Admissions in Special Education -- Masters Program

Masters degree candidates must follow University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate application procedure.  An applicant for admission to a graduate degree program must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

Please note that applicants are NOT REQUIRED to submit any test scores such as the GRE or MAT.  Admission decisions will not be finalized until the applicant has submitted:

1. Official college transcripts from all previous academic training, both graduate and undergraduate,
2. A written goal statement (minimum of 500 words) indicating why the applicant wants to pursue this particular advanced certificate focus and what their future career plans are upon completion of the degree,
3. Three current letters of reference from persons who have direct knowledge of applicant's academic and/or professional performance and potential for graduate study, and
4. Submit a Special Education Master's Degree Application Form.
5. Pass the Illinois Test of Basic Skills prior to admission, if applying to a teacher certification program (i.e., Learning and Behavior Specialists I).

Illinois residents seeking admission to a graduate program must submit evidence that they have passed the Illinois Test of Basic Skills prior to having their application reviewed by the admissions committee.

Non-Illinois residents seeking admission to a graduate program will receive a CONDITIONAL admission and must submit evidence that they have passed the Illinois Test of Basic Skills prior to completion of their first semester of graduate study. For more information see LBS-1 Graduate Certification Program Admission Statement.

In addition, for those seeking LBS-1 Graduate Certification, teacher certification standards in Illinois require teachers to model effective reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills during direct and indirect instructional activities. In recognition of this responsibility, the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois requires that applicants to certification programs who are from countries that are not exempt from English proficiency testing for admission to the university take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Test of Written Proficiency (TWP). Additional information about the assessment.

Registration for the assessment must be done using this form.  Applicants must arrange their own test registration and proctor (Department of Special Education staff may be available to serve as proctors upon request).  A minimum score in the “advanced low” range on both tests is required for admission into a teacher certification program and associated field experiences. Applicants scoring below “advanced low” on either test cannot enter a teacher education curriculum as certification students. These applicants may wish to request consideration for admission as a general master’s degree student rather than a certification student.