Classes is online.  On the ISU homepage, click on the letter ‘S’ and scroll down to Schedule of Classes and click.  Type in a department name only, click on submit, and all courses being offered by that department will appear.

Registration Late Fees for graduate students:

• $20 if you register the first week of classes
• $50 if you register the second week of classes
• $100 if you register the third week of classes or later
  

Faculty and staff in the M E department and throughout ISU are expected to treat you as a new professional.  In turn, they would like to be treated as professionals.  Consider how you would behave and expect to be treated as you start a new job in industry.  Those are the expectations.

You are also being given the responsibility to develop your educational program to best meet your career and educational goals.  Many of us are here to help you in this process, but we expect you to take the lead in your education.

We are expecting that you will:

• be aware of requirements and deadlines
• file paperwork in a timely manner
• keep your major professor informed of your vacation plans
• become aware of the trends in your field of research
• work independently in your area of research