We are pleased you are interested in admission to the
Graduate School!

Following the steps below will help to insure your application is submitted and processed correctly.

Step 1: Information regarding Application Deadlines

(For any deadline date occurring on a Saturday, Sunday, or University holiday, the deadline becomes the next day on which university offices are open.)

Please Note:  An individual department’s admission procedures may involve committee meetings, interviews, or other activities that only occur at certain times, which may be well before the Graduate School’s final deadline for a given term.  Applicants are therefore advised to contact the department or program in which they are interested in order to ascertain any such special deadlines that must be met or procedures that must be followed. Also, applicants seeking graduate assistantships or other financial support should be aware that offers of such support are often made well in advance of final Graduate School application deadlines, so it is to their advantage to complete their applications early to assure full consideration for financial support.

U.S. Citizens:  The completed application form must be received by the Graduate School no later than June 1 for fall semester, November 1 for spring semester or April 1 for summer session.  All remaining required application materials-transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation-must be received by August 1 for fall semester, January 1 for spring semester, or June 1 for summer session.

International Students:   All required application materials must be submitted by May 1 for consideration for admission for fall semester, or by October 1 for spring semester. An international student residing in the US need only meet the application deadlines specified below for US citizens if applying for the fall semester, for the spring semester, such a student must submit the application form by November 1 and all support documents by December 1. A person having permanent resident status in the US and an international student already enrolled in an undergraduate program at NIU, need meet only the deadlines for US citizens, and may be admitted for a summer session.

Step 2: Payment Method of the Application Fee (U.S. $30)

How your application can be submitted depends on how you plan to make payment of the application fee.

Credit Card The Graduate School accepts credit cards for online application submission only.

Money Order / Personal Check  The Graduate School accepts Money Orders and personal checks drawn on a U.S. bank for all applications submitted via U.S. Mail.

Please note: The Graduate School online application system is designed for credit card use only!

Credit Card information is required at the time of submission of the completed online application. If you intend to pay with a personal check or Money Order, you must download and print the application and include your check or money order with the completed application. If you would prefer to receive an application via mail, you may request one here.

Note regarding Application Fee exemption: If you are exempt from paying the application fee you must download and print the application and submit it via mail with the appropriate documentation of your exempt status.

Information regarding exemptions and eligibility

Apply Online Now!