Whether you are an admitted transfer student ready to attend Illinois State University next fall or a family member of an admitted student, congratulations! You should be very proud of your accomplishments. On behalf of the Office of Admissions, we welcome you to our academic community.
We’ll walk you through registering for classes, securing your living arrangements, finalizing your financial aid, and submitting your final transcript.
Activating your account
If you haven’t already, be sure to activate your admitted student account at IllinoisState.edu/Activate. Once you’ve activated this account, you’ll be able to access your personalized to-do list that will be updated with relevant requirements.
Transfer Registration and Orientation Day
Transfer Registration and Orientation Days are offered on March 27, April 3, April 17, April 24, May 1, and June 1. During this orientation, you will meet with their advisor via phone or video call to register for classes and learn more about life as a Redbird. From the comfort of your own home, you will also have access to our virtual orientation, information fair and academic information session. Sign up at My.IllinoisState.edu.
Securing your living arrangements
The University On-Campus Housing Policy requires students to live in University housing their first two years out of high school. Students who have been out of high school more than two years are exempt.
If you are not required but wish to live in the residence halls or Cardinal Court, complete a request to live on campus at IllinoisState.edu/HousingDiningContracts. Space is limited.
If you plan to live off campus, check out our database for rental listings and roommates at OffCampusHousing.IllinoisState.edu.
Paying for college
A very important topic that you likely have a lot of questions about is cost and affordability. We’ll start with discussing aid – both needs-based and merit-based; then some guarantees we can make you and what the cost actually is.
Filing your FAFSA
As a transfer student, you’re likely already familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will need to complete this each year at fafsa.gov in order to qualify for needs-based aid. If you haven’t already, be sure to submit your FAFSA soon for best consideration of available funds.
If you are randomly selected to submit additional verification we will list this on your To Do List at My.IllinoisState.edu.
Scholarships
For scholarships, we encourage you to research scholarship opportunities through your community, memberships and organizations, and in the scholarship section of our Financial Aid website. We will notify you if you qualify for transfer scholarships through the Office of Admissions at Illinois State.
Tuition rates
Two promises we can make you in regards to cost is that tuition is locked in for four years, so it won’t increase year to year and top out-of-state students get in-state tuition.
If you are transferring from a bordering state, you will automatically receive in-state tuition. If you’re transferring from a non-bordering state, and you’ve achieved at least a 3.5 GPA, you will receive in-state tuition based on your merit.
Our sample tuition and fees is based on taking 30 credit hours each year. That totals $14,832. Room and board is based on living on campus with one roommate and having the unlimited meal plan. That totals $9,850.
If you are not living on campus in university housing, the only direct cost you would have is tuition and fees.
If you have any questions regarding financial aid, please be sure to reach out to our Financial Aid Office at (309) 438-2231 or FinancialAid@IllinoisState.edu.
Additional steps
Finally, here are some important additional next steps to be aware of.
ALEKS Math Placement
Your Illinois State academic advisor will help you determine whether you need to take this exam. Before you register for a math class at Illinois State, you must either take the ALEKS or complete an appropriate prerequisite course with a grade of C or better.
Purchasing a parking pass
Parking passes will be available to purchase in June. Our Office of Parking and Transportation Services will notify you when this opens.
Immunization records
All students must submit proof of health immunizations to Student Health Services by the tenth day of classes. Visit IllinoisState.edu/Immunization if you have any questions about this process
Final college transcript
Make sure you’ve submitted your final college transcript to the Office of Admissions by mid-July. If you’re taking a summer class, please submit your final transcript once your summer grades post.
Once again, we are so excited to welcome you to Illinois State University and our Redbird family. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Office of Admissions. We are here to help you! Have a great day and go Redbirds!
