International Transfer FAQ

International transfer students will need to review details for both transfer requirements and international requirements. Transfer requirements vary by specific program of study. You should plan to complete the prerequisites for your specific program prior to starting here at Illinois. There are additional International requirements.

Yes! Apply online as long as you have checked the Transfer Admission Requirements for your program of interest. Application deadlines can be found on our dates and deadlines page.

You need to have completed a minimum of two academic years of full-time study at the secondary or collegiate level in the US (also United Kingdom, Australia and most of Canada) immediately prior to desired term of entry, in order to be exempt from the TOEFL requirement. The TOEFL requirement may also be waived with a 560 or higher critical reading score on the SAT I (ACT English score 25 or higher).
Illinois also accepts the IELTS to determine English proficiency. Minimum total score for admission: 6.5, including a minimum subscore of 6 on all four modules.

We need official college transcripts for any college or university you have attended. We also need official, final high school transcripts, and certified true copies of any external exams such as A Levels, ISC, HKALE, etc. These are typically used to show proof of completion through grade 12 equivalence and often meet the foreign language requirement. If you do not meet the conditions listed in question 4, we also need official TOEFL or IELTS scores. Only students who have less than 30 hours of transferable credit need to submit official SAT I or ACT scores. If you will be attending on an F-1 or J-1 visa, please see financial certification requirements below.

Typically decisions for transfer students are sent 6 to 8 weeks after the application is processed. Some majors wait until the end of the application period before beginning the review process, so it can take up to 12 weeks to hear a decision, particularly for fall applicants. Students who apply to programs in Art, Theatre, Music and Dance may take longer to hear a decision because of portfolio reviews and/or audition requirements.

Letters of recommendation are strongly discouraged, as they are not used in the review process. Also, please do not send copies of certificates of achievement, resumes, or other materials that are not required. Doing so can greatly increase the amount of paperwork in the office and sometimes can even delay the review of the application.

Yes. For students requesting the F-1 or J-1 student visa, the financial verification form and documentation should be included with the application materials; however, if the financial verification form and bank statement need to be signed and sent from sponsors/parents overseas, these items may follow the application materials. Please note that if you are admitted, a delay in sending these documents to us will mean a delay in sending your immigration paperwork to you. For more information, visit the International Student requirements page.

I am currently an international student on visa. However, I will have permanent resident alien status at the beginning of the term. Do I apply as an international student now?

Yes, you should complete the international undergraduate application at this time. When you receive your "green card," send us a copy and we will change your status within our system. Click here for more information regarding residency classification.

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