Admission to Graduate Study

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To be admitted as a graduate student, an applicant must

• have obtained a baccalaureate or higher degree, prior to the start of the NIU term for which the student is admitted, from an accredited U.S. college or university or the equivalent degree from a recognized foreign institution. (See “Definitions of Terms Used in This Catalog” for definitions of “accredited institution” and “recognized institution.”)
• Have a minimum 2.75 overall grade point average (GPA), based on a 4.00 system, in their baccalaureate program or must have completed 15 or more semester hours of graduate work at an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.20 or higher.
• Have at least a 3.20 GPA in all graduate work taken to be admitted to a program beyond the master’s degree.

The overall baccalaureate GPA is here defined as the GPA as reflected on the official transcript of the institution granting the baccalaureate degree; if the institution specifies none, or uses other than a 4.00 system, NIU will compute the GPA for course work at that institution, when possible. Applicants whose GPA is below the required level(s) may, at the discretion of the academic department, be recommended for admission if they satisfy one of the following criteria.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct graduate work at an accredited college or university.
• Exceptional performance on required graduate-level admission tests (GRE or GMAT).
• Presentation of other relevant evidence acceptable to the department, such as a portfolio in art or an audition in music of notably high quality.

An applicant who holds a baccalaureate degree from a college or university other than Northern Illinois University, or who has engaged in graduate study elsewhere, must submit official transcripts showing each such degree and all graduate work as part of the application materials. The applicant should request that the appropriate institution(s) send one official copy of each required transcript directly to the Graduate School. Degree transcripts must be from the institution conferring each degree; transcripts of graduate work must be from the institution(s) at which the student was enrolled for such work. Graduate credit is not accepted in transfer from U.S. institutions that are not accredited or from foreign institutions that are not recognized, therefore, transcripts are not required for work done at such institutions. Students submitting credentials written in languages other than English are also required to submit an official English translation. Copies of either originals or translations, even if notarized, are not considered official.

The above are minimum academic requirements for admission to the Graduate School. The applicant’s character, integrity, and general fitness to practice a particular profession may also be considered in the admissions process.

Admission to the Graduate School is contingent on admission to a particular degree program. Departments reserve the right, in consultation with the Graduate School, to establish additional standards and criteria for admission. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ascertain the nature and extent of these program-specific admission requirements. In addition, limited resources may indicate a need for limited enrollments, requiring departments to restrict admissions and to entertain special admissions only under exceptional circumstances.

The Graduate School scrutinizes application materials to determine their authenticity and legitimacy. Any applicant who provides information either on the application or in supporting materials that misrepresents their previous experience or ability to succeed in graduate school will be denied admission. If the student is enrolled when such a discovery is made, the student’s admission will be rescinded immediately.

NIU holds the right to make mid-admission cycle changes related to admission requirements as a part of the graduate catalog revision cycle.

Exceptions to the Admission Requirement

Admission of any student failing to meet admissions criteria as set forth in the Graduate Catalog requires the approval of the office of the dean of the Graduate School.

To pursue a graduate degree, one must apply, be recommended for admission by the faculty of the academic program, and be admitted to the Graduate School.

Students who wish to take graduate coursework without purusing a degree program should refer to the section “Graduate Student-at-Large Admission” in this catalog.

Applicants for admission to the Graduate School assume all responsibility for the completion of their admission files; the Graduate School assumes no obligation to inform them about erroneous or missing credentials.

The online application for graduate admission is accessible from the Graduate School web site: https://grad.niu.edu/grad/admissions/apply-now.shtml

The completed application dossier, with the required application fee, must be received by the Graduate School no later than the following application deadlines:

• July 15 for admission to the fall semester
• December 10 for the spring semester
• June 1 for the summer session

For international applicants, all application materials must be received by the Graduate School no later than May 1 for admission for the fall semester or October 1 for the spring semester. Normally, new international students will not be admitted to begin a degree program in the summer semester. An international student residing in the U.S. may meet the application deadlines specified for domestic students. An international student who is enrolled as an undergraduate at NIU or who is a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. may meet the application deadlines specified for domestic students and may be considered for admission for the summer semester.
Academic programs have the ability to set program-specific application deadlines that may be earlier in the admission cycle than the Graduate School deadlines. The program-specific deadlines cannot be past the Graduate School deadlines. Applicants should check with the academic department for program-specific application deadlines.

These application deadlines are waived for a student already enrolled in a graduate program at NIU who wishes to apply for admission to another graduate program, or an NIU undergraduate seeking early admission to the Graduate School. For any of these dates occurring on a Saturday, Sunday, or university holiday, the deadline becomes the next day on which university offices are open.

Application Fee

Payment for the application fee must accompany the submission of the application, unless the applicant is exempt from the fee. The following individuals are exempt from payment of the application fee:

• McNair Scholars
• qualified veterans under the Illinois Veterans’ Grant (IVG) Program
• Individuals who also received a GRE or GMAT fee reduction or fee waiver

Exempt applicants should contact the Graduate School (gradsch@niu.edu) to learn how to receive a fee-waiver code.

Graduate assistantships are normally awarded to begin in the fall semester. This application should be submitted directly to the department or other unit in which the applicant wants to work, and not to the Graduate School.

A student seeking an F-1 or J-1 visa must also submit the financial statement and demonstrate adequate financial resources before an I-20 or DS 2019 form will be issued.

International students must submit either IELTS (International English Language Testing Services), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), PTE (Pearson English Language Test), or DET (Duolingo English Test) test scores.  For information regarding the IELTS, applicants should visit www.ielts.org/. Information about PTE Academic is available at: https://pearsonpte.com/. TOEFL information can be found at: www.ets.org/toefl. Information regarding the DET can be found at: englishtest.duolingo.com.

English Proficiency Requirements for International Applicants

An applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English by achieving the minimum score on a standardized English proficiency test. As such, applicants must present one of the following:

• present an IELTS score of 6.5 or alternativel
• a PTE Academic score of at least 53
• a TOEFL score of at least 80
• or a DET score of at least 115

The score must be for an examination administered no more than 24 months prior to the beginning of the academic term for which admission is sought. Possession of a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited institution in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other countries serves as evidence of sufficient English proficiency for admission purposes. (A list of those other countries is maintained at www.grad.niu.edu). Submission of English language proficiency scores is unnecessary for a student already enrolled and in good academic standing at NIU. In special circumstances, a department may seek a waiver of this requirement for a student who has demonstrated success in graduate course work but not completed a degree at an accredited institution in the U.S.

For IELTS information, contact www.ielts.org. For TOEFL information, contact www.toefl.org. For PTE Academic information, contact https://pearsonpte.com/.

Upon submission and completion, applications for admission are reviewed by the Graduate School and then provided to the academic department for review and recommendation for admission decision.

Individual programs and departments make admission recommendations to the Graduate School; the Graduate School makes the admission decision. The official notification of admission is sent by the Graduate School. Correspondence from individual departments or programs does not constitute official notice of admission. Admission decision notifications are released as quickly as possible, though can take up to a few weeks following the receipt of all materials. For programs in which space is limited, however, admission decisions may be made only at certain times during the academic year. Accordingly, notification of decisions may not be sent until sometime after the formal deadline for applications has passed.

A student must be admitted by the close of the first week of an academic term in order for the admission to be effective for that term.

A student whose application for admission to a graduate program is denied may request reconsideration at any time prior to the close of admissions for the term for which application was made. If the admission deadline for that term is past, the student must submit a new application form by the deadline applicable to the next term for which admission is sought. At the discretion of the department or program to which the student desires admission, additional materials may be required in support of a reapplication or reconsideration request, and such a request will not normally be considered unless the student presents additional academic information not previously available to the faculty.

Fully admitted graduate students meet all program-level and Graduate School requirements for admission.

Students are admitted conditionally either because they lack the academic background to ensure completion of a program or because they do not meet program-level or Graduate School admission requirements. Conditional admission can be awarded only by the dean of the Graduate School upon the recommendation of the program. Common situations where conditional admission is present include the following:

• An admitted student, who has not yet completed a baccalaureate or a master’s degree prior to matriculation as a graduate student at NIU, and as such who has not yet provided an official transcript verifying completion of that degree.
• An admitted student who has not yet provided official exam scores verifying the English proficiency requirement has been met
• An admitted student who may be required to complete undergraduate deficiency courses. Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate classes must be aware of potential consequences upon their eligibility to receive financial aid.
• Programs may impose other terms of conditional admission that admitted students must meet, including completion of undergraduate course work at a specified level of competency. Programs must inform both the student and the Graduate School in writing of any such requirements. Responsibility for enforcing additional requirements resides solely with programs.

Unless specified otherwise by the academic department, students must fulfill all terms of the conditional admission within the first semester of enrollment to be fully admitted at NIU as a graduate student. Failure to do so will result in a rescinded admission notice from the Graduate School; and the student will not be able to continue in the program. It is the responsibility of the academic department to monitor and notify the Graduate School of any terms beyond the first semester of enrollment.

Once a conditionally-admitted student meets requirements to lift the condition of their enrollment, the Graduate School will reclassify the student as fully admitted.

Early admission to the Graduate School is available to seniors in their final term of undergraduate enrollment at NIU. Students who apply for and receive early admission may take courses for graduate credit. The student granted early admission must be enrolled for all courses necessary to complete the baccalaureate degree (as determined by the undergraduate graduation-evaluations area in the Office of Registration and Records).

Application for early admission is made through the Graduate School. A student applying for early admission must have applied to graduate from the baccalaureate program at the end of the term for which early admission is sought. No student may enroll in more than one term under early-admission status. If a student is granted early admission and fails to graduate from the baccalaureate program at the end of the term for which early admission was granted, admission to the Graduate School will be rescinded.

Students receiving early admission are ineligible to receive graduate assistantships or graduate tuition waivers. Their eligibility to receive financial aid and scholarships may be adversely affected by early admission. Students admitted early are admonished to consult a financial aid or scholarship counselor prior to enrolling in graduate level courses.

Admission to Accelerated Baccalaureate/ Master’s Degree Programs

Accelerated baccalaureate/master’s degree programs allow advanced undergraduate students at NIU to enroll in up to 18 credits of graduate course work, some or all of which may be applied to a baccalaureate degree with the consent of the student’s undergraduate advisor. NIU undergraduate students may apply to enter an accelerated program once they have achieved 90 hours of credit and a 3.00 GPA. Check with individual departments for specific requirements.

Application for early admission is made through the Graduate School. No student may enroll more than three terms in an accelerated program without completing all requirements for the baccalaureate degree. If a student is granted early admission and fails to graduate from the baccalaureate program at the end of the third term, admission to the Graduate School will be rescinded until baccalaureate degree requirements are met.

Students receiving admission to accelerated programs are ineligible to receive graduate assistantships or graduate tuition waivers until they have received a baccalaureate degree. Their eligibility to receive financial aid and scholarships may be adversely affected by early admission. Students admitted to an accelerated program are admonished to consult a financial aid or scholarship counselor prior to enrolling in graduate level courses.

Accelerated baccalaureate/master’s degree programs are available in the following majors:

• Applied Management with Emphasis in Instructional Technology, Training and Evaluation (BSAM-ITTE)/M.S. in Educational Research, Evaluation, and Assessment (MSEREA)
• Applied Management with Emphasis in Instructional Technology, Training and Evaluation (BSAM-ITTE)/M.S.ED. in Instructional Technology (MSED-IT)
• Biomedical Engineering/Electrical Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering/Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Business Administration/Law
• Chemistry
• Economics
• Electrical Engineering
• Finance
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Kinesiology/Athletic Training
• Management/Law
• Marketing/Digital Marketing
• Mathematical Sciences
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering/Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
• Operations and Information Management (O.I.M.)/Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Political Science
• Political Science/Public Administration
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation and Disability Services/Rehabilitation Counseling
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Sport Management

Descriptions of program and admission requirements for these programs are available in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Criminal Disclosure

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all members of the University community. As part of this commitment, NIU requires admitted students to disclose information regarding past conduct prior to confirming enrollment. While a previous conviction or current indictment does not bar admission to the university, a review of individual circumstances by a university committee may lead to admission with specific enrollment restrictions or rescission of admission. Admitted students seeking to confirm enrollment who are under current indictment, have been convicted of a crime (other than a routine traffic offense or in a juvenile proceeding), or have been dismissed or expelled from an academic institution for reasons other than academic performance are required to disclose information related to past conduct as a mandatory step in the enrollment process.

In order to establish their admission, graduate students must accept and confirm the graduate admission offer and then enroll in the semester for which they are admitted, indicated in the letter of admission from the Graduate School.

Deferral of Admission

At the discretion of the office of the dean of the Graduate School and with permission of the academic department, matriculation may be deferred up to but not beyond one calendar year. The request for deferral of admission must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the end of the academic term for which admission has been granted. If students do not request a deferral of admission, and fail to matriculate (enroll in the term of admission) as required, their admission to that program is canceled. If the student was not already admitted to another graduate program, admission to the Graduate School is also canceled as a result. Conditional admission may not be deferred; the student should instead arrange to meet the conditional admission terms and apply for permit consideration for unconditional admission in a subsequent term.

An admitted student who wishes to change degree programs must submit a new application for admission including a new application fee payment and the appropriate application materials, within established application deadlines for that new program. The student must inform the Graduate School if they wish to withdrawal their application, decline their offer of admission and/or cancel enrollment in the degree program to which previously admitted.

A student who wishes to change degree level within a given program or from one specialization to another within the same major must submit a change of program/specialization form to the Graduate School. The faculty of the new degree level or specialization will be given the opportunity to approve the change requested. The Graduate School will grant a request once it is approved by the department, provided that the student is in good academic standing.

A student may be admitted to two (or more) degree programs concurrently. A new application form must be completed for each degree program to which the student desires admission. Each intended program may review the student’s existing Graduate School academic file and may require letters of recommendation pertinent to the particular program. A graduate student must be in good academic standing in order to be admitted to an additional graduate degree program. When a student already enrolled in the Graduate School is admitted to an additional graduate degree program, the department(s) to which the student is already admitted will be notified of the new admission. A student admitted to more than one degree program is considered to be pursuing each one independently in the sense that each degree can be awarded as all requirements for it are satisfied. See also “Dual Credit for Graduate Course Work.”

If a student who was previously enrolled in a graduate degree program at NIU wishes to resume study in the same degree program within 12 months of the term for which they were admitted, they must submit a reentry request form to the Graduate School and secure permission from the program to re-enter. A previously enrolled degree-seeking student who wishes to change programs must submit a new application for admission. A degree-seeking student who does not register for course work in a 12-month period must submit a new application for admission. If the student no longer wishes to pursue a degree, but does wish to undertake further graduate course work, they should apply as a student-at-large. A student who has been academically dismissed while a graduate student or student-at-large at NIU is not eligible for admission or reentry but must petition the Graduate Council Appeals Committee for academic reinstatement

The following individuals are eligible to apply as a graduate student-at-large:

• Individuals who have interest in completing a certificate of graduate study
• Individuals who have interest in completing a graduate-level course at NIU for a particular semester, without being admitted to nor completing an academic program
• Individuals who have applied as a graduate degree-seeking student but have not yet been admitted
• Individuals who were previously admitted but who did not matriculate
• Individuals who have been denied admission to an academic program

In order to enroll as a student-at-large, an individual must submit the application for admission to the Graduate School as a student-at-large and provide unofficial transcripts that show the completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited institution (or the equivalent from a recognized institution outside the United States).

A graduate student who has been academically dismissed from the Graduate School may not enroll as a student-at-large unless granted academic reinstatement for this purpose by the Graduate Council Appeals Committee.

The graduate student-at-large classification is primarily for the purpose of taking graduate-level classes; persons with a baccalaureate degree wishing to take only undergraduate classes or to pursue another baccalaureate degree at NIU should do so through one of the student categories designed for that specific purpose. Information about such categories is available from the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Permission to register as a student-at-large should not be confused with admission to the Graduate School. Students-at-large are not considered to be admitted to a degree program until they have been formally admitted by the Graduate School and relevant department.

A student-at-large is not eligible for appointment to a graduate assistantship.

A student-at-large may apply for admission to the Graduate School. However, even if admission is achieved, the graduate credit accumulated as a student-at-large will not necessarily be counted toward an advanced degree at this university, and certain programs have limits on the number of student-at-large hours that can be applied toward a specific degree. Therefore, a student at-large who intends to pursue a graduate degree should apply for admission as soon as possible.

Unless otherwise indicated, the general provisions of the Graduate Catalog apply to students-at-large.

A postbaccalaureate is a student who has an earned baccalaureate degree and wishes to take additional undergraduate courses or to pursue a second undergraduate degree. Admission as a postbaccalaureate student is granted through the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

A postbaccalaureate is not eligible to enroll in any course for graduate credit. However, postbaccalaureate students may enroll in a limited number of graduate-level courses for undergraduate credit; see “Undergraduates in Graduate Courses for Undergraduate Credit.”

Credit earned while a postbaccalaureate is undergraduate credit and, therefore, may not be applied later toward a graduate degree. Conversely, graduate credit earned as a graduate-level student may not be applicable toward an undergraduate degree; the evaluations staff of the Office of Registration and Records should be contacted for further information.

The student’s classification may also affect eligibility for certain types of financial assistance; students should contact a financial aid counselor in the Student Financial Aid Office for more information.