Freshmen

Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Classification and Definition

A student currently attending high school or a high school graduate who has never attended a college or university after graduating high school OR a student who has satisfactorily passed the G.E.D. and has never attended a college or university.


Requirements For Admission

Northeastern Illinois University has adopted a Test Optional admissions policy for undergraduate admissions to the university. Applicants who have a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 or above will automatically be admitted to the university and not be required to submit standardized test scores for admissions. Applicants who score below a 2.5 grade point average are encouraged to submit standardized test scores.

Students with GEDs:  If you are 18 years of age, or older, you can be considered for admission upon successful completion of the GED.

Subject Requirements for Freshmen

In addition to meeting the Test Optional minimum requirement for admission, freshmen must also have completed the following high school subjects in accordance with the Illinois Board of Higher Education requirements*:

  • 4 years of Language Arts

  • 3 years of Mathematics (1 year must be algebra and 1 year must be a course that includes geometry content)

  • 2 years of Writing (1 year must be an English course and 1 year may be provided as part of any course offered)

  • 2 years of Social Science (must include 1 year of U.S. history or combination of U.S. history and American government and 1 semester of civics)

  • 2 years of Science

  • 1 year of Electives (Includes art, music, foreign language, or vocational education)

    *First time freshmen and transfer applicants with fewer than 24 hours of transferable credit, who meet all criteria for admission except high school subject requirements, may be admitted on a provisional basis.

How to Apply for Admission and required documents

  1. Submit application for admission. We recommend all students apply online for faster processing. NEIU also accepts the Common Application for new first-time freshmen.

  2. Arrange to have an official high school transcript from each high school attended or GED transcript sent to the Admissions Office. You may send electronic transcripts (please check with your high school to determine if this is an option). Courses taken at high schools outside of the United States must be evaluated by a member of NACES (https://www.naces.org/members) for equivalence of our undergraduate degree. A course-by-course evaluation is required.

  3. Arrange for your ACT/SAT scores to be sent directly to the Admissions Office.
    Standardized test scores are not required for admission to the University.  Applicants, however, are encouraged to submit test scores in order to meet some scholarship and class prerequisite requirements.

  4. If you are currently attending high school, request a copy of your “courses in progress” be sent along with your transcript to ensure your high school subject requirements do not appear deficient.

  5. If you are a veteran, you must submit a photocopy of your DD214.

  6. If you are a Permanent Resident of the United States, attach a clear photocopy of the front of your Permanent Resident card. If you have been granted temporary residence, conditional entrance, are a parolee, refugee, asylee, or in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident, you must submit appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation and/or copy of a valid visa.