The tuition for online programs is $520 per credit hour. No on-campus fees are included and tuition is the same for resident and non resident students.

Tuition is subject to change. See the Office of the Registrar for complete information.

Graduate assistantships, tuition waivers are not available for online programs. Local teachers wishing to use tuition waivers are unable to apply to an online Master of Education program as our online programs are self-supporting and do not accept tuition waivers.  We recommend applying to an on-campus Master of Education. Please review the on-campus application deadlines as they differ from the online program deadlines. 

You may need textbooks for a particular course. Your course instructor will let you know prior to the start of the course. If you need books, you may find them at your local library, but will likely need to purchase them from online distributors such as Amazon or the Illini Union Bookstore.

Online courses are typically 8 weeks in length during the fall and spring semesters, and 6 weeks in length during the summer semester. 

This course length allows students the opportunity to take courses during the first half of the academic semester and/or during the second half of the academic semester.

For more information on academic semesters and course length please visit the academic calendar page on the Office of the Registrar website.

Students typically have either live sessions or recordings weekly and have a couple of forum posts due each week where they post a response to a question or assignment and then later respond to other student’s posts.  However, this can differ from course to course.  Please refer to the syllabus outlines the requirements for each course.

Online courses are primarily designed for online students, but the College does reserve limited spots for on-campus students to attend online courses.  Additionally there may be "hybrid courses" where on-campus students are attending the on-campus section while online students are attending online.

No. The only way to receive initial teacher licensure is to complete an on campus Master's Plus Teacher Licensure program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.   

Synchronous sessions are mandatory, just as if you had to attend a face-to-face class with a professor on campus. If you cannot attend a session you will need to speak with the course instructor. All courses are archived for viewing at a later time as needed.

All online courses also have asynchronous sessions for forum posting and group projects. Refer to the course syllabus for more information.

Graduate students may request a transfer of credit from one graduate degree or non-degree program at this University to another master's level graduate program at this University as long as:

• it was not applied toward another conferred degree
• 12 credits or less are being requested for transfer (this is a College of Education requirement)
• it would not be more than the time allowed to complete the degree at the time of degree conferral (within 5 years for a master’s degree)

The Graduate College requires that department(s) involved approve the transfer of coursework from one program to the other.  To request a transfer of credit from one program (degree or non-degree) to another within the Graduate College, a student should submit a Transfer of Credit request clearly specifying the above requirements have been met. Please use the online Graduate Student Request Form to submit a "Transfer of Credit" request. 

Please note that you can only complete this request after completing 8 hours in your current program.  

For more information regarding transfer of credit, please refer to the Graduate College. 

There may be opportunities for online master's students and faculty to meet in person, but it is not required. Online students are certainly encouraged to travel to campus for Graduation! Off-campus students will meet in person.

Online courses are graded just like on campus classroom courses.

Yes. In courses where there are a mix of students from online to on-campus, collaboration is often encouraged and may be mandatory depending on the nature of the project.

Most online courses are offered after 4 p.m. CST in order to accommodate full-time working students.

Online courses are typically 8 weeks in length during the fall and spring semesters, and 6 weeks in length during the summer semester. 

This course length allows students the opportunity to take courses during the first half of the academic semester and/or during the second half of the academic semester.

For more information on academic semesters and course length please visit the semester calendars page on the Office of the Registrar website. 
View Academic Calendar by Semester

Some College of Education classes may use the Canvas Learning Management System.  If your class uses this system, you will receive an email from your instructor describing how to log in and where to access your materials.  You can read the Canvas Documentation for more information on how to use the system. For Canvas support, please see this Canvas Support Page. 

Students registering for some online courses may participate in Scholar. Scholar is a new online knowledge tool that introduces a new way to think, read, write & learn in the digital age. 

1. Create a Scholar Learning Module Account
2. View the Scholar Tutorials

Java is a programming language and computing platform first released in 1995. There are lots of applications and websites that will not work unless you have Java installed, and more are created every day. Java is fast, secure, and reliable.

The latest Java version contains important enhancements to improve performance, stability and security of the Java applications that run on your machine. Installing this free update will ensure that your Java applications continue to run safely and efficiently.

Pick your system:

• Java for Windows
• Java for Mac

Visit Applied Technologies for Learning in the Arts & Sciences (ATLAS). ATLAS, promotes innovation and excellence in teaching and learning with technology.

Click on the "Student" button. Here you will find a number of student resources including information on: updating your profile, managing email, customizing your homepage, and more.

You can access help along the way by:

• Completing this form Learn@Illinois, or
• Contacting Technology Services at (217) 244-7005 during synchronous class hours and during regular business hours of 8:00 am - 7:30 pm CST, Monday-Friday, or
• Emailing them at: learnsupport@education.illinois.edu, or
• Chatting with them by clicking the "chat" box at the bottom of this webpage.

Zoom is a video conferencing platform that allows for virtual meetings between individuals or groups.  All students, faculty, and staff members in the College of Education have Zoom Pro accounts available through their NetID Login.  To claim and configure your Zoom Pro Account visit http://illinois.zoom.us and click the “Sign In” button.  Then get the Zoom Client for Meetings app in the Download Center.

For more information on how to use the Zoom software you can visit the Zoom Documentation website or the Student Tech Orientation page.  When you use the Zoom app on your computer be sure you “Login with SSO” to connect your University of Illinois account. 

Use the following registration links:

• Registration Process
• How to Register Video
• General Registration Information for all Graduate Students
• Current Graduate Student Academic Calendar and Deadlines
• Cancellation, Drops & Withdrawal
• Leave of Absence
• Late Registration & Late Course Change Form (for registration changes after deadline).  This form should be submitted to gradservices@education.illinois.edu.  

Students needing to verify their enrollment should consult with the Graduate College Handbook.  

Graduate students may be required to maintain “full-time enrollment,” and what constitutes full-time enrollment can vary. For example, departmental requirements, eligibility for student loans or other financial aid, fellowships, certain types of non-University insurance policies, or tax requirements may use different definitions of full-time enrollment. Students are responsible for understanding what requirements apply to them and should refer to the Graduate Student Handbook. Most of our online students take 2 courses each term and complete their degree program in 18 months to 2 years.

A variety of support will be available for all students. Below are some helpful links.

• Financial Aid Services
• Digitized Library
• Live Librarian
• College and Campus Technical Support (Including 24/7 support)
• Local Area Network
• College of Education Graduate Student Services Office (for degree seeking students)
• Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (for non-degree students)

Veteran Student Support Services (VSSS), a unit within the Office of the Dean of Students, recognizes the selfless service and sacrifices made by members of our armed forces and the unique challenges associated with transitioning into a university setting. To support this transition, we are committed to providing Veterans, active duty personnel, National Guard and Reserve members and qualified dependents with the services necessary to pursue their academic and personal interests, explore different learning experiences, and integrate into the campus community.

Yes! The College of Education and the university commencement ceremonies are held annually in May.

Yes. Learn more about applying.

Yes. Credits earned in any format (online, on-campus, off-campus) are all equal.

Yes. The University of Illinois is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information, please view the University's Accreditation.

No. Coursework is largely project-based, requiring significant interaction between student and faculty.

Yes. If you are enrolled in one of our fully online programs, then all of your courses will be completed fully online from anywhere in the world.  However, because of our synchronous courses you may find that the time difference does not work well for you.

Work experience and related undergraduate education are considered as part of the application process. To learn more about application requirements.

The GRE is only required for doctoral applicants in Curriculum & Instruction and all applicants in Educational Psychology.  Other programs do not require the GRE, though applicants may submit their score if they wish.  

There is not a minimum GRE required. 

EdM Students Only
The College of Education follows the Graduate College's rules on Transfer of Credit with the following additional stipulations:

• Transfer of credit requests will not be considered until the student has completed 8 hours of coursework in their current program
• The amount of hours transferred is limited to 12 credit hours

EdD Students Only
We do not accept transfer credit from other institutions into the EDD degree program.  See the Graduate College handbook for more details. Credit from outside the Graduate College may not be transferred to count toward Stage II or Stage III of a doctoral program (see chapter 6.A).

The time you spend on a class can vary. No two instructors will format their classes exactly the same. But plan to set aside time to read, reflect, and write--and be ready to be an active participant in discussions.

Online courses include a variety of in-class activities, discussions, and projects, which are factored into final grades. Students are expected to attend both the live lecture (synchronous session) and the forum (asynchronous) sessions. Each individual instructor maintains course expectations, and students should consult them with any questions.