Common Myths about Counseling

Watch the video to learn about the myths and facts about mental health concerns and counseling! 

Make an Appointment

Currently enrolled students at the University of Iowa can call the UCS at (319) 335-7294 or schedule in advance online for an appointment. You may come to our offices to schedule an appointment in-person. To verify that you are eligible for services, check out our eligibility FAQ. 

• If you are a faculty or staff member, counseling services are provided through the UI Employee Assistance Program at (319) 335-2085. 
• Students are required to make their own appointments. Find out more about UCS services and appointment types. 

It may be dauting to call us. But please know that the scheduling process is straightforward, and our support staff is very helpful in walking you through the appointment options and required paperwork. We care about you and are here to support you. If you’d like to speak with a therapist who can answer your questions about mental health and facilitate scheduling, please feel free to drop-in one of the Let’s talk, Hawks! Programs.

If you are in a crisis or need support outside of our office hours (8 am to 5 pm, Mon to Fri), please utilize 24/7 Crisis Resources.

As an international student, English may not be your first language. English proficiency is NOT a requirement for counseling and our staff would love to work with you if you speak English as a second language. A few of our therapists have international experiences and can provide services in Chinese or other languages. You may request a Chinese-speaking therapist for your appointment. We strive to create space where all feel welcome, including international students. 

Receiving Mental Health Information Without Making an Appointment:

You may receive mental health information without making an appointment at the UCS by coming to our outreach programs, or following our social media accounts (Instagram: @uiowaucs; Facebook: @uiowaucs). 

Insurance & Private Therapists:

When you meet with a private therapist, there are typically no session limits for therapy. Your therapist is likely to bill your insurance, and depending on your insurance benefits, you may need to pay some fees like a copay.

If you are insured through the University of Iowa, your insurance card will say UI Gradcare, SHIP, or UIChoice. Your dependents (spouse/partner and/or children) may use the same insurance for therapy if you’ve added them to your insurance plan (see information about enrollment and adding dependents). These plans use the Blue Cross/Blue Shield provider network, and no session limits or prior authorization required.

• SHIP, UIGradcare, UIChoice have no copay or coinsurance for in-network providers, meaning that you don’t need to pay anything out of pocket for your sessions. Your providers will bill your insurance, and you’ll receive an itinerary each month. 
• Several private therapists in the community are in-network and bilingual or trilingual (including Mandarin-Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Spanish, French, Russian, Lithuanian, or Turkish). To search for a private therapist who speaks your language and meet your preferences, please utilize our Community Provider Database. 

If you have a different type of insurance than what is listed above, you should call your insurance provider to double-check your benefits for therapy. How much the cost of counseling is covered, is determined by your specific insurance plan. You may read this article for tips for calling your insurance company.

UCS offers Case Management Appointments to assist students in figuring out their insurance plans and find a private therapist. You may call us at 319-335-7294 to meet with a case manager if you’re enrolled and currently located in the U.S. 

If You’re Currently Located Outside of the U.S.

Unfortunately, due to limitations in our professional licenses, UCS clinicians are unable to provide clinical services to students when they are physically located outside of the state of Iowa and the United States, even if they are enrolled in online classes.

Students are welcome to attend any of our virtual programming regardless of where they are located. Follow this link to see a current list of programming.

We are attempting to compile information that may be useful to students located in other countries who are seeking mental health support. This is not a comprehensive list, and we will continue to update as we become aware of additional resources.