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.
-->First-year applicants can choose to apply to UIUC in one of two ways: myIllini or Common App. We don't give preference based on your application type. Only one first-year application is permitted per applicant, and the first submitted application is considered official.
Application deadlines can be found on our dates page.
The early action admission filing period is explained on our dates page.
You should you use your own personal email address. School email addresses may block important emails. Additionally, please do not use a parent or family email address, including an email address that one of your older siblings may have used to apply to UIUC, as doing so will cause issues during your application process.
No, we don't accept letter of recommendation or other unsolicited materials. An audition, portfolio, or interview may be required for Fine and Applied Arts applicants. See our application process for more details.
Required items include your application fee or fee waiver, your self-reported academic record if applying through Common App, any test scores you've chosen to report, and in some cases, English Language Proficiency scores. For more details regarding each of these items, see our application process. Deadlines for required items can be found on our dates page.
You'll check your application status by logging in to myIllini. If you don't have a myIllini account, we'll create one for you and you'll receive an email a few days after submitting your application with instructions on how to access it. If you don't receive an email or have trouble logging in, call our office. Once in myIllini, you'll click on your application to view your status page.
We won't consider your application complete and won't process it until we receive an application fee or an authorized fee waiver submitted by your high school counselor. If you submit the fee when you submit your application, we strongly encourage you to pay by credit card. If you choose to pay later, you can pay by credit card through your status page in myIllini.
Fee waivers must be submitted by a high school or college counselor or other school official. Waivers can be faxed, mailed, or submitted electronically including sent through Common App.
If you need to make a change or correction to your application after you've submitted it, fill out the corresponding change form in myIllini. Please note that changes cannot be made to certain sections of the application, including activities/honors and answers to writing prompts.
Admit rates vary depending on your college or program of study. View our admit rates.
Approximately 27% of our undergraduates are not from Illinois. These students are evaluated against the same criteria used for in-state students.
No, there is not a separate application or process for international applicants.
Until you receive your green card, we'll consider you an international applicant. When you receive your green card, send us a copy, and we’ll change your status within our system. Read more about residency.
No, we’ll only request financial documents and official transcripts if you're admitted to the university and choose to attend.
If you apply through myIllini, you'll be asked to enter your courses and grades for years 9 to 11 as they appear on your official high school transcript. You’ll also be asked to enter your courses in progress for year 12.
If you submitted the Common App, we'll email you with a link to your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), where you'll add your courses and grades. We are not able to use the courses and grades you reported in the Common App.
You must have your high school transcript with you when self-reporting your courses and grades, entering all information exactly as it appears on your document. All semester, trimester, or quarter grades must be listed. Don’t average grades.
If you submitted the Common App, we'll email you with a link to your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), where you'll add your courses and grades. We are not able to use the courses and grades you reported in the Common App.
If you're admitted and plan to enroll, your final, official transcript must match the information you self-reported. If it doesn't, your admission offer will be rescinded.
If you have an update to your senior year schedule or find an error after submitting your application, complete our Course Change Form in myIllini.
If you're admitted and decide to enroll at UIUC, you'll be required to submit final, official high school transcripts once you graduate. Don’t send official transcripts at the time of application or after mid-year grades are received.
No, 9th grade only needs to be reported if it was taken at a secondary school.
Advanced courses taken in 7th and 8th grade in mathematics or a language other than English may count toward your subject pattern requirement.
myIllini: Select "Pre-High School" in the year field.
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
Yes, you have the opportunity to self-report any college courses or dual credit courses you've taken prior to enrolling at UIUC. One semester of a college course will equate to one year of high school coursework.
You must have your external exam results with you when self-reporting your scores, entering all information as it appears on your document. If you're admitted and plan to enroll, your final, official exam results must match the information you reported. If they don't, your admission offer will be rescinded.
Create a high school record for the school or schools you attended while preparing for the exam. You don't need to create high school records for the years in which exams weren't taken; those courses and grades don't need to be reported.
myIllini: In the Education section, answer "Yes" to the education system question of "Are you or have you been enrolled in an educational system which includes externally administered exams?"
In the Courses sections, check the box for "I only have international exam results during this period."
In the Other Academic Information section, enter all external exams you've taken and the scores you've received. Also enter all exams you plan to take and check the radio button for "Results Not Received Yet."
Examples: India, Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
myIllini: This depends on whether your transcript includes a numerical to letter grading scale.
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
myIllini: In the "Education" section, under "Grading Scale/Conversion," select "Other." Enter all grade conversions for one scale. Then, continue entering grade conversions for additional scales by selecting "New Scale/Conversion." Here's an example of multiple converted grading scales.
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
myIllini: Select "Other" as your type of grading scale and enter a grading scale/conversion, even if one does not appear on your transcript. Enter your grades exactly as they appear on your transcript.
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
Report your courses as year-long. It's true that the courses are only a semester long, but they're worth a year of work.
myIllini: Select "Yes" to the block scheduling question on the Education page of the application.
Common App: You will self-report your courses and grades through myIllini, using a link we send you after submitting your application.
If you took a high school equivalency exam and completed some high school coursework, include all completed high school coursework in the Courses section. You’ll need to send a copy of your high school equivalency exam to our office.
If you took a high school equivalency exam and didn't complete any high school coursework, contact our office to explain your situation and receive more details. You’ll need to send a copy of your high school equivalency exam to our office.
Yes, ACT/SAT scores are optional for all first-year applicants, including international students, homeschooled students, and recruited student-athletes. Recruited student-athletes are still required to satisfy all initial eligibility requirements set forth by the NCAA Eligibility Center.
We encourage you to report your scores if you feel they accurately represent your ability.
No, you will not be able to change your test-optional selection after you've submitted the application.
If you choose to report your scores, you will be asked to self-report them on the application. You may also have official scores sent directly.
Any scores that were previously sent will not be added to your application file.
Yes, ACT/SAT scores are not required to apply to any major.
If you report ACT/SAT scores and have not completed years 10 through 12 in an approved country where English is the official language,* you are strongly encouraged to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores regardless of citizenship or residency.
If you do not report ACT/SAT scores and have not completed years 10 through 12 in an approved country where English is the official language,* you are required to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores regardless of citizenship or residency.
Test scores that will be used to fulfill the English proficiency requirement must be taken within two years of the applicant's date of enrollment in the university. TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic and the IELTS Indicator are accepted. 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).
We will use a holistic review of your admissions application with or without an ACT or SAT.
Test scores are not required to be considered for merit-based scholarships or honors programs. If you do not submit test scores for consideration in the review process, you are not able to add them later for scholarship or honors review.
No, if you do not report ACT/SAT scores with the application, we will not accept them later for any enrollment purposes, including course placement or proficiency.
We accept both exams, and no preference is given to either.
No, the SAT Subject Tests aren't part of our review process and won't be loaded with your application.
You don't need a set score to be admitted. Admission decisions are based on a variety of factors. Read more on how we review.
No, we'll review your application based on the test scores you report (ACT, SAT, TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Duolingo English Test). If you enroll at UIUC, you'll be required to submit official scores for all scores you reported.
Yes, since you can send your scores to four schools for free when you take a test, take advantage of that now. If you are admitted and accept the offer, you'll have to pay to send them later.
Report the highest SAT total or ACT composite score you earned, along with the highest sub-scores you earned in each category, regardless of test date. Don’t recalculate a new total or composite.
Yes, you still need to complete the self-reported test score section of the application.
If you have scores from a previous test, report those when you apply. If you receive higher scores before a decision is made on your application, you can have those sent or submit the Test Score Change Form to add them to your application. If you don't have any scores yet, you can still submit your application by listing your future test date on the application. However, your application will remain incomplete until we either receive official scores or you submit the Test Score Change Form in myIllini with scores you've earned.
You may have the official scores sent to our office, or you may submit the Test Score Change Form found in myIllini.
No, we don't use any of these scores as part of our holistic review process. In addition, if you took an AP or IB course but do not plan to take the exam, there is no impact to your review or admission decision.
If you're open to getting a degree in a major other than your first choice, we strongly recommend selecting a second choice major, especially if you're applying into one of our more competitive programs such as engineering or business. If you're not admissible to your first choice, you'll be reviewed for your second choice. If you're admitted into your second choice or another program, you're considered wait listed for your first choice. This means that if space later opens up, we'll consider you again.
If you don't select a second choice, you'll only be considered for your first choice. This option is only appropriate if you're certain you won't attend UIUC unless you're admitted to your first choice. If you don't select a second choice and you're not competitive for your first choice, you'll be wait listed or denied. You won't be considered for any other avenue of admission.
No, your application will receive a thorough review for your first-choice major. If you're not competitive within that pool, you'll then be reviewed for your second-choice major.
No, not all majors are available due to space constraints. Majors unavailable as a second choice include Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy + Data Science, Business Undeclared, Computer Engineering, Computer Science (including all Computer Science + X majors), Environmental Engineering, Information Sciences, Information Sciences + Data Science, Mechanical Engineering, all Music majors except Music BA (which doesn't require an audition), and Psychology.
Most likely, you'll want to select a second choice that's similar to your first-choice major based on your interests. We suggest keeping an open mind in selecting a second choice and encourage you to research our majors by interest area. You may find majors in other colleges on campus that fit your interests. If you select a specific major as your second choice, you should be interested in pursuing a degree in that field. If you're unsure of a specific major, you can choose our Undeclared program in the Division of Exploratory Studies as your second choice.
If there's a major you're considering, you should list it as your second choice. If you're exploring, there's no need to list a second-choice major.
No. If you're eligible, you'll only be admitted into one of the majors. If you want to declare a double major, you'll need to discuss that with your academic advisor once on campus.
Yes, we want to know why you are interested in your second-choice major as well.
Yes, you can perform either task through the Program Change Form, which can be found on your status page in myIllini. Once decisions are released, it's no longer possible to add a second-choice major or change an existing one.
Preference will be given to those applicants who listed the major as their first choice, but you'll be given equal consideration with all other applicants who chose the major as a second choice.
Due to space limitations, Illinois residents will be given preference for admission into second-choice majors. Historically, non-Illinois residents who have listed the Undeclared program in the Division of Exploratory Studies or LAS Undeclared in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as their second choice haven't been admitted to those programs due to space constraints.
Yes, we encourage you to apply to the university.
We’re very interested in having talented, well-qualified applicants from a variety of settings. Your academic experiences help bring diversity to our campus.
Approximately 60 to 70 homeschooled students are admitted each year. We don’t set a limit on how many can be admitted. The most qualified students in our applicant pool will be selected for admission.
You’re reviewed on an individual basis, similar to all other first-year applicants. See our application process for more information.
The Admissions Review Committee and the Office of Admissions reviews each application. If you’re eligible to take a high school equivalency exam, we require you to provide us with the results. If you’re not eligible to take a high school equivalency exam, we continue to look very closely at your other application requirements. The strength of your test scores (if provided), type of homeschool experience, and application essays all go into making this decision.
No, we don’t accept letters of recommendation. We’ll remove any unsolicited materials, including letters of recommendation, from your file before reviewing your application.
You can augment your homeschool experience with some more traditional schooling experiences, such as community or local college coursework or selected courses at a local high school. Taking Advanced Placement exams can confirm that you’re prepared and may also result in earning college credit.
All of our applicants, including homeschooled students, will automatically be considered for any merit-based scholarships. We'll consider your curriculum and grades at your homeschool and any college coursework you may have taken prior to enrollment. We'll also consider your test scores, involvement, awards, and essay.
We understand that every school offers different curricula. For this reason, we expect you to take advantage of the most challenging courses available at your particular school, earning strong grades in your courses. We also consider your test scores (if provided), essays, and extracurricular involvement when making our final admissions decision.