A freshman applicant has never attended a college, university or trade school after graduating high school or earning a GED, and wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Beginning in Fall 2021, NEIU will be test optional. Standardized test scores are not required for admission to the University. Applicants, however, are encouraged to submit test scores in order to meet some scholarship and prerequisite requirements. Test scores also can be helpful with determining your placement in math and English courses. Scores will not be used to make an admissions decision. Applicants with a 2.5 cumulative high school grade-point average will be guaranteed admission.
Students with GEDs: If you are 18 years of age or older, you can be considered for admission upon successful completion of the GED.
Freshmen are admitted to degree programs and should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible to determine eligibility for federal and state student aid. The school code to enter for Northeastern Illinois University is 001693.
Submit electronically: Contact SAT or ACT to arrange for your test score to be sent electronically to the Admissions Office. Scores will not be used to make an admissions decision.
Submit by mail: Mailed test scores must be in original sealed envelopes that have not been opened. Only sealed envelopes will be accepted by the Admissions Office.
If your scores appear on your high school transcript, contact your high school counselor to have your scores sent to the Admissions Office.
High school graduates: You must arrange for your high school to electronically send or mail your official high school transcript (with your graduation date) to the Admissions Office.
High school seniors: You must provide a high school transcript to the Admissions Office at the time of your application for admission. High school students admitted to Northeastern must provide the Admissions Office with their official high school transcript (with graduation date) once it is available from the high school.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card). An application fee waiver for eligible students is available from your high school guidance counselor.
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
An international applicant is a foreign student who plans to apply for, or is currently in the United States on a non-immigrant student visa. As an international applicant, you are required to fulfill all of the admission requirements and submit all the required documents that domestic applicants do. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you meet eligibility requirements for:
To learn about the additional admission requirements for international applicants, please visit our International Applicants web page.
Please download, complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
Domestic applicants – August 1
International applicants – June 15
Domestic applicants – December 1
International applicants – October 1
Domestic applicants – April 1
International applicants (Full Summer Only) – March 1
Domestic applicants – May 1
Complete the Undergraduate Admission Application online, or download, complete and submit a hard copy to:
Northeastern Illinois University
Admissions Office
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
A graduate student has completed a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university, and wishes to pursue a master’s degree or graduate certificate, licensure or endorsement at Northeastern. (International applicants may be more familiar with the term “post-graduate” student.)
An applicant’s undergraduate academic record must reflect an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. All undergraduate work is included in the evaluation. Post-bachelor’s work in graduate-level courses, if any, is expected to average 3.0 (B) or better. Applicants must meet any additional program requirements.
Admission requirements vary depending on the graduate degree program, but all applications require the following core elements:
Official transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended. Official transcripts and examination scores must be sent electronically or mailed in sealed envelopes from the sending college or institution. Opened transcripts are not considered official. Transcripts can be sent electronically, by the college or university, to gradadmissions@neiu.edu. Transcripts sent by the student are not acceptable.
Courses taken at colleges or universities outside of the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). The subject analysis or course-by-course evaluation is required.
Submit a two-page statement addressing your goals and objectives specific to the program to which you are applying.
Two recommenders must each submit a letter of recommendation and the Letter of Recommendation Form on your behalf. Recommenders should be professors and/or employers who can attest to your qualifications. One letter should be from a former professor if you have been in school in the last five years. Recommendation letters from non-supervisory co-workers, family members or friends will not be accepted. If a recommender submits a letter and form by mail to the Office of Graduate Admissions, his or her signature must appear across the back seal of the envelope.
Alternatively, you can send a link to your recommenders through your online application portal. By accessing the links, your recommenders can complete the Letter of Recommendation Form and submit the letters of recommendation electronically, directly to Northeastern. If you scan or email copies of letters of recommendation, these will not be accepted.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card).
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
All standardized test scores (i.e. GRE, GMAT, TAP, Basic Skills, TOEFL, IELTS, ECE or WES evaluation) must be sent directly from the organization to be considered official.
An international applicant is a foreign student who plans to apply for, or is currently in the United States on a non-immigrant student visa. As an international applicant, you are required to fulfill all of the admission requirements and submit all the required documents that domestic applicants do. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you meet eligibility requirements for:
To learn about the additional admission requirements for international applicants, please visit our International Applicants web page.
Please download, complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
To change your program of interest, please complete the Graduate Admission Request for Program Change form and email to graduateadmissions@neiu.edu.
Domestic applicants – July 15
International applicants – June 15
Domestic applicants – November 1
International applicants – October 1
Domestic applicants – April 1
International applicants (Full Summer Only) – March 1
Locate your program of interest on the Additional Requirements page to learn about semesters of admission and any earlier application deadlines (e.g., Counseling and Social Work).
Complete the Graduate Admission Application online, or download, complete and submit a hard copy to:
Northeastern Illinois University
Office of Graduate Admissions
D101D
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
Graduate students-at-large (SAL) have already earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university, and wish to take graduate-level courses, but do not want to apply to a master’s degree program at the time of applying for admission. A graduate SAL may choose to take courses for professional or scholarly reasons or personal enrichment. If the graduate SAL decides to apply to a graduate degree program after taking graduate-level courses, a limited number of the hours taken as a student-at-large can be applied toward the requirements of the degree, at the discretion of the program. Graduate SALs do not qualify for financial aid.
Eligible students who submit all the required materials will be admitted as graduate students-at-large.
Official transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended. Official transcripts and examination scores must be sent electronically or mailed in sealed envelopes from the sending college or institution. Opened transcripts are not considered official. Transcripts can be sent electronically, by the college or university, to gradadmissions@neiu.edu. Transcripts sent by the student are not acceptable.
Courses taken at colleges or universities outside of the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). The subject analysis or course-by-course evaluation is required.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card).
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
An international applicant may not apply for admission as a Graduate Student-at-Large.
Please download, complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
To change your program of interest, please complete the Graduate Admission Request for Program Change form and email to graduateadmissions@neiu.edu.
All SAL applicants – August 15
All SAL applicants – December 15
All SAL applicants – May 15
All SAL applicants – July 1
Complete the Graduate Student-at-Large Admission Application online, or download, complete and submit a hard copy to:
Northeastern Illinois University
Admissions Office
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
Let us know if you plan to attend NEIU! This will help us prepare for your arrival and guide you through the important next steps. Access the “Intent to Enroll” button by logging into your applications portal at neiu.edu/apply:
First, activate your account in NEIUport, the University’s secure online portal, so you can access information, your Nmail, online tools, services and more. Once activated, explore the Current Student tab in NEIUport to learn how to:
Nmail is your University-issued email account. You will be provided with your Nmail address during the NEIUport activation process. The password you create for NEIUport will be the same password you will use to log in to your Nmail account.
Official University communications will be sent to your Nmail account. You will be responsible for reading and responding to these communications, so please be sure to check your Nmail daily.
N-Safe is the system the University uses to provide students, faculty and staff with security and school closure alerts. Sign up for N-Safe and choose how you'd like notifications to be sent to you – by email and/or text message.
After activating your NEIUport account, you can access additional University accounts and Student Computing Services (SCS) computer lab workstations at all Northeastern locations. Use your NETID/username and the password you created when you activate your NEIUport account to access the workstations and your other Northeastern online accounts.
Desire to Learn (D2L) is an online learning environment that houses syllabi, course materials and tools you will use for many of the courses you will take at Northeastern. D2L also enables you to communicate with the faculty members teaching your courses and your classmates. Familiarize yourself with D2L before your first day of classes.
All students must provide documentation of immunization/vaccination history to Northeastern Illinois University Student Health Services. Instructions are available online. Discounted vaccinations and free immunization reviews are available at NEIU Student Health Services.
All students are required to provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination or a COVID-19 vaccination exemption form to the NEIU Health Portal. Students who are approved for a COVID-19 vaccination exemption are required to submit weekly test results. Return to Campus-Student Information has further details. Additionally, proof of other routine immunizations must be submitted to NEIU Student Health Services. Instructions are available online.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please log into your application portal and complete the Deferment Request of Application or Admission Form.
Northeastern Illinois University accepts admission applications from applicants who plan to apply for, or are currently in the United States on non-immigrant student visas. International applicants are required to fulfill all of the admission requirements and submit all the required documents that domestic applicants do. Additionally, international applicants must demonstrate that they meet eligibility requirements for:
To learn about the additional admission requirements for international applicants, please visit our International Applicants web page.
To be readmitted, students must have been in good standing at the time of last attendance at Northeastern. Readmission applicants are considered on the basis of their status at the time they left Northeastern and any college work they have completed elsewhere since their last attendance at the University. Students who have enrolled at other institutions since leaving Northeastern must have an overall “C” average and be in good standing at those institutions.
An undergraduate degree-seeking student who enrolled at Northeastern and stopped attending for more than six consecutive semesters may apply for readmission to Northeastern to complete an undergraduate degree. The applicant may or may not have earned college credit at another university, college or trade school.
Undergraduate applicants readmitted to degree programs at Northeastern should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible to determine eligibility for federal and state student aid. The school code to enter for Northeastern Illinois University is 001693.
Official transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, and must be sent electronically or mailed in sealed envelopes from the sending college or institution. Opened transcripts are not considered official. Courses taken at colleges or universities outside of the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). The subject analysis or course-by-course evaluation is required.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card).
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
Please download and/or complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
If you've submitted official transcripts from regionally accredited institutions for transfer credit evaluation, but believe the initial evaluation and transfer credit equivalency is not accurately reflected, please complete the Transfer Credit Re-Evaluation Request Form.
Domestic applicants – August 1
International applicants – June 15
Domestic applicants – December 1
International applicants – October 1
Domestic applicants – April 1
International applicants (Full Summer Only) – March 1
Domestic applicants – May 1
Complete the Undergraduate Admission Application online, or download, complete and submit a hard copy to:
Northeastern Illinois University
Admissions Office
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
A graduate applicant who was admitted to a master’s degree, or graduate certificate, licensure or endorsement program, and completed courses at Northeastern but stopped attending for more than six consecutive semesters, may apply for readmission as a graduate student. The applicant may or may not have earned graduate college credit at another university, college or trade school.
Graduate applicants readmitted to master’s degree programs at Northeastern should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible to determine eligibility for federal and state student aid. The school code to enter for Northeastern Illinois University is 001693. Student readmitted to graduate non-degree programs (i.e. graduate certificates, licensures and endorsements) are not eligible for federal and state student aid.
Official transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, and must be sent electronically or mailed in sealed envelopes from the sending college or institution. Opened transcripts are not considered official. Courses taken at colleges or universities outside of the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). The subject analysis or course-by-course evaluation is required.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card).
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
Please download, complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
To change your program of interest, please complete the Graduate Admission Request for Program Change form and email to graduateadmissions@neiu.edu.
Domestic applicants – July 15
International applicants – June 15
Domestic applicants – November 1
International applicants – October 1
Domestic applicants – April 1
International applicants (Full Summer Only) – March 1
Complete the Graduate Admission Application online, or download, complete and submit a hard copy to:
Northeastern Illinois University
Office of Graduate Admissions
D101D
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
An international applicant is a foreign student who plans to apply for, or is currently in the United States on a non-immigrant student visa. As an international applicant, you are required to fulfill all of the admission requirements and submit all the required documents that domestic applicants do. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you meet eligibility requirements for:
To learn about the additional admission requirements for international applicants, please visit our International Applicants web page.
A student who has completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university may apply to Northeastern to complete a second bachelor’s degree.
Second bachelor’s applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited college or university with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree are admitted to degree programs, and should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible to determine eligibility for federal and state student aid. The school code to enter for Northeastern Illinois University is 001693.
Official transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, and must be sent electronically or mailed in sealed envelopes from the sending college or institution. Opened transcripts are not considered official. Courses taken at colleges or universities outside of the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). The subject analysis or course-by-course evaluation is required.
The $30 application fee is payable by mail (check or money order), online (debit or credit card) or in person (cash, check, money order, debit or credit card).
If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, provide a clear copy of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, or if you are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation. If you are in the U.S. on a valid (not expired) visa, submit a clear copy of your visa.
An international applicant is a foreign student who plans to apply for, or is currently in the United States on a non-immigrant student visa. As an international applicant, you are required to fulfill all of the admission requirements and submit all the required documents that domestic applicants do. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you meet eligibility requirements for:
To learn about the additional admission requirements for international applicants, please visit our International Applicants web page.
Please download and/or complete and submit necessary forms with your application.
Undocumented students meeting criteria for in-state tuition rates may complete the Affidavit for Eligibility for Residency Tuition.
To request a deferral of your application or admission for up to one year, please complete the Application Deferment Request form.
If you've submitted official transcripts from regionally accredited institutions for transfer credit evaluation, but believe the initial evaluation and transfer credit equivalency is not accurately reflected, please complete the Transfer Credit Re-Evaluation Request Form.
Domestic applicants – August 1
International applicants – June 15
Domestic applicants – December 1
International applicants – October 1
Domestic applicants – April 1
International applicants (Full Summer Only) – March 1
Domestic applicants – May 1
