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[The following requirements for admission to Southern Illinois University Carbondale were approved on July 6, 1984, with amendments on June 12, 1987, and June 9, 2000, and March 7, 2005, in accordance with provisions set forth in SIU Board of Trustees 1 Policies E.1.]

A. Undergraduate and Associate Degrees

  1. Baccalaureate and Associate Degrees
    1. Beginning Freshman
      1. High school graduation and fulfillment of mandated course subject pattern requirements and one of the following:

        ACT composite score (or equivalent SAT score) at the 66th percentile or above and class rank in the top three quarters;

        or

        ACT composite score (or equivalent SAT score) at the 50th and 65th percentile and class rank in the top half;

        or

        ACT composite score (or equivalent SAT score) between the 33rd and 49th percentile and class rank in the top quarter.

        All other applicants who meet the course pattern requirements will be reviewed to determine potential admissibility. Admission of students who do not meet the above requirements may be subject to conditions. Full admission and enrollment may be offered for Fall term to those students completing a Mathematics and an English course at SIUC, the summer prior to enrolling full-time, with earned grades of "C" or better. Those who do not meet the published criteria and/or who do not satisfy the review process will be denied. For admission to a particular college or school, the faculty of that college or school may, upon approval of the Chancellor, establish additional admission requirements beyond the university's minimum standards for admission.
    2. Transfer, International, Former and Special Student Categories
      1. Admission of transfer students: transfer students who have a 2.0 grade point average (4.0 scale) for all post-secondary institutions attended by the applicant and are eligible to continue enrollment at the last institution attended, will be eligible for admission to the university. For admission to a particular college or school, the faculty of that college or school may, upon approval of the chancellor, establish additional requirements beyond the university's minimum standards for admission. Students with fewer than 26 semester hours must meet the admission standards for beginning freshman. Students who do not meet these requirements may be admitted on probation.
      2. Admission of International Students: admission requirements for international students are the same as for native students except that international students must complete the test for English as a second language according to criteria approved by the chancellor. Students whose TOEFL score is less than 520 may be admitted to limited undergraduate studies based on the level of competency in English certified by the Center for English as a Second Language.
    3. Admission of re-entry students who were in good standing when last attending SIUC are eligible for re-admission. Students who attended another institution since attending SIUC will be considered in the same manner as a transfer student. Students who were suspended for scholastic or disciplinary reasons during their previous enrollment at the university must be approved for re-admission by the appropriate academic or student services dean before they can be re-admitted. Students with less than a C average must be approved for re-admission by an academic dean if they are entering an academic unit other than the one in which they were previously enrolled.
    4. Admission of Veterans: veterans who have not attended an institution of higher education since discharge are admissible in good standing. Veterans who attended an institution after discharge will be considered as transfer students.
    5. Early admission of Freshman: students may be admitted before high school graduation under criteria approved by the chancellor.
    6. Admission of Adult Students: adults who have graduated from high school or passed the GED test can be considered for admission as unclassified students.

B. Graduate

  1. Admission Requirements of International Students to Graduate Programs.
    1. Same admission requirements apply to international students as for native students if international applicants have a full four-year baccalaureate degree (i.e., 100 hours of graded coursework) from an accredited U.S. institution; if applicants do not have such a degree, they must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
    2. International students must be admitted to a degree program and cannot be admitted as nondeclared students.
    3. Applicants for admission to a master's degree program who have completed the equivalent of a four year baccalaureate degree in another country must have an academic record equivalent to a 2.70 GPA on the last 60 hours as determined by the Graduate School. If the applicant's primary spoken language is not English, a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)is required. Some departments require TOEFL scores higher than 550. Applicants should consult with their major departments or with the Graduate School to determine specific departmental TOEFL requirements.
    4. International students who do not meet Program TOEFL score requirement may be granted conditional admission if:
      1. Such students are sponsored by an outside agency who will cover the cost of English instruction and university enrollment;
      2. Such students have fundamental understanding of English, i.e., a TOEFL score of 450 or equivalent.
      Conditional admission will be valid for one year and require agreement by the graduate programs these students want to attend. Students holding conditional admission status must be enrolled in English instruction until either the required proficiency is achieved or their year of eligibility expires.
    5. Applicants for doctoral programs must meet the regular academic requirements for admission to a doctoral program.
    6. International applicants must demonstrate they have adequate finances for their first year of study. (The current definition of "adequate finances" is included with application materials.)
  2. Admission Requirements to Master's Degree Programs
    1. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or completion of all undergraduate degree requirements prior to the beginning of classes for the term for which admission is sought. For international students see B.1.a above.
    2. Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.70 or better (A=4.00) computed on last 45 (approximate) semester hours (or equivalent number of quarter hours) if the student has not yet received a degree; or on the last 60 (approximate) semester hours (or equivalent number of quarter hours) if he/she has already received a baccalaureate degree.
    3. If an applicant has completed 12 or more semester hours of graduate work, he/she must have earned a GPA of 3.00 or better on all graduate work in order to qualify for admission to a graduate degree program, regardless of the undergraduate GPA.
    4. Applicant may be admitted to a program only if accepted by the department or degree program concerned.
    5. The degree program may add its own GPA requirements or other requirements (above the Graduate School minimums) for admission to that particular program.
  3. Admission Requirements to Doctoral Degree Programs
    1. Master's degree or equivalent (baccalaureate degree entry is possible upon recommendation of the department and acceptance by the Graduate School).
    2. Minimum GPA of 3.25 in all graduate work.
    3. Applicant may be admitted to a program only if accepted by the academic unit offering the program.
    4. Faculty of a degree program unit may add its own GPA requirements or other requirements (above the Graduate School minimums) for admission to that particular program.
  4. Admission Requirements to Nondeclared, Non-Degree Programs
    1. Baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree.
    2. Admission to these programs is granted to those who do not seek a graduate degree, those who have applied too late to be admitted to a degree program or who cannot meet its requirements for the term for which admission is sought, or those who in some way or other cannot meet Graduate School or graduate program requirements at the time of admission.
  5. Admission Requirements to Professional Degree Programs
    Juris Doctor Degree
    1. Baccalaureate degree or equivalent
    2. Satisfactory undergraduate record
    3. Satisfactory performance on Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
    Doctor of Medicine Degree
    1. Medical College Admission Test Scores
    2. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours of undergraduate work in an accredited degree granting college or university
    3. Recommendations from pre-med committee or other appropriate individuals
    4. Personal interview
    5. Legal resident of Illinois