How To Apply to the Leadership Scholars Program

Please read the following information very carefully.

If you have additional questions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page before contacting staff members.

Admission Dates

STEP=UP Leadership scholars (students accepted to the program) benefit from a wealth of opportunities and experiences designed to help prepare them for university faculty positions in special education. These experiences are carefully arranged by STEP=UP faculty and staff. In order to make this program of enrichment activities possible, STEP=UP Leadership scholars are only admitted as a cohort. The next cohort will be admitted to begin the program in the Fall of 2007. This will be the only* STEP=UP Leadership cohort.

Applications for the Fall 2007 cohort are due at our office by no later than June 29, 2007. Applications postmarked by this date but not received will not be considered.

* If you are interested in pursuing a doctorate in special education but cannot begin the program at this time, unfortunately you will not be eligible for the STEP=UP Leadership Scholars program. We hope you will still consider applying for UIC's doctoral program at another time. There are many other sources of funding for graduate study, including graduate assistantships, fellowships and financial aid. Please see the Graduate College website for additional details about funding options.

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Eligibility Criteria

All applicants to the Leadership Scholars Program must meet the following requirements:

  • Have a Masters Degree in any area of education or a related field, such as psychology, social work, speech and language, occupational therapy, speech pathology or physical therapy. Your background should prepare you for a career working and assisting individuals in a variety of contexts, with particular emphasis on schools and other educational settings.

  • GRE Scores (minimum 1000 in verbal and quantitative combined)

  • 3.0 GPA – in undergraduate (last 60 hours) and in graduate work

  • Have experience working with children, adolescents, and/or families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in urban settings

  • Be a US Citizen or Permanent US Resident

  • Be eligible for the Illinois in-state tuition rate

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How to Apply to the Leadership Scholars Program

Students can only be considered for a STEP=UP Leadership award if they are also accepted into the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Graduate College as a non-degree student. Full admissions into the STEP=UP Leadership program is a two phase process.

Phase 1 – Deadline June 29, 2007

Application materials must be submitted to two separate offices in order for you to be considered for the STEP=UP Leadership award program:

  • Graduate College: The UIC Graduate College Application (non-degree), one original transcript showing confirmed degree, and a $50 application fee must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

  • STEP=UP Leadership Project: The STEP=UP Leadership Application, resume, copy of UIC Graduate College Application, copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts, copy of GRE scores, and three letters of recommendations must be submitted to Dr. Marie Tejero Hughes at the STEP=UP Leadership Project.

Please pay close attention to the following instructions to ensure that your application will be correctly submitted.

  1. Take and pass the Graduate Record Exam – General Exam (http://www.ets.org/): GRE scores are a required part of the Phase 1 application, and they are due by June 29, 2007. As required by the UIC Graduate College and the College of Education, you should have taken your GRE General Exam on or before June 15, 2007. This is the last test date that will most likely get official scores back before the June 29, 2007 deadline. Since the deadline is quickly approaching, if you have not already taken the GRE you will need to register for the computer version of the exam. If you have taken the GRE previously, scores will only be accepted if the exam was taken January 1, 2003 or later. You must submit those scores on your STEP=UP Leadership application and enclose the official notification from ETS with your application.

    If you have not taken the GRE by June 15, 2007, you may still be considered for the STEP=UP Leadership award if you register immediately and take the exam before June 29, 2007. Complete and submit all other requirements listed below and enclose a copy of your testing date registration confirmation and report your unofficial scores on the STEP=UP Leadership application and indicate it is self-report. When you receive the official scores, please e-mail them to marieth@uic.edu by July 13, 2007. Completed applications with official GRE scores submitted by the deadline of June 29, 2007 will be reviewed during the first round; applications with late scores will be reviewed during a second round.

    Enclose a copy of the GRE score sheet ETS sends to you in your STEP=UP Leadership application envelope. Your GRE scores are a required part of the Phase 1 application process and will not be waived or deferred.

  2. Transcripts: Order one official transcript to be sent to you showing confirmation of either your masters or bachelors degree. Enclose this sealed envelope containing your transcript with your Graduate College Application.

    Also, order or download official or unofficial transcripts of ALL of the undergraduate and graduate course work you have completed. Ensure that confirmation of your master’s degree is evident on one of the transcripts. Enclose all the transcripts along with your STEP=UP Leadership Application.

  3. Letters of Recommendation: Contact three individuals to write letters of recommendation specifically for the STEP=UP Leadership program. Provide the individuals with this cover form and ask them to write the letter and return to you in a sealed envelope. Enclose the 3 letters along with your STEP=UP Leadership Application.

    It is recommended that you solicit letters from formal university faculty and/or current administrators and supervisors. Ask them to comment about your experience working with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as your potential for success in a doctoral program.

  4. Resume: Update your resume to reflect your current work and educational experiences. Also highlight any presentations, workshops, and/or writing that you have done. Enclose the resume with your STEP=UP Leadership Application.

  5. Graduate College Application: Complete the paper version of the Graduate College Application (http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/forms/ application_graduate .pdf). Indicate on question 1 that you are applying for Fall 2007 and on question 2 of the application that you are applying as a non-degree student (see directions on page 3 of the application). On question 21 indicate for A. Program "STEP=UP Leadership," for B. Program Curriculum Code – 20FS0093NDEG, and for C. Degree Sought – only check Non-degree. Mail the original Graduate College Application along with the $50 fee to the Office of Graduate Admissions and send a copy of the Graduate College Application along with your STEP=UP Leadership Application.

  6. STEP=UP Leadership Application: Download the Leadership Scholars Award Program Application (47k/MS Word). complete all information including the two essay questions.

Submitting application materials:

  1. Mail completed STEP=UP Leadership Scholars Program application to: Dr. Marie Tejero Hughes, University of Illinois, College of Education, Department of Special Education, 1040 W. Harrison Street (MC 147), Chicago, IL 60607. Ensure that you have enclosed all of the following in one envelope.

    • Completed STEP=UP Application

    • Resume

    • Copy of UIC Graduate College Application

    • Copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts

    • Copy of GRE scores

    • Three (3) letters of recommendations

    Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on June 29, 2007. Submit via mail or in person (leave in Department of Special Education office in room 3343 EPASW.)

    Email confirmation will be sent within 2 weeks of receipt of the STEP=UP Leadership application and no later than July 9th. If you have not received confirmation by that time, it is your responsibility to email steprecruit@yahoo.com

  2. In addition, applicants must also send the following materials to the University of Illinois at Chicago before July 15, 2007. Send the items listed below to: Basic Admission Credentials, Office of Graduate Admissions (MC 018), University of Illinois at Chicago, Box 5220, Chicago, IL 60680-5220.

    • Original UIC Graduate College Application (non-degree; Fall 2007)

    • One official transcript showing confirmed degree (bachelors or masters)

    • $50 application fee

    Our application procedures changed on May 30, 2007. If you submitted an application before this time or if you submitted it without the program listed as "STEP=UP Leadership" or if any other program was written in (such as Special Education), the Graduate College will not process the application for the STEP=UP Leadership program. If you have done this already, please contact us at steprecruit@yahoo.com, so we can provide you with advice on possible steps to take to ensure that the application is correctly processed.

Note: Acceptance to UIC as a non-degree student does not guarantee acceptance into the STEP=UP Leadership program. Applicants must submit the Graduate College Application by the deadline and be admitted as non-degree student for Fall 2007 to be eligible for the STEP=UP Leadership program.

Also, please note that special education courses at UIC are not open to non-degree students unless they have been formally accepted into the STEP=UP Leadership program or the course is listed as part of our general Continuing Education course offerings (see http://www.oce.uic.edu/oce/ocepublic/). There are other departments at UIC who do permit nondegree students to register for classes; however we recommend that you contact the department of the course you are interested in before you register.

Phase 2 – Deadline January 1, 2008

Students who are accepted into the STEP=UP Leadership Program and start the program in Fall 2007, will need to officially apply during the Fall 2007 semester for the Special Education Ph.D. program in order to continue on the STEP=UP Leadership program. Students will complete all application procedures as outlined on the College of Education website (http://www.uic.edu/educ/index.html/admissions/ 2ndlevel/phdappinstr.htm) including submitting a new Graduate College Application and paying an additional $50 processing fee. Further information will be provided to students directly about the possibility of reusing phase 1 letters of recommendations and essays (goal statement) for phase 2; however all other information will need to be submitted as outlined. Students will apply by January 1, 2008 to officially begin in the Special Education doctoral program during Summer 2008. Failure to apply or be accepted into the program will require students to discontinue from the STEP=UP Leadership Program. We do not anticipate that accepted STEP=UP Leadership scholars who submit all application materials as directed and are in good academic standing will have any difficulties being officially accepted.

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After The Phase 1 Application Deadline

  • Candidates' graduate and STEP=UP applications are reviewed.

  • Top candidates meeting selection criteria will be contacted by e-mail to schedule an interview. Please be on e-mail contact between July 6 and August 10. Currently all interviews are tentatively scheduled for July 13 and 14. Only in rare instances can we make individual accommodations and interview on another day.

  • Candidates recommended for admission by the special education faculty to the STEP=UP Leadership program will receive an e-mail and letter by August 10, 2007.

  • All STEP=UP Leadership scholars will be required to attend an orientation during the week of August 20, 2007.

  • STEP=UP Leadership scholars will register and begin attending classes the week of August 27, 2007.

You will be notified by UIC if you are admitted into the graduate program as a non-degree student. Acceptance into the graduate program does not guarantee the candidate will receive the STEP=UP Leadership award.

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Program Requirements and Typical Program of Study>>