University of Illinois Transfer Application: A Comprehensive Guide

Transferring to a new university is a significant step, and understanding the application requirements is crucial for a smooth transition. This guide provides a detailed overview of the transfer application requirements for the University of Illinois System, as well as specific information for Illinois State University and Illinois College.

University of Illinois System Transfer Guarantee

The University of Illinois (U of I) System has implemented a transfer guarantee program to facilitate the admission of Illinois high school graduates to any of its three universities. This policy, expanded in the 2025 fall semester, ensures admission for eligible students who began their college education elsewhere.

Eligibility Requirements:

To participate in the U of I System Transfer Guarantee, students must meet the following criteria:

Have graduated from an Illinois high school.
Have earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable college or university semester hours at the time of application.
Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater in all transferable coursework.
Satisfy the U of I System university’s English language proficiency requirement.

This expanded transfer guarantee aims to encourage Illinois high school students to pursue their higher education in the state, fostering a future workforce within Illinois.

Illinois State University Transfer Requirements

Illinois State University (ISU) is a popular choice for transfer students in Illinois. However, due to limited space and a competitive applicant pool, admission is not guaranteed for all qualified applicants. ISU prioritizes transfer students with strong academic records.

General Admission Requirements:

Minimum GPA: A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for admission to the University as undeclared if program prerequisites were not met or if space is not available in the preferred major.
Associate of Science Degree: If you would like your Associate of Science degree to complete your general education requirements, we recommend completing these two courses at the community college before you transfer: one humanities/fine art and one social and behavioral science.
Program-Specific Requirements: Many programs have required and recommended courses and minimum GPA requirements, in addition to the University requirements.
B.A. Degree: B.A. candidates must successfully complete three semesters (through LAN 115) OR pass a course proficiency test.
Personal Statement: All applicants are welcome to submit a personal statement for review, though it is not required to complete your application. This statement may be considered along with other application materials to determine eligibility for admission. If you would like to submit a personal statement, your submission should be approximately 500 words in length and address the contributions you are prepared to make to our community, both academically and otherwise.

Application Deadlines:

Students seeking to transfer to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign must complete a transfer admissions application between Jan. 15 and April 5 for fall admission.

Application Fee:

$40 non-refundable Application Fee. Application fee waivers are available to students who meet certain income requirements.

Transcripts:

High School Transcripts: If you have fewer than 12 transferable semester hours, you must also submit your high school transcripts.
College Transcripts: Request Official College Transcript of all college coursework attempted. Student who attended more than one college must submit official transcripts from each institution.

Transfer Credit Policy at SIU

Southern Illinois University (SIU) has a comprehensive transfer credit policy to ensure students receive appropriate credit for their previous coursework.

General Guidelines:

Transfer credit for students admitted to the University is evaluated for acceptance toward University Core Curriculum requirements by Articulation and Evaluation (a division of the Registrar’s Office).
Credit from a regionally accredited institution, and those in candidacy status, or from an institution that has its credit accepted by the reporting institution in the state is evaluated at the time of admission.
Courses which are remedial, developmental or pre-college, will not be accepted for transfer.
Articulation and Evaluation will determine the acceptance of credit and its applicability toward University Core Curriculum requirements.
All credit accepted for transfer, which is not applied to University Core Curriculum requirements or to a specific degree program, will be considered general transfer credit (elective credit).
Transfer courses to be considered toward specific program requirements will be authorized by the department directing the program.
Transfer students must have at least 12 transferable semester hours at a 2.0 GPA.
Students who are enrolled in a collegiate program for the first time and wish to transfer upon completion of the first term or first year, may do so if the student meets the University’s admission requirements for beginning freshmen.
Admission granted to a student on partial or incomplete records is granted with the condition that the student will have an overall C average and be eligible to continue at the last school attended at the time of matriculation.
Students whose final transcripts indicate a grade point average or scholastic standing less than that required for unconditional admission may have their admission and registration withdrawn or their scholastic standing changed.
Transfer students will be admitted directly to the academic unit in which their major field of study is offered if they qualify for that program.
Each student must complete at least 120 semester hours of credit, which can include credit for work experience, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement Program (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), military credit, and proficiency examination credit. MATH 107 and UNIV 388 cannot be counted in the 120 hours required for graduation.
Each student must complete the residency requirement by taking at least 42 semester hours at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Only credit for those courses for which the student has registered and for which a satisfactory grade has been recorded at Southern Illinois University Carbondale may be applied toward the residence requirement hours.
Students enrolled in an approved program delivered off-campus will have completed the residency requirement for the University upon completion of all courses required by the program.

Standardized Exams and Proficiency Credit:

SIU recognizes credit earned through various standardized exams and awards proficiency credit accordingly.

Advanced Placement (AP): High school students who are qualified through registration in advanced placement course(s) in high school may qualify to receive college credit upon transfer. To receive credit, a student must earn at least a grade of three (3). Transfer students who have AP credit transcripted as college courses from their previous institution will receive that course credit at SIU as transfer credit.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP): Through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) students may apply for credit, which may substitute for one or more SIU courses. If prior to taking a CLEP General Examination the student has received a grade (including a W or an audit) or has enrolled in college-level work in any discipline included in the CLEP exam they shall be ineligible for credit. One exception to this rule is made if the course the student took in a discipline from a CLEP exam was taken more than five years prior and no credit was awarded for the course. The Subject Examinations cover more specific content of a single college-level course.
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES/DSST): SIU awards proficiency credit to students who have passed DSST exams with the ACE recommended score, which is 400 for all exams. Upon receipt of the test scores, the appropriate course articulation will be awarded to the student's record. If test scores for new freshman are received after orientation/registration, the student will need to work with their academic advisor to ensure duplicate courses are not taken. DSST proficiency credit does not carry a grade, and is not used in computing the student's grade point average.
Occupational Education Credit: Occupational Education Credit is college level transfer credit awarded to students for their experience in the workforce. Technical programs at SIU are authorized to award a form of non-traditional credit to students based on their past occupational experiences. Credit is established by program evaluation and may be applied only to the technical or career electives requirement of the degree, unless otherwise determined by the program chair.
International Baccalaureate (IB): The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program sponsored by the International Baccalaureate Organization is a comprehensive and challenging two-year course of study for students of senior high school age leading to final examinations in six subject areas. The Higher Level (HL) courses represent a recommended 240 teaching hours. Students who do not satisfy the requirements of the full Diploma Program or who have elected to take fewer than six subjects are awarded a certificate for the examinations completed. Transfer students who have IB credit transcripted as college courses from their previous institution will receive that course credit at SIU as transfer credit. The maximum credit granted through IB examinations is 30 hours (15 for an associate degree). It is nonresident credit, does not carry a grade, and is not used in computing the student’s grade point average. The 30-hour limit includes any college level proficiency credit that has been earned.

Course Repetition Policy:

An undergraduate student may, for the purpose of raising a grade, enroll in a course for credit more than once. For students receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F, the course repetition must occur at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Effective for courses taken Summer 2013 or later, only the most recent (last) grade will be calculated in the overall GPA and count toward hours earned. This policy will be applied to all transferable credit in that only the last grade will be used to calculate grade point average for those courses taken at the same institution. If a course was repeated prior to Summer 2013, the appropriate repeat policy will be applied to the work completed during that period of registration for the purpose of calculating the transfer grade point average.

Reverse Transfer Program:

Reverse Transfer, in accordance with IL State Law 110 ILCS 150/1, is a process for students who transfer to SIU before they complete an associate degree at the community college. Eligible students must have completed at least 15 credit hours at the community college. For those students who have opted-in, once you have obtained a total of 45 hours from SIU, in addition to the 15 hours completed at community college, SIU will send an official transcript to your last attended institution. This transcript is sent free of charge. Students must be in good standing at SIU to be eligible for participation in Reverse Transfer.

Associate Degree Completion:

Completion of an associate degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program of Arts or Science (A.A. or A.S.) from an accredited Illinois public two-year institution; completion of an A.A. from an accredited Missouri public two-year institution participating in the 42-hour block; or completion of an A.A. or A.S. from a Kentucky Community and Technical College System institution.

Capstone Option:

SIU offers the Capstone Option, which puts students in the fast lane to a bachelor’s degree in Capstone approved majors if you already hold an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree, Associate in Engineering Science (AES) degree, or equivalent certification. Instead of the 41-credit hour requirement for most students, Capstone students have a 30-credit hour requirement. That means you can earn a bachelor’s degree with just 60 additional credit hours.

Scholarships and Financial Aid:

Nearly 90% of our students receive some form of financial aid and some of our top scholarships are reserved just for transfer students! To receive consideration for SIU competitive scholarships, transfer students must be admitted to SIU by February 1st and complete the Transfer Scholars Program Application by February 16th. There are over 600 additional departmental and college scholarships awarded each year.

Application Deadlines

Transfer students may apply for either the fall semester or the spring semester. Completed applications for admission must be submitted by August 1 for the fall semester and January 1 for the spring semester. Review begins when an application is complete.

Illinois College Transfer Requirements

Illinois College also has specific requirements for transfer students.

General Requirements:

The specific minimum requirements for transfer students include the following:

Graduation from an accredited four-year high school or the equivalent with at least 15 units of credit
Verification of good academic standing at the institution from which the applicant wishes to transfer
A minimum 2.5 GPA for their most recent full time semester of college- level course work and a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA for all college level coursework attempted
A minimum of 24 transferable credits completed. If 24 credits have not been completed the student’s high school record will also be evaluated

Submitting Your Application:

Complete the following steps to start your journey to Graduate READY.

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Submit a FREE application for admissionApplication for Admission: IC Application or Common Application
Request Official Final High School Transcript to be sent to ICHigh school transcript must include final senior year gradesTranscript must indicate date of graduation
Request Official College Transcript of all college coursework attempted. Student who attended more than one college must submit official transcripts from each institution.

Transfer Credit Information:

To find out how your classes will transfer to Illinois College, please contact Rick Bystry.
Considering an online degree? Visit our online transfer page to learn how to transfer previous credit to our online programs.

Final Transcripts:

Enrolling students must submit an official record indicating the date of graduation from a secondary school approved by a state or regional accrediting agency or an official GED diploma or prior to the first day of class. Students who have not submitted final transcripts to the College will not be allowed to register for the second semester.

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