Admissions

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to this program must:

• Have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so by the time of program matriculation.
• Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term.
• If admitted, official domestic transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 208 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
• If admitted, official international transcripts can be emailed directly from the international institution to InternationalAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, International Admissions, Campus Box 6180, Normal, IL 61790-6180.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

Complete your application by December 1.

Admission is offered only for the fall semester and is very competitive. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Interview invitations are sent in February. The Council for Graduate Schools stipulates that an applicant has until April 15 to accept or decline an admission offer. Some admission offers may be delayed until applicants notify the department that they are declining admission.

GPA

You must have a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or 3.0 GPA for 9 hours of graduate coursework.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) of all undergraduate credentials earned in the United States that are used for graduate degree admission evaluation is calculated by the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. International credentials are evaluated by using cumulative GPA (CGPA) in lieu of the GPA from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.

Undergraduate Coursework

Applicants must have an undergraduate major in psychology or a related field (e.g., Human Development and Family Studies or Educational Psychology).

It is recommended that applicants have taken at least:

• Six credit hours combined of statistics and research methods
• One course on human development

GRE Scores

The GRE is not required for applicants and will not be used to evaluate applicants. The GRE may be submitted to establish math proficiency. If you wish to submit GRE scores, use institution code 1319.

Application Materials

In addition to meeting general requirements, a complete application will need to include the following items:

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Writing Sample
• Personal Statement
• Three Letters of Recommendation

Curriculum Vitae or Resume

Ensure your curriculum vitae or resume lists your experience. This can be paid or unpaid experience, internships, volunteer work, etc. Include the following information.

• Dates
• Employer or organization
• Business addresses
• Nature of the experiences that are relevant to being admitted to the graduate sequence
• Received academic honors and awards
  • Date received
  • Explanation of what the honor or award recognizes
  • Research experiences, skills, and accomplishments

Writing Sample

Provide a scholarly writing sample (5-15 pages long).

Personal Statement

In 2-3 pages double spaced, address the following:

• Your Professional and career goals
• Research interests and experiences
• Qualifications for admission to this graduate sequence
• How your interests and goals fit with this graduate sequence

Letters of Recommendation

The online application system will ask you to upload three letters of recommendation. You’ll also need to enter your recommenders’ names and email addresses into the system.

Applicant Interview Day – February 27, 2026