Please note: Credit Card payment of US $30 is required for submission of the application online unless the applicant has an application fee waiver.
To pay by money order, personal check, or voucher, see the Graduate School web site.
NOTE: This application consists of one or more additional forms available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).
To view and/or print these documents (indicated by the  symbol) you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Please read all instructions and then complete the entire application.
Completing Application
This application is to be used by persons seeking admission to graduate degree programs.
A separate, complete application, including fee, is required for each degree sought.
All information must be provided.
Online applications can not be accepted without credit-card payment or an application fee waiver code.
The completed application form and any supporting materials (such as transcripts and test scores) become the property of Northern Illinois University and will not be returned to the applicant or transmitted to a third party.
Applicants should consult the Graduate Catalog to determine any special admission requirements (such as portfolio, audition, additional tests, interviews) beyond those of the Graduate School that must be met for their desired program.
It is the applicant's responsibility to assure that all required materials are submitted in time to meet the applicable deadline(s).
Test Required for Admission
Official scores for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are required for all students applying for programs in the College of Business.
In order to be admitted to the Graduate School, all applicants, other than those applying to programs in the College of Business, Nursing, the MFA or the MA with the specialization in studio art in the School of Art, the MM degree or Performer's Certificate programs in the School of Music, or the MFA with a specialization in acting or in design and technology in the School of Theatre and Dance, must have provided official scores on all sections of the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) to the Graduate School.
Applicants to the PhD program in physics must also submit GRE scores on the Subject Test in physics.
Applicants to graduate programs in adult continuing education curriculum and instruction, early childhood education, elementary education, foundations of education, instructional technology, and reading may submit Miller Analogies test (MAT) scores in lieu of GRE scores.
Applicants whose native language is not English must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); these scores must be less than two years old.
International students should see Information for International Graduate Students.
The Test of Spoken English (TSE) is required in some departments for all applicants whose native language is not English.
At this time, the Department of Communication requires TSE of all such applicants.
Letters of Recommendation
At least three letters of recommendation are required for doctoral programs, at least two for all other graduate programs.
These letters should be from persons who are in a position to write analytically about your academic qualifications.
In the case of doctoral applicants, some recommendations must be from persons in a position to assess your most recent academic work.
For an applicant currently pursuing a graduate program, at least one of the letters should be from a faculty member in the department in which you are enrolled.
Go to the Graduate School web site to download the Letter of Recommendation Form.
Application Deadlines — Program-Specific
There are specific department/program deadlines known to the graduate school at the time of the creation of this online application.
The applicant is cautioned that additional programs may have earlier deadlines than those of the Graduate School.
Applicants are encouraged to complete their application files as early as possible and to contact their prospective major departments for further information.
Notification of Admission
Students are admitted to the graduate school by the Graduate School.
The official notification of admission, including the term of admission and any special conditions attached to that admission, is therefore a letter sent to the applicant by the Graduate School.
Correspondence from individual departments or programs does not constitute official notice of admission, or any guarantee of admission.
Social Security Number
U.S. citizens and permanent residents must have a Social Security number.
New international students will need to apply for a U.S. Social Security number as soon as they arrive at NIU.
Financial Support
If you wish to apply for a graduate assistantship, complete the Application for Graduate Assistantship and return it to the department or other unit in which you wish to work.
In order to hold such an appointment, you must be admitted to the Graduate School at NIU.
In addition, for a teaching assistantship involving classroom instruction, an applicant whose native language is not English must submit an acceptable score of the Test of Spoken English (TSE) as evidence of oral English proficiency.
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