Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Policies & Procedures

As the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Office of Undergraduate Admissions, it's our mission to uphold the policies and procedures outlined below.

How We Review: Admissions Philosophy

As a land-grant university and Illinois’ flagship public university, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a responsibility to serve the citizens of the state of Illinois, from the power corridors of the Chicago Loop to the cornfields of Southern Illinois. The goal of the admissions review is to execute the will of the faculty and university administration by implementing a fair and equitable process to review a large pool of applicants and select those individuals who have challenged themselves academically and show commitment to activities and service expected of UIUC alumni.

UIUC seeks to enroll a diverse student body in order to create an inclusive and pluralistic learning environment that respects the varied perspectives and lived experiences of a diverse community. As we strive to provide the best possible educational environment, our students have an important educational need to participate in a diverse learning environment. Factors we consider for admission include consistent achievement at the highest curriculum level available to the student; competitive scores and subscores on standardized tests in relation to the context available to the student; interest in the major/program and reason for selecting the academic interest area; achievements outside of the classroom that suggest strengths and skills that will enhance the campus community; and unique circumstances that may demonstrate qualities or skills that help a student to succeed.

All first-year students can elect for ACT or SAT scores to be considered in the application review when they submit the application. Applicants who choose to withhold test scores are not disadvantaged in consideration for admission in any way.

Our undergraduate admissions review process uses a whole-context holistic review, which considers the opportunities in the student’s high school, family background, ongoing hardships, extenuating circumstances, and other contextual factors. It is important to understand the achievements of a student within the setting of various external influences, such as school resources, habitus, and family context that contribute to or hinder a student’s accomplishments. Academic performance, test scores, and other traditional measures of academic merit can vary greatly depending on the socioeconomic status of a student’s parents and differences in K-12 contexts. Not everyone has access to a robust college-preparation curriculum, including students in rural high schools, students from under-resourced high schools, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds with less access to Advanced Placement courses.

Assessing high school performance through measures like class rank helps assess student performance within the context of the high school; however, fewer than 40% of Illinois high schools track and report class rank on transcripts. Well-documented variance exists in standardized test scores across race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic groups that account for most of the gaps in intergenerational economic mobility. Students who attend high schools with relatively higher expenditures per student have better access to college counselors, private tutors, and test-preparation services. Such differences in wealth, access to college counseling, access to advanced courses, standardized test preparation, and other factors can reinforce class stratification and limit future economic mobility. Our admissions review process focuses on how an individual student maximizes the educational offerings available to them and how that student has demonstrated academic achievement within their unique context.

Given that we admit by academic community, we also consider applicants in relation to the other students who have applied to that academic community, not all applicants to the university. Each academic community identifies and places unique emphasis on subjective factors that fit within the university’s strategic enrollment goals as well as the goals of the academic community. The academic community-specific review criteria may change each admissions review cycle. Although it is difficult to define all of the factors that are excluded from the admissions review process, in order to promote fairness, we do not consider legacy/donor status, financial need, demonstrated interest, social media presence, counselor/ teacher recommendations, or third-party advocate statements.

General Admission Policies

The following general university policies are applicable to all undergraduate applicants at both the beginning first-year and transfer student levels.

To be eligible for consideration for admission, an applicant must meet certain requirements in terms of high school graduation, high school credits, and competence in English.

High School Graduation

An enrolled undergraduate student must be a graduate of a regionally accredited high school, a school in Illinois recognized by the state superintendent of education, or a school elsewhere with a rating equivalent to full recognition. Graduates of other secondary schools and nongraduates of secondary schools may be admitted under the provisions for a high school equivalency exam.

The admission office will confirm all students' transcripts arrive from a high school with a CEEB code, as well as the high school seal and/or signature. If a transcript is from a high school that lacks a CEEB code or seal/signature, the admission office will investigate to confirm that the school is recognized by the state department of education or home school association. The admission office may request additional documentation at any point in the admission process. If a diploma is determined invalid, a high school equivalency exam may be required for admission consideration.

High School Equivalency Exams

The achievement of satisfactory scores on a high school equivalency exam is acceptable in lieu of graduation from an accredited high school. The test alone won’t fulfill all of our college preparatory subject requirements. The state of Illinois recognizes the General Education Development (GED) exam, HiSET, and Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) in lieu of graduation from an accredited high school.

To be eligible to take these tests, applicants must be at least 18 years of age or have been out of school for at least one year. If to be used in lieu of high school graduation, high school equivalency exam scores should be sent by the testing center directly to our office.

High School Credits

For admission to all majors, first-year applicants must present a total of at least 15 units of acceptable college preparatory schoolwork. A unit course of study in the secondary school is a course covering an academic year and including no less than the equivalent of 120 60-minute hours of classroom work. A total of two hours of work requiring little or no preparation outside of the class are considered as the equivalent to one hour of prepared classroom work.

A first-year applicant who lacks a required high school subject may satisfy the requirement at either a community college or elsewhere prior to enrollment at the university. This information must be communicated on the application for admission. One semester in college is the equivalent of two semesters of high school coursework.

Under extenuating circumstances, a specific subject requirement may be waived for otherwise well-qualified first-year applicants. An applicant seeking a waiver of the subject pattern requirement should use the Academic Challenges question on the application to state the rationale for requesting such action.

The subject pattern requirements are waived for transfer applicants, but such applicants can fulfill the language other than English transfer and graduation requirements through high school coursework.

Description of Acceptable High School Courses

English: Studies in language, composition, and literature requiring practice in expository writing. Coursework should emphasize reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Language other than English: A total of two years of any one language other than English (or completion of second level) fulfills the admission requirement. American Sign Language is acceptable.

Laboratory science: Laboratory courses in biology, chemistry, or physics are preferred. Laboratory courses in agricultural sciences, astronomy, and geology are also acceptable. General science isn’t acceptable.

Mathematics: Algebra, geometry, advanced algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, and statistics. Applied business mathematics, pre-algebra, computer processing, and information technology courses aren’t acceptable. Approved mathematics courses taken before high school will be counted toward the requirement.

Social studies: History and government. Additional acceptable social studies include anthropology, economics, geography, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology.

Flexible courses: A total of two courses from any of the above five subject categories. Approved art, music, or vocational education courses can be counted in the flexible academic units category.

Competence in English

First-Year Applicants

First-year applicants must demonstrate a command of the English language.

  • Applicants who report ACT/SAT scores and have not completed at least three full years of secondary education in an approved country where English is the official language* are strongly encouraged to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, IELTS Indicator, or Duolingo English Test scores regardless of citizenship or residency. Subscores are considered as part of the application review.
  • Applicants who do not report ACT/SAT scores and have not completed at least three full years of secondary education in an approved country where English is the official language* are required to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, IELTS Indicator, or Duolingo English Test scores regardless of citizenship or residency. Subscores are considered as part of the application review.
  • Test scores that will be used to fulfill the English proficiency requirement must be taken within two years prior to the applicant’s date of enrollment in the university.
  • The Duolingo English Test and the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition will be accepted for fall 2024, but a decision has not been made for future terms.

*Approved countries include Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada (excluding Quebec), the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States (excluding Puerto Rico).

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants must meet one of the following conditions to satisfy our minimum English proficiency requirement. These are only the minimum requirements needed to meet English proficiency. In many cases, the standards needed to gain admission will be much higher, so it would be to the student's advantage to submit all test scores demonstrating a high level of English competency. Test scores that will be used to fulfill the English proficiency requirement must be taken within two years of the student's date of enrollment in the university.

  • Score a minimum of 80 on the Internet-based (iBT) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the TOEFL iBT Home Edition*. The College of Education, College of Media, Gies College of Business, Grainger College of Engineering, and School of Social Work require a minimum total score of 100 iBT. Subscores are considered in review; it is recommended all subscores be 20 or higher.
  • Score a minimum total of 6.5 on the Academic International English Testing System (IELTS) or the IELTS Indicator. The College of Education, College of Media, Gies College of Business, Grainger College of Engineering, and School of Social Work require a minimum total score of 7.5 with minimum subscores of 7.0. Minimum subscores of 6.0 are required for all other colleges. IELTS General Training exams are not accepted.
  • Score a minimum total of 120 on the Duolingo English Test*. The College of Education, College of Media, Gies College of Business, Grainger College of Engineering, and School of Social Work require a minimum total score of 130. Minimum subscores of 105 are required for all colleges.
  • Complete all secondary (years 9 to 12) and post-secondary schooling in an approved country where English is the official language.
  • Score high enough on the English section of the ACT or Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT. We'll review these scores on an individual basis in lieu of TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores to determine if they meet English proficiency. We encourage students to take the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test if they're concerned their ACT or SAT scores might not be high enough to prove English proficiency for admission.
  • After graduating from high school, complete two years of continuous full-time study at a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or a recognized college or university in an approved country where English is the official language. Full-time study is defined as at least 12 semester hours per semester or 12 quarter hours per quarter of transferable coursework, excluding: English as a second language (ESL) courses; developmental coursework related to instruction in English reading, composition, and/or grammar; test credit; and failed courses. Attendance at an English language institute can’t be used to satisfy this requirement. Coursework must be completed within two years of the proposed date of enrollment. Coursework completed prior to high school graduation date may not be used to meet this requirement.

*The Duolingo English Test and the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition will be accepted for spring and fall 2024, but a decision has not been made for future terms.

Approved countries include Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada (excluding Quebec), the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States (excluding Puerto Rico).

Admission Test Information

Each beginning first-year and transfer applicant with fewer than 36 graded and transferable credit hours at time of application, regardless of length of time out of school, has the option to submit an admission test score from either the American College Testing (ACT) program or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). A first-year applicant can self-report test scores or send official scores during the application process. Transfer applicants and enrolling first-year students must have test scores sent directly from the testing agency if ACT and/or SAT were used in the application review. Complete information concerning the test, the dates of test administration, and the location of testing centers can be obtained online or from high school counselors.

Student-Athlete Admission

Applicants being recruited to participate in varsity sports who are not admitted through the regular admissions process, or whose application becomes complete after the published deadlines, may be considered for admission by the Committee for the Admission of Student Athletes (CASA). This committee was created by the Chancellor in 1983 under the authority granted by the Board of Trustees. Through the CASA review process, potential student-athletes will be evaluated by a committee of senior admissions officers from each of the undergraduate academic communities to determine whether students' objective academic records and demonstrated academic motivation, together with available support services, will combine to give them a reasonable chance for academic success on our campus.

Veterans and Military Personnel

Applicants currently serving or who have previously served in the United States Armed Forces, in the Reserve Component, or in the Illinois National Guard will be considered for admission to the university on the basis of their past academic record, Military Occupational Specialty, Military Education, program capacity, and the likelihood of academic success while utilizing the support services available from the University and the Chez Veterans Center. Honorably discharged veterans may enroll as first-year students in the spring semester if the veteran was on active duty during the fall semester.

This policy does not guarantee admission into any specific college or program, nor does it indicate acceptance of any military training or education as credits to be applied towards the degree. This policy does not apply to students with military service other than for the United States. This policy does not apply to applicants who are pending enlistment or entering a contract with a military service.

Delayed Admission

The delayed admission program allows a newly admitted, degree-seeking student to defer the start of attendance to allow a planned interlude for specific, acceptable reasons between the term of acceptance and actual university attendance. A deferral may be requested for one or two semesters (certain programs may not be delayed for only one semester). A longer delay of admission may be granted to a student whose United States military commitment has been extended for more than one year. A delay can be requested only for the same program to which the student was admitted.

The intent of this program is to allow students time to participate in rare, unique, and extraordinary opportunities. Unfortunately, some students must delay admission due to unforeseen events, such as medical emergencies, serious health conditions, or United States military orders. A delay of admission will not be approved if a student plans to take courses at another college or university (including military academies) or if a first-year student is not graduating secondary school in time to enroll. Financial, visa, or flight-booking complications will not be approved either. Each individual’s situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The academic community to which the student was admitted must approve the request to delay admission.

Admitted students may request a delay of admission by completing and submitting a request form, which can be found on the Admitted Student Checklist within myIllini. This form should be submitted as soon as an admitted student knows that a delay of admission will be needed. The request form should be submitted no later than one month prior to the beginning of the term to which the student has been admitted. Exceptions may be made in the event of an emergency situation. If the deadline is missed or the request is denied, the student will need to submit a new application. After the acceptance deadline, only students who had already accepted their admission offer are eligible to request a delayed admission.

Undergraduate Application Fee Waivers

Applicants for admission must submit a $50 ($75 for international applicants) application fee to help defray processing costs. This amount is subject to change, and the fee is nonrefundable. The application fee (and acceptance fee) will be waived for domestic applicants if one of the criteria listed below is met:

  • The applicant submits our Undergraduate Application Fee Waiver form. Note that the form must be signed by a school counselor, financial aid officer, social worker, or other person who, on a professional basis, has some knowledge of the applicant’s financial situation. A waiver signed by the applicant or a relative will not be accepted. High school and Illinois community college counselors can also submit the form through our counselor website.
  • The applicant attends a waiver-approved recruitment event, including Discovering STEM in ACES Program, Gies Emerging Business Leaders Program, Salute to Academic Achievement, and Salute to Illinois Scholars.
  • The applicant is currently an employee of UIUC or an allied agency (if eligible). Fee waivers are given to permanent academic and non-academic employees of the UI who have a 50 to 100% appointment and to certain employees of affiliated agencies whose appointments are in effect at the time the application is filed.
  • The applicant is currently registered at the University of Illinois at Chicago or Springfield.
  • The applicant submits the NACAC Application Fee Waiver or Enrollment Deposit Fee Waiver. Note that the form must be signed by a school counselor, financial aid officer, social worker, or other person who, on a professional basis, has some knowledge of the applicant’s financial situation.
  • The applicant submits proof of eligibility for an ACT or SAT fee waiver.
  • The applicant submits proof of eligibility for a Pell Grant.
  • The applicant is a UIUC faculty, academic, or staff retiree.
  • The applicant is eligible under the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, or is currently serving on active duty.
  • The applicant is part of an approved foreign exchange program in which the university participates or a foreign student participates in an approved exchange program in which the waiver of fees is reciprocal.
  • The applicant is a student from another university participating in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Program by taking courses at UIUC.
  • The applicant is a cooperating teacher or administrator who receives assignment of practice teachers, receives assignment of students meeting the clinical experience requirement in teacher education, or cooperates in research projects related to teacher education, or a cooperating librarian, school-nurse teacher, social welfare field supervisor, recreation field supervisor, health-education field supervisor, speech pathology supervisor, developmental child care field supervisor, educational psychology supervisor, continuing education supervisor, industrial relations field supervisor, or physician participating without salary in the instructional program of the UIUC College of Medicine.
  • The applicant is an Illinois Teacher of the Year recipient.
  • The applicant is part of the Chicago Scholars Program.
  • The applicant is a Hope Chicago student.

Application Materials

Upon receipt, all materials become the property of UIUC. The university will not return or copy materials for applicants or students.

Paper Copies

All official, physical transcripts and other required documentation can be sent directly from the issuing institution via postal mail to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
901 West Illinois Street
Urbana, IL 61801

Electronic Copies

We do not accept electronic transcripts emailed directly from students or from international institutions. However, we can accept electronic transcripts sent through one of the following vendors:

  • BridgeU
  • CHESICC (CSSD)
  • CIALFO
  • Common App (first-year applicants)
  • MaiaLearning
  • Naviance
  • Parchment
  • Scoir
  • Digitary, My eQuals, TrueCopy

If the vendor does not have an established UIUC account, use etranscript@illinois.edu as the recipient for domestic records and international-admissions@illinois.edu as the recipient for international records. Academic documents should be categorized as "transcripts" (when available), not as "other."

International Transcript Requirements

Transcript records are considered official if they meet one of the following criteria:

  • The issuing institution sends them directly to the University of Illinois.
  • They are certified as true copies by an official of the educational institution, an embassy official, or an appropriate government official.

In addition:

  • Transcripts submitted via Common App for first-year incoming students should include Years 9 through 12 in the final report.
  • First-year incoming students attending international schools need to have transcripts sent directly from each international school they attended.
  • Records not issued in English must be accompanied by an English translation that is certified by an appropriate school official, official translator, or U.S. embassy or consulate official. Acceptable transcript translations include official school translations, translations by licensed translation services, U.S. embassy translations, or translations by UIUC professors and graduate assistants who teach the language on the document to be translated. Independent or non-school translators must provide their name, official title, signature, translation date, contact information, and a statement to the effect that the translation is an accurate rendition of the original document. The original document must be submitted with the translated document. Translators must refrain from converting grade, credit, and other information into what they think could or may be U.S. equivalencies. Our admissions officers make such determinations. Do not send transcripts that have been evaluated by third parties (ECE, WES, etc.). Notarization of translated documents is not necessary.

Health Requirements

Upon admission, the student will receive information regarding completion of Medical History and Immunization forms and required immunizations. Physicals aren’t required for admission.

Visit McKinley Health Center for additional information.

Use of Agents

UIUC does not partner with agents or other private organizations to represent the university for the purpose of recruiting or enrolling students. Only appointed employees or trained alumni of UIUC are authorized to officially represent the university in recruiting and enrolling students through direct contact with the applicant, the applicant's parents/legal guardians, spouse or school-appointed counselors. The university does not condone high-pressure recruitment strategies nor provide compensation by commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments based on the number of students referred, recruited, admitted, or enrolled, including recruitment of military service members.

We understand that prospective students and their families may retain the services of independent educational consultants or advisors to assist them in applying to colleges or universities in the United States and abroad. These private consultants or advisors are permitted, but they are not recognized representatives of the university. Students, parents, and school-appointed counselors are encouraged to work directly with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Third-Party Inquiries

Admissions officers may only discuss a student’s application with the applicant or the applicant’s parents/legal guardian, spouse, or school-appointed counselor. Other individuals, including university employees without admissions responsibilities, are not permitted to inquire about a student's application with a campus admissions officer nor submit letters of recommendation. Improper third-party inquires will be logged by the admissions officer and subject to disclosure under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Further details as to the inquiries that are and are not permitted can be found in the Summary of UIUC Admissions Firewall Practices and in the policy document.

First-Year Admission Policies

A first-year applicant is a degree-seeking student who applies for admission while attending high school and/or hasn’t graduated yet, regardless of the amount of college degree credit earned; or is a student enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term; or who, since graduating from high school, hasn’t attended another postsecondary institution as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.

A beginning first-year student is required to remain in the academic community and the prescribed first-year program to which they have been admitted for at least two semesters of full-time study.

Review Process

In order to meet their educational missions, each academic community at UIUC seeks students who meet and exceed standards for incoming first-year students and have the potential to be leaders in their chosen fields upon graduation. When a student applies to UIUC, their application for admission is subject to a rigorous, careful, thoughtful, and complete review by admissions professionals from our office and the academic community to which they have applied.

A variety of factors are considered upon review. When reading an application, the admissions and academic community professionals review it using a holistic approach by combining the criteria being evaluated. Primary among these criteria are academic performance and coursework rigor. The other sections of the application—including the essay; major-specific questions; list of activities, achievements, and honors; and so on—will be given equal, careful, and thoughtful attention. Applicants should understand that every word of the application is considered in making an admissions decision, being sure to present themselves and their stories accurately and completely. Readers consider all evidence provided by the applicant, the context of the personal and academic circumstances, the opportunities available to them, and the strength of the applicant pool in each academic community and to UIUC overall. The weight of each criterion in the admissions decision depends on the combination of qualities presented by the applicant. We have no set formula of weighting criteria. Final decisions are made on the evaluation of a variety of criteria and not by a single point system or formula.

Most applications receive at least two reviews. Our office checks all preliminary decisions in order to assure a high level of consistency while recognizing that professional judgment is being used to make individual decisions about each applicant. The multiple reviews combined with the consistency check create a system of quality control that leads to the best possible decisions of professional judgment.

Applicants have the opportunity to apply directly into an academic community and major. For this reason, an applicant’s strengths and experiences as they relate to their intended program of study will be taken into consideration. For example, The Grainger College of Engineering will focus on the student’s proficiency in math and science as shown through grades and rigor in those areas and subscores on the ACT or SAT (if provided). Applicants to talent-based programs in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, such as Art, Music, Theatre and Dance, must be academically eligible as well as pass a talent review either conducted through an audition or portfolio review. The College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences will make note of experiences or activities that directly correlate with the specific field of study the applicant has chosen. In other words, each of the 11 academic communities reviews applications with the goal of admitting students who demonstrate that they’ll succeed and thrive within their chosen academic program.

Guidelines for Accepting College Credits Earned by High School Students

Some students have the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. A high school student will receive college credit for any transferable college course that appears on an official post-secondary transcript. If the student enrolls at UIUC, the grades earned in college courses will be part of the student’s cumulative GPA. Refer to Transferology to find out how your courses will transfer to UIUC.

College credit is also awarded to degree-seeking undergraduate students who earn a sufficiently high score on the Advanced Placement (AP) Program examinations, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme examinations, A-Level/GCE examinations, or the UIUC Departmental Proficiency Examinations. The AP, IB, and/or A-Level GCE exams must have been taken prior to beginning undergraduate studies. The departmental proficiency exams, covering many university courses normally open to first-year students and sophomores including languages other than English, are typically offered near the beginning of each semester. Our current policy awards Composition I credit for sufficiently high scores on the following: combined ACT English and ACT Reading (summed from the same test date), SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, either of the two AP English exams, or any of the seven IB exams that involve academic writing (English Literature, English Language & Literature, English Literature & Performance, or Film). Duplicate credit (earning credit twice for the same course) is not permitted.

Transfer Admission Policies

A first-time transfer applicant is one who’s entering the university for the first time as a degree-seeking student, has attended another postsecondary institution at the undergraduate level by the desired term of entry, and doesn’t meet the definition of a first-time first-year or returning student. In order to be classified as a transfer applicant, the student must be a high school graduate at the time of application. If the student hasn’t graduated from high school, they must apply as a first-year applicant even if they have been enrolled full-time as a college student.

A transfer student is obligated to remain in the academic community and program to which they have been admitted for at least the first semester of enrollment. A student on campus who wishes to transfer to another academic community must meet the accepting academic community’s admissions requirements and compete for any available space. Note that there’s no guarantee that all majors at UIUC will be available for transfer once the student is enrolled. Transfer students should plan to complete the degree program to which they are admitted into. The Gies College of Business and The Grainger College of Engineering only accept off-campus transfer students directly into their programs. If a student transfers into a different program on campus, they cannot then transfer into majors within those colleges.

Grade Point Averages (GPA)

GPAs are calculated on the basis of all transferable courses attempted for which grades are assigned and grade-point values can be determined. When a course is repeated, the GPA is computed using both grades and all hours for the course. UIUC GPA calculations will include graded courses that are excluded from GPA calculations by other institutions due to their grade replacement or academic forgiveness policies. Incomplete grades are accepted as defined by the initiating institution. Grades in other coursework completed, such as technical courses similar in content and level to courses taught at UIUC, may be used in the evaluation for admission upon request of the college to which a student seeks admission. Note that courses taken outside the U.S. won’t be awarded grades if processed through our office, although credit will be awarded if courses are determined to be transferable (see the International Transfer Credit section for more information).

Since the GPA used to establish admission qualifications is based on all transferable coursework attempted, applicants from institutions that delete grades for coursework failed or repeated may find their opportunities limited for admission.

Acceptance of Credit From Other Collegiate Institutions

Credit may be accepted from another accredited university or college. Accepted credit will be based on evaluation of the primary transcript of record of each institution attended. Duplicate credit will be counted in the GPA but excluded from hours earned. A student who has passed a course at UIUC may not be given credit for the same course taken elsewhere.

Transfer students must meet the academic residency requirements that apply to all students for a degree from the university. In all cases, the precise amount of transfer credit that can be applied toward a particular degree will be determined by the university academic community and department concerned. Applicants might be asked to submit course descriptions or syllabi.

Illinois Colleges & Universities

UIUC participates in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement that allows transfer between institutions of the completed IAI General Education Core Curriculum (GECC). Completion of the IAI GECC ensures that a student’s general education requirements are met upon transfer to UIUC, although students will also be required to complete additional campus, college, and major graduation requirements, in addition to those satisfied by the GECC.

Completion of the GECC is recommended for students who are exploring their educational options, but students who have chosen a major at UIUC into which they intend to transfer will be better served following major-specific programs. Students who anticipate transferring to UIUC are strongly advised to work with their institutions’ academic advisors and to consult our Transfer Handbook for any additional transfer requirements specific to the degree requirements for their program of choice.

At UIUC, junior standing is attained upon the completion of 60 credit hours. Completion of an AA or AS degree typically requires an earned credit total beyond 60 hours. Please note that some test credit, such as CLEP exams, may not be transferable to UIUC.

Traditional Domestic Transfer Credit

Transfer work is evaluated for admission purposes and considered for credit. The university evaluates transfer work completed at institutions accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, including institutions under candidacy status. Foreign institutions must be recognized by the ministry of education in the home country or an equivalent government authority.

To be eligible for admission and credit, transfer work must be similar in nature, level, and content to courses in the undergraduate curriculum and/or applicable to an undergraduate academic program. Other transfer work that is deemed nontransferable (such as continuing education courses, graduate-level courses, and courses that are remedial, technical, vocational, or doctrinal in nature as determined by the campus) are not used in admission decisions regardless of the institution's accreditation.

Credit for transfer courses is either applied as a direct equivalent with university courses or applied to a degree in a manner determined by the department and academic community.

The precise amount of transfer credit that is awarded and applicable toward a particular degree is determined by or in consultation with the university academic community and department concerned.

Note: "Transfer work" and "transfer courses" are used interchangeably in this policy. Regardless of the term, this policy applies to transfer not in the form of courses, such as credit for military service and credit earned through testing and experiential learning. Transfer work not in the form of courses is evaluated for transfer per the terms of this policy.

International Transfer Credit

International transfer coursework will be accepted for admission purposes to the university under the following conditions:

  • The college or university offers degree programs comparable to programs offered by UIUC.
  • The college or university is sufficiently accredited or recognized by the home-country ministry of education or equivalent governmental authority.

International transcripts and coursework are evaluated according to the following requirements or considerations:

  • Coursework is transferable with a grade of C- or above only and will appear on the student's UIUC transcript as credit only.
  • Transcripts must be submitted from all institutions attended.
  • Transcripts must be either in English or accompanied by certified translations (see our translation guidelines below).
  • Transcripts are evaluated on a course-by-course basis.

The following types of courses are generally not transferable:

  • Courses under three credits if taken prior to Fall 2013 term
  • Certain courses pertaining to religion, politics, and military science
  • Grammar courses pertaining to the student's native language
  • ESL and English language courses
  • Courses that focus on practical or how-to instruction
  • Vocational courses
  • Law courses
  • Veterinary courses
  • Criminal justice courses
  • Counseling courses

Courses under three credits taken during the fall 2013 term and after will be evaluated for possible transferability. Individual course credits and term credit totals may be reduced when the amount of transferable credit exceeds normal expectations.

If current students wish to take off-campus international coursework (for example, summer courses abroad), questions regarding course transferability can only be addressed after receipt of official transcripts. As campus does not have formal agreements with service providers such as SIE and LION, course equivalency information displayed on provider websites cannot be confirmed for accuracy.

Nontraditional Credit

Acceptance of credit awarded on a basis other than collegiate classroom experiences will be considered for transfer admission purposes as follows:

Test credit as transfer credit for admission. Students presenting test scores for admission will have the scores evaluated against cutoff scores established for those examinations on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Official score reports should be submitted along with the application for admission to the university. A student presenting test credit as transfer credit may be granted transfer credit if they have completed at least 12 graded semester hours of transferable college-level classroom coursework from the institution or single campus in a multi-campus institution that awarded credit by examination and has successfully completed advanced classroom coursework at the institution awarding the test credit in a course that’s acceptable under our transfer credit policies and can be considered as a sequential continuation of the material covered in the test.

After admission, students not awarded credit under this policy may attempt departmental proficiency examinations to receive credit in those areas in which they claim competence.

Credit for military training. A total of four semester hours of lower-division military science credit will be granted for transfer admission only, if completion of six months or more of continuous active duty in the United States Armed Forces, including basic or recruit training, and an honorable discharge from active military duty to civilian life or transfer to the reserve component is posted on the military record (DD214). Submission of the DD214 is required for credit to be granted. Lower-division military service credit (100 to 200) level satisfies no graduation requirements for any UIUC program of study, except MILS 120, Intro to U.S. Armed Forces, which satisfies a Historical and Philosophical Perspectives General Education Requirement for all degree programs on campus, effective Fall 2015 and forward. Military science credit at the upper-division (300 to 400) level may also be granted for training completed as on-campus Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) courses at UIUC or as transfer credit for completion of upper-division ROTC coursework at another four-year domestic, post-secondary institution. Upper-division transfer credit is also awarded for completion of either/both of the Marine Platoon Leadership Class programs when documentation of said training is provided. Upper-division military or naval science coursework may be used to satisfy degree requirements as free elective hours. However, the amount of credit permitted to apply to degree requirements does vary according to the individual college's policies. The applicant should contact their intended degree-granting college for more specific information. A total of four semester hours of 100-level Physics elective credit will be granted for successful completion of the United States Navy's Nuclear Power School program, when either a DD214 is submitted with completion of the program listed or a certificate of completion of the program is provided. Credit duplicating ROTC credit won’t be awarded.

Credit for education received in the Armed Forces. Official transcripts of military service school training, including Joint Services Transcripts, may be submitted for comparison to UIUC courses for transfer credit. However, content that includes Military Occupational Specialty Training isn’t acceptable for transfer to campus. To be eligible for credit, the training must be similar in nature, level, and content to courses in the undergraduate curriculum and/or applicable to an undergraduate academic program.

Credit earned in academic courses sponsored by non-collegiate organizations, such as business, industry, and labor, and those not recognized by the April 1977 Board of Trustees policy statement, aren’t normally accepted. Such work may be evaluated by the college for potential credit toward a specific degree program after admission and registration, subject to validation by proficiency examination or successful completion of advanced coursework. Credit hours may be reduced at the discretion of the enrolling academic community from that shown by the originating agency. All criteria are subject to the recommendation of the enrolling academic community and the department that offers similar coursework.

Credit for experiential learning. Experiential learning credit isn’t accepted for transfer admission purposes. A student who believes themself to be knowledgeable in a specific course may be granted credit hours through established proficiency procedures offered by those degree-granting colleges and departments on campus that offer similar coursework after admission and registration. Not all academic disciplines have proficiency credit exam opportunities.

Note: "Transfer work" and "transfer courses" are used interchangeably in this policy. Regardless of the term, this policy applies to transfer not in the form of courses, such as credit for military service and credit earned through testing and experiential learning. Transfer work not in the form of courses is evaluated for transfer per the terms of this policy.

Reverse Transfer

Reverse transfer is the process of transferring UIUC coursework to an Illinois community college for the purpose of completing an associate's degree. Information regarding reverse transfer may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Rescission of Admission Offers

All admission offers are made on a provisional basis, and the offer can be rescinded at any point up to the first day of instruction of the admission term. Reasons for rescission of admission offers include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Failing to submit your official academic records by set deadlines.
  • Negative changes in academic performance in courses listed as in-progress on the application for admission. For first-year students, this would likely be your senior year courses. For transfers, this would be any college courses ungraded at the time of your application.
  • Unapproved schedule changes in courses listed as in-progress on the application for admission. For transfers, this could include dropping courses required for admission.
  • Downward changes in level of rigor of your coursework listed as in-progress on your application for admission. For first-year students, this could include dropping advanced-level courses and replacing with regular-level courses.
  • For first-year students, discrepancies between your official academic and test records and the information you listed in your application for admission.
  • The cancellation of the test score used in the decision to offer you admission.
  • Disciplinary action taken against you by an educational institution, including but not limited to suspension and expulsion, at any time following the submission of your application until your first scheduled day of instruction at UIUC.
  • Failing to report on your application disciplinary action taken against you by an educational institution at the time you submitted your application or, if applicable, at any time following the submission of your application until your first scheduled day of instruction at UIUC. Failure to report such disciplinary action may also lead to disciplinary action if discovered after you have begun instruction at the university.
  • Your conviction of or being charged with a criminal offense.
  • Failing to report any convictions of or pending charges for a criminal offense that have already occurred at the time you accepted your admission offer, or if applicable, at any time following the acceptance of your admission offer until your first scheduled day of instruction at UIUC. Failure to report such convictions or charges may also lead to disciplinary action if discovered after you have begun instruction at the university.
  • Withholding pertinent information requested on the application or giving false information, including failure to report all high school and/or collegiate credit.
  • Providing falsified documents as part of the application materials.

If any of these are discovered on or after the first day of instruction, dismissal can occur.

Pathway Programs

Parkland Pathway

Parkland Pathway to Illinois is an opportunity for qualifying Illinois high school graduates to attend Parkland College their first two years of college and then to gain guaranteed admission as a transfer student to certain UIUC majors. Participants are members of both the Parkland College and UIUC undergraduate communities. Among program benefits, participants receive personalized mentoring and academic counseling; are granted access to events and opportunities exclusive to the UIUC student body, including University Housing, libraries, extracurricular activities, and recreational facilities (additional fees apply); and are eligible to enroll in limited UIUC instruction as nondegree students in accordance with the appropriate tuition rate as determined by Parkland. Upon completion of the program, participants apply to UIUC as degree-seeking transfer students.

Review Parkland Pathway policies and procedures

Other Pathway Programs

Students attending the City Colleges of Chicago, Danville Area Community College (DACC), Illinois Central College (ICC), and Rock Valley College (RVC) who are interested in transferring to UIUC have access to Pathway programs. No application is needed to join the program, but students must complete the necessary form before earning 30 hours at the community college. Students interested in participating will have access to personalized advising from a UIUC advisor and can work toward any UIUC program of study. Participants are required to complete 60 hours at their community college, and that community college must be their primary institution.

Learn more about pathway programs

Acceptance Fee

When accepting an offer of admission, a student must submit a $150 nonrefundable acceptance fee. This fee pays for our registration program for new first-year and transfer students. If a student was approved for an application fee waiver, the acceptance fee will be automatically waived as well.

Licensure Statement

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has determined that our College of Education licensure curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the state of Illinois. We are unable to determine if the curriculum meets the educational requirements for any of the remaining U.S. states and jurisdictions. Please go to the university's State Authorization Licensing and Complaint Information site to find your state’s requirements, resources, and contact information.

To seek additional information and guidance, you are encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing agency for your location or wherever you desire to be licensed or certified. Please be aware that there may be licensure or certification requirements in addition to an academic program’s curriculum. Information about all licensure programs associated with the university can be found on our Division of Management Information site.

Note: This disclosure is being made in compliance with federal regulation 34 CFR 668.43 and the State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements Manual.

Nondiscrimination Notice

The commitment of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to the most fundamental principles of academic freedom, equality of opportunity, and human dignity requires that decisions involving students and employees be based on merit and be free from invidious discrimination in all its forms. The university does not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, order of protection status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest record status, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a protected veteran and complies with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:

Director of the Office for Access & Equity
616 East Green Street, Suite 214
Champaign, IL 61820
accessandequity@illinois.edu
(217) 333-0885

Please refer to the University of Illinois System website for the most up-to-date statement on Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct.

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