Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Eastern Illinois admits about 7 in 10 applicants (65%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 70% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
No application fee
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 60%, women at 70%.
Yield
10% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Where you stand
How Eastern Illinois reads a record
, GPA, and tests are all very important; class rank is considered. 13% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher. Scores are optional. 3% of first-years sent an SAT and 0% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Of the 72% whose high school reported a rank, 12% were in the top tenth. Recommends 2 years of foreign language. See the years by subject
What they look at
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Required
- Recommendations
- Considered
- Essay
- Not considered
- Legacy status
- Not considered
- Work experience
- Not considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Not considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
68% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 65% of first-year applicants
2,237 applied · 1,516 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall, spring, and summer.
At least 24 credits completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.5
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Spring entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Summer entry: decisions on a rolling basis
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Not required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by August 15 for fall 2018.
- $50 housing deposit, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Recommends a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Total | 2* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2017 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.06
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.00%
- 3.75–3.9913%
- 3.50–3.7412%
- 3.25–3.4911%
- 3.00–3.2415%
- below 3.049%
The middle half had GPAs of 2.50–3.49.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 0.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 13.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 12.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 11.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 15.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 34.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 15.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
12% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 33% in the top quarter, of the 72% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Eastern Illinois University Common Data Set 2017–18, Fall 2017About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 985 on the SAT, 185 points below the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Eastern Illinois University Common Data Set 2017–18, Fall 2017;Eastern Illinois University Common Data Set 2017–18, 2017–18;Eastern Illinois University Common Data Set 2017–18, Fall 2018 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)