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Graduate Application Process
How Do I Apply?
NOTE: If you have already been admitted to the Graduate College as a student or have taken post bachelor's non-degree coursework and would like to either:
- transfer from your current academic program to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction
- apply to the Doctoral program after completing the Master's program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction or
- apply to a program after taking post bachelor's non-degree coursework
You will need a statement of purpose stating why you wish to be admitted to Curriculum and Instruction and
- a letter of recommendation for Curriculum and Instruction from a faculty member, preferably from your new adviser
- a petition with a sign-off from the new adviser.
- please follow this link for additional instructions.
Follow these steps to complete your application. If you have questions about our programs or the application process, contact our admissions secretary or a program coordinator.
Verify Deadlines
The deadlines to apply are as follows, all supporting materials and applications MUST be received by these dates:
- October 15, 2011- for Spring 2012 admission. Applicants will not be considered for department or University-level funding. Admissions decisions will be made and announced in November.
- January 1, 2012 -for full consideration for Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 admission for MA/MS/EDM/CAS/PHD/EDD, and the deadline for consideration for department and University-level Financial Aid opportunities. Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed, and is very limited and competetitve. Likewise, international admits that are "limited status" are not eligible for funding. Admissions decisions will be made and announced in February.
- February 1, 2012 -this deadline is for our Masters Plus Teacher Certification Applicants only. Although an applicant may apply by an earlier deadline, these applications will not be considered until February 1. All in-state applicants to this program must have completed the appropriate ICTS Basic Skills Test and Content Area Tests (if applicable). Admissions decisions will be made and announced in March.
- March 1, 2012 - Final deadline for Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 admission. Applicants will not be considered for department or University-level funding. Admissions decisions will be made and announced in April.
Verify Program Name, Degree, and Concentration
The following degrees are used on the Graduate College application. The "Proposed Program" will always be 'Education - Curriculum and Instruction'. Choose the proper degree you seek below:
Doctoral Degrees (Ed.D., Ph.D.)
Curriculum and Instruction - Ed.D.
Curriculum and Instruction - Ph.D.
Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS)
Curriculum and Instruction - CAS
Masters Degrees (Ed.M., M.A., or M.S.)
Curriculum and Instruction - Ed.M.
Curriculum and Instruction - MA
Curriculum and Instruction - MS
Masters plus Teacher Certification (Ed.M. + Cert)
Elementary Education - EDM
Early Childhood Education - EDM
Secondary Education – EDM
You must also choose a concentration/field of specialization for your degree. For our Doctoral and Masters degrees, our concentration/fields of specializations correspond to our divisions. Please choose the appropriate concentration/specialization based on your area of interest. If you are interested in more than one area, please list your first choice in the first (drop down) box, and your second in the "Other Field of Specialization" box.:
- Curriculum, Aesthetics, and Teacher Education (CATE)
- Language and Literacy (L & L)
- Math, Science, and Technology (MST).
For our Masters Plus Teacher Certification Students, your Concentration corresponds to the area you want to teach. Because Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education are already specified in their name, the only option for concentration you have is "none". For Secondary Education, you will choose one of the following concentrations: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Complete the Graduate College Application
All applications for admission are submitted to the Graduate College. The department reviews the applications first and makes a recommendation to the Graduate College for admission. You will receive a decision letter from the department. Once the decision has been made at the Graduate College, you will receive an email admission decision letter from the Graduate College.
Start the Graduate College Application.
Submit Application Fees
- Domestic Applicants: $60.
- International Applicants: $75.
Payment Methods
Paying electronically with a credit card means your application is available immediately to the C&I department. Hence, processing is faster when paying electronically.
You may also mail your check or money order (drawn on a US bank) with the completed fee coupon to:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Admissions
203 Coble Hall
805 South Wright Street
Champaign, IL 61820
- Prepare and Submit Supporting Application Materials
All Applicants Must Complete:
- Beginning with Spring 2012 admission, all items must be submitted electronically. If you have any problems with uploading a document, please contact cigradprograms@ed.uiuc.edu before submitting your application.
- Professional Resume/Curriculum Vitae: All applicants must submit a current professional resume through the online application. You must attach an electronic file to the resume section. There is no need to mail the resume since it is submitted online.
- Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose: All applicants must also submit a Statement of Purpose, or a personal statement discussing your goals for graduate study and any previous work in that area of study. You must attach an electronic file to the application. There is no need to mail the personal statement since it is submitted online.
- 3 Letters of Reference: All applicants must submit 3 letters of reference from persons who have direct knowledge of your academic and/or professional performance and potential for graduate study. It is strongly recommended that these letters are completed via the online application.
- GRE scores: If you are 1) a Doctoral applicant applying to the Math, Science, and Technology (MST) or Early Childhood Education Programs, or 2) a Masters applicant applying to Early Childhood Education, you must request to submit your GRE scores to the Graduate College.
- Financial Aid Request Form (for January 1 deadline only)
- Transcript(s): You can upload your transcripts electronically with your online application. For Masters + Teacher Certification applicants, please submit transcripts from all institutions attended, even if a degree was not awarded. For all other applicants, please only submit transcripts from institutions where a degree has been received or from where you are currently working on a degree. It is recommended that you submit official copies of the transcripts, although unofficial copies may be used for the application process.
Note: The UIUC Graduate College has established a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4) for admission.
Doctoral Applicants:
- Scholarly Writing Sample: Applicants to doctoral degree programs are required to complete a writing sample. The sample must be in English and may be a Master’s thesis, an article, or a paper that you have written dealing with a professional subject that demonstrates the ability to analyze and synthesize literature and/or research findings. An electronic file must be attached to the online application. Please do not send a paper copy.
Master's Plus Teacher Certification Applicants:
- Supplemental Application and Essay: Submit the Supplemental Application for Graduate Admission Teacher Education Programs accompanied by a three to four-page essay. This application provides details of the special requirements for admission to certification programs. This should be attached to your online application.
- Basic Skills Test: The State of Illinois requires applicants to take, and pass, the Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS) Test of Basic Skills prior to admission. To be considered for fall admission, you must do so no later than November 12, 2011. If you live outside of Illinois, please notify the Graduate Programs Secretary.
- Content Area Test: In addition, if you are applying to Secondary Education, you are required to take and pass the appropriate subject-matter examination required for your area of certification no later than the November 12, 2011 test date:
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science: Biology
- Science: Chemistry
- Science: Earth and Space Science
- Science: Physics
- Social Science: History
- For additional information on the Basic and Content Area tests, please contact the Council on Teacher Education or refer to the ICTS website.
For International Students of All Degrees:
- Submit official TOEFL score: Submit an official TOEFL score report to the Graduate College. Must be taken within 2 years of date of requested admission.(ETS code - Institution: 1836, Dept.:00). .
- Submit official GRE score: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test Scores (Verbal and Quantitative). Must be taken within four years of date of requested admission. (ETS code -Institution: 1836, program: 00)
- Financial Certification: Submit a Declaration and Certification of Finances complete with original (not copied) current bank statements verifying personal funding for your education or a letter of support from your supporting agency. This is a required form. It must be received by the deadline for you to be considered for admission. While scanned copies are sufficient for the application, please note that you may be required to submit a hard copy as well.
- Upon admission, you will be required to submit an International Student Verification Form.
- For more information on International Student requirements, please see the Graduate College’s website.
All of the above materials are to be submitted to the Department of Curriculum & Instruction by the specified deadline. Late applications or materials will not be reviewed for admission.