APPLICATION AND ADMISSION

ADMISSION AS A DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENT

Applicants are considered on a competitive basis.  To be considered for admission, applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and all post-baccalaureate study.  Scores on the GRE General Test above the 50^th percentile are strongly preferred. The GRE must be taken within five years of the application deadline.  Applicants are accepted into the political science graduate programs based on space availability. To be considered, all applicants must submit all application materials by February 15. Files that are missing important material will be considered only after the file is complete, but in no case can admission be considered after May 1.  Applicants seeking departmental funding through fellowships or assistantships are advised to complete their applications before January 15 if possible

Applications are reviewed by the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee throughout the spring semester, with preference given to earlier applicants. Applicants who have been recommended to the Graduate College for admission will be informed by the Director of Graduate Studies. Official letters of admission are sent by the Graduate College (not by the department), and the Office of Records and Registration mails registration information to the applicant.  Rejected applicants are notified by the Office of Admissions.

Application for fellowships and teaching assistantships is a separate and distinct process from admission.  If you are admitted and have applied for a fellowship or assistantship, you will receive notice regarding your application in a separate letter during the Spring semester. 

ACCEPTANCE

Admitted applicants should inform the department of their intent to register. Students are invited to meet with the Graduate Director or with the Graduate Advisor before registering. New student registration for Fall Semester is usually held during May.  Fall classes begin in late August.

Students may request deferred admission not to exceed one academic year.  Requests must be made in writing to the Office of Graduate Admissions no later than the tenth day of the original term of admission.  International applicants are routinely granted deferred admission, but only extenuating circumstances are considered for permanent residents and citizens.

 NONDEGREE ADMISSION

The nondegree admission classification is designed for individuals who would like to take political science courses for professional or personal enrichment and/or who are considering application to the degree program. 

General, at-large nondegree application requires admission by the Graduate Office of Admission and Records.

                        TO APPLY:

Submit Graduate Application, fee and proof of a baccalaureate degree to the Office of Admissions and Records. Check nondegree, item 21, on the Graduate Application form and use the General Nondegree Curriculum Code 20FS1780NDEG.  Application deadline is July 15. 

 Please note:  To register for political science graduate courses, general nondegree students must obtain department approval from the department’s graduate office.  All nondegree students must meet course prerequisites and are required to obtain consent from the instructor prior to enrollment.

 Nondegree students who wish to apply for degree status must make formal application and follow the same procedures and meet the same deadlines as all other applicants (see application instructions). Up to twelve semester hours of credit (three courses) earned as a nondegree student may apply towards a graduate degree.  No grades lower than B are accepted.
 

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Admission

The application deadline for graduate international students is February 15 for fall semester admission.  All applicants with international credentials must adhere to this deadline.

International students must comply with the regular admission requirements as outlined in this packet.  A person who has completed studies outside the United States must present all post-secondary school credentials.  Documents must be authentic, and those not written in English must be accompanied by certified English translations.  In most cases, it is advantageous for applicants to have their credentials evaluated by a professional credential evaluation services such as AACRO.  Copies are acceptable when certified as authentic by the issuing institution.  All documents should be provided directly to Office of Admissions and Records at the University of Illinois at Chicago by the issuing institution.          

TOEFL

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, administered by the Educational Testing Service within two years prior to admission.  The minimum TOEFL score accepted by the Graduate College is 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test). The minimum TOEFL scores accepted for admission to the Graduate College for the new TOEFL iBT includes minima for the four subsections, as well as the total score. The required scores are: Reading 19, Speaking 20, Listening 17, Writing 21, and Total 80. The TOEFL is given at regularly scheduled intervals at testing centers throughout the world.  For information and test dates please visit the Educational Testing Service website at:

www.toefl.org

 Students who have completed at least two academic years of full-time study in a country where English is the native language and in a school where English is the language of instruction within five years of the proposed date of enrollment at UIC may submit a written request to the Office of Admissions for exemption from the TOEFL examination. 

Financial Arrangements

International students must be able to certify that they can finance themselves fully, including room and board, tuition, books, other expenses and travel to and from the United States.  This amount is approximately $36,381 per academic year, plus living expenses for a summer and is subject to change as tuition, room/board and living expense costs change.  The appropriate certification form will be provided by the Graduate Admissions Office.            

Applicants who are unable to show satisfactory evidence of adequate finances or who have not sent a notarized certified statement that verifies funds available and documents their source, will not be granted admission.  Official admission letters and visa documents cannot be issued until certification is received.

Financial Support

Qualified international students may apply for fellowships, assistantships, and tuition waivers in equal competition with United States applicants.  This financial assistance is awarded on the basis of outstanding scholarship, potential to undertake research, and departmental need. 

Information

The Office of International Services serves as an information center for foreign nationals.  Staff members in the office are often able to help students with questions relating to their University programs, finances, immigration regulations, and cross-cultural activities and programs.  Foreign students should report to the Office of International Services as soon as possible after their arrival in Chicago and participate in the orientation program held during the week before classes begin.

Office of International Services M/C 326
1200 West Harrison Street 2100 SSB
Chicago, Il  60607-7164

Phone:  (312) 996-3121
Fax: (312) 996-9432

http://www.ois.uic.edu/

Campus Housing

Admitted students can obtain a housing application and information from:

Campus Housing Administration M/C 579
The University of Illinois at Chicago
818 South Wolcott Avenue 220 SRH
Chicago, IL  60612-3727

Phone:  (312) 355-6300
Fax: (312) 355-6304

http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/campus_housing/home/

English Language Study

The Tutorium in Intensive English is designed for international students who wish to improve their command of the English language. Completion of the course does not waive the TOEFL requirement.  For information please contact:

Tutorium in Intensive English  M/C 324
The University of Illinois at Chicago
1333 S. Halsted, Suite 260
Chicago, IL  60607-7108

Phone:   (312) 996-8098
Fax: (312) 996-4394

http://www.uic.edu/depts/tie/

 
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINES

 New Admissions are accepted into the political science graduate programs for the Fall semester only.  Applicants must submit TWO sets of admissions materials by February 15 to be considered for admission.

FIRST SET OF MATERIALS

 The following items must arrive in the Political Science Graduate Office by February 15 of the year for which the applicant wishes to be considered.

  1)        Three letters of recommendation, of which at least two should be academic in nature. 

These letters must be written on letterhead stationery with original signatures and mailed directly to the department by the referee. Optional signature forms waiving the student's right to inspect a recommendation are included with the Graduate Application found elsewhere in this packet.  Letters dated more than one year prior to application will not be accepted.

 2)        A two or three page statement of the applicant's academic interests and professional goals. 

Please include your name, a current mailing address, and daytime phone number.  Please date and sign the statement.

  3)        Official report of Graduate Record Examination general test scores.

            Test scores must be less than five years old.                                

When taking the GRE, designate UIC as a receiving institution by indicating the Educational Testing Service codes below.  To have existing GRE scores sent or to inquire about test dates and sites, contact:

   GRE, Educational Testing Service
PO Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000

(609) 771-7670
To add a program to your report call:  (888) 473-7267 

web:  www.gre.org     e-mail:  gre-info@ets.org

 The ETA institution code for UIC is R1851. The Political Science Departmental code is 1902.        

 4)         Complete an Application for Graduate Appointment if a campus fellowship, teaching assistantship or tuition and fee waiver is being sought (degree-seeking students only). Information on financial aid is available elsewhere in this packet.

 Please note: Many fellowships require acceptance to a graduate program before a student is considered.  Because many of these fellowships may specify early deadlines, applicants who wish to be considered for departmental fellowship nominations should plan on completing the application process by January 15th.

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All the above information should be mailed directly to:

Political Science Graduate Office M/C 276
University of Illinois at Chicago
1007 West Harrison Street  Room 1119
Chicago, Illinois  60607-7137

 
SECOND SET OF MATERIALS

 The following items must arrive at the Office of Admissions and Records by February 15 of the year for which the applicant wishes to be considered.

 1) A Graduate College Application Form found elsewhere in this packet

            For the Ph.D. degree, please indicate the Program Curriculum Code  20FS0343PHD. 

            For an MA degree, please indicate the Program Curriculum Code  20FS0343MA.

  2)  Non-refundable Application Fee

  3) Official Transcripts mailed directly from all colleges and universities attended.

To be assured of meeting the 15 February deadline, please allow adequate time for transcripts to arrive from other institutions.

4) For international applicants, an official TOEFL score report mailed directly from ETS.

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Mail the application, fee, and transcripts and TOEFL scores to:

             The University of Illinois at Chicago
            Office of Admissions and Records (M/C 018)
            Box 5220
            Chicago, Illinois 60680-5220