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.

Community College Counselor Guide

This guide provides all of the information you need to know as you work with spring/fall 2024 transfer applicants. Thank you for all you do for our students!

Admission

Admission Factors

We consider the following factors during the admission review process:

  • Course prerequisites for a specific program
  • Number of transferable credit hours required for a specific program
  • Transferable cumulative GPA (based on all transferable courses attempted; if a course is retaken, all grades that appear on the transcript will be factored into the student’s GPA)
  • Involvement and work experience
  • Additional information supplied in the application essay

Dates & Deadlines

You can view our dates and deadlines for spring and fall 2024 transfer applicants in the transfer application section of our website. For the best chance at admission to their program of choice, fall applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the application and all supporting materials by our March 1 priority deadline.

Please note that students are no longer able to apply directly for our summer term. If students are interested in taking summer courses at Illinois, they may request a term change if they're admitted. They can do so by submitting our Program/Term Change Form in myIllini.

Application Details

Transfer applicants will apply for admission through our myIllini portal. They need to make sure they meet the requirements outlined in the Transfer Handbook for whatever major they select on the application. If they choose to select a second-choice major, they must meet those requirements as well. If applicants aren’t selected for admission to their first choice, they’ll be considered for their second choice.

We strongly encourage applicants applying to more competitive majors to list a second-choice major. Please note that not all majors are available due to space constraints. Majors unavailable as a second choice include all Gies Business majors, Computer Science (including all Computer Science + X majors), Computer Engineering, all X + Data Science majors, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and all Music majors except Music BA, which does not require an audition.

Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges attended for the application to be complete. A high school transcript or proof of high school completion is also required as part of the admissions process. The application fee is $50 for domestic applicants and $75 for international applicants. To request a fee waiver on behalf of domestic students based on economic need, please submit our fee waiver form.

Standardized Testing

If students have fewer than 36 graded and transferable credit hours at time of application, they can choose to submit official ACT or SAT scores if they feel they will add value to their application. Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency and dated within five years of the student's enrollment at UIUC.

English Proficiency

Transfer applicants must meet certain conditions to satisfy our minimum English proficiency requirement. In many cases, the standards needed to gain admission will be much higher than the minimum, so it’s worth submitting all test scores showing a high level of English competency. Official scores must be sent directly from the testing agency.

Language Requirements

Many colleges don’t require language for admission, but we strongly encourage students to complete the language graduation requirement prior to transferring.

Level Requirements by College

College Admission Graduation
College of Agricultural, Consumer, & Environmental Sciences Level 3
College of Applied Health Sciences Level 3
College of Education Level 2 Level 3
College of Fine & Applied Arts Level 2 Level 3
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Level 4
College of Media Level 2 Level 3
Gies College of Business Level 3 if completed in high school, Level 2 if completed in college Level 3
Grainger College of Engineering Level 3
School of Information Sciences Level 3
School of Social Work Level 3

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, all students are required to complete at least 60 semester hours of credit at UIUC. At least 21 of these credit hours must be at the 300 or 400 level.

Re-Entry Policy

Students who have previously attended UIUC shouldn’t submit a transfer application. They should instead talk to the college they wish to enter about its re-entry policy.

AP & IB Credit

In compliance with the College and Career Success for All Students Act, we accept scores of three or higher on every Advanced Placement (AP) exam for students enrolling at UIUC. We also award academic credit for scores of four or higher on any International Baccalaureate (IB) exam (Higher or Standard Level) for students enrolling at UIUC.

U of I System Transfer Guarantee

We encourage your students to check out the U of I System Transfer Guarantee, through which qualifying students who are transferring from an Illinois community college are guaranteed admission into any of our University of Illinois locations! Student who meet the listed requirements are guaranteed admission to the university, not to a specific college or major. They must complete our application during the appropriate filing period for consideration.

Transcripts

Official transcripts can be sent electronically by schools using electronic transcript vendors; the recipient email address should be etranscript@illinois.edu. They can also be mailed directly from your high school or college to our office.

International Academic Records

If you’re working with a student who attended high school outside of the U.S., any academic records sent to us must be official or certified as true copies and issued in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Learn more about how we accept international transcripts.

new students flood campus for Quad Day, an event which showcases club, RSO, and group opportunities at UIUC

Financial Aid

For need-based financial aid, students should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our FAFSA school code is 001775. Illinois residents who aren’t otherwise eligible for federal financial aid can submit the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.

The FAFSA opens in December, allowing students and their families to file using tax information from two years ago. We recommend students apply as soon as possible to be fully considered for all financial aid programs for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025. (Students who are entering UIUC for the Spring 2024 semester should fill out the 2023-2024 FAFSA.) Students who miss the university preferential filing date of March 15 can still file the FAFSA and will be considered for state and federal student financial aid programs with later deadlines.

Students must submit the FAFSA to be considered for Illinois Commitment, which covers tuition and campus fees for up to three years (six semesters) of continuous enrollment for all qualified in-state transfer students who have graduated from an Illinois high school.

Visits

We host a variety of in-person visits for prospective and admitted transfer students. Students can also get a better feel for our campus and culture by visiting virtually; our virtual one-on-one appointments even allow prospective and admitted transfer students a chance to meet individually with a transfer admissions counselor to get all of their questions answered.

Housing

Students who have earned fewer than 30 transferable hours of college credit at the time of enrollment and who have not lived in another institution’s residence hall for a full academic year are required to live in university-approved housing their first year at UIUC. University Housing, which is owned by the university, includes a transfer community in Scott Hall. Private Certified Housing facilities, which are privately owned and operated, are also approved by the university for students.

Undergraduates 20 years or older can live in graduate housing, and those with 30 or more credit hours can live in our Ashton Woods apartments. Many transfer students also decide to live in off-campus apartments. Our Off-Campus Community Living office can help students find apartments, review lease contracts, answer questions about landlord complaint histories, and more.

Illini Pride members lead the crowd at Sights & Sounds, a welcome week event at UIUC

More Resources

Contact Information

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to our office! You can also contact our transfer counselors directly:

  • Katie Wiles, Assistant Director of Transfer Recruitment, 217-300-3245
  • Kaela Williams, Coordinator of Transfer Recruitment, 217-333-6847

Helpful Links for Transfers

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