Application Requirements and Checklist

Always check your email for important, detailed application status updates. You can also find these updates online in the Application Portal.

When you begin the application process in the Application Portal, you will provide all information and documents at one time before submission (excluding test scores or letters of recommendation submitted via electronic invitation). You can monitor your application status in the Application Portal and with the App Tracker. You will receive detailed emails if we are missing any application documents or information, as well as emails updating you on your overall application status. Be sure that emails from grad.admission@iit.edu do not go into your spam folder.

Application Fee
The application fee can only be paid by credit card. We do not accept PayPal or payments sent by mail. The fee for graduate students is $100, except the Institute of Design, Kent College of Law, and the Intensive English Language Program (IEP). Current Illinois Tech students or alumni are eligible for application fee waivers; be sure to indicate Illinois Tech in the enrollment history section of your application if you are currently attending or have previously attended Illinois Tech to receive the waiver. Be sure to follow the instructions in the application once you indicate Illinois Tech as a school to ensure the application fee is applied properly.

Scholaro GPA Report - International GPA Conversion Information

All applicants with non-U.S. institution transcripts must complete a GPA report via Scholaro. The Scholaro report will be audited against the uploaded transcripts provided and will be considered as part of the formal admission review process.

Please review the information and steps on completing the Scholaro GPA report.

Acceptable Credentials

This table details the credentials accepted for admission to Illinois Tech's graduate programs:

*Please note that applicants from Illinois Tech European partner schools must provide all transcripts in your original language and an official English translation, as well as your three-year bachelor’s degree equivalent certificate issued by your school.

Country-Specific Guidelines for Transcripts and Mark Sheets

Transcripts from Institutions Within the United States
An official student copy transcript, paper or electronic, issued by the registrar must be uploaded through the the online Application Portal. We do not accept web-based copies, degree audit reports, or student-generated transcripts.

Current or Former Illinois Tech Students
If you are a current or former Illinois Tech student, you may upload unofficial Illinois Tech transcripts that are accessible in your myIIT portal.

Transcripts from Institutions in China
You must present the original academic transcripts, as well as graduation and degree certificates, with the stamp or seal of the university on each page. Transcripts must be submitted in the original language and in English. Translations must come from the institution or from a professional translation service.

If the degree is completed, you MUST upload your original degree certificate or provisional certificate along with your academic transcripts or mark sheets in both languages through the online Application Portal.

Individual Mark Sheets from Institutions in India
You must upload your original individual mark sheets from each institution from which you have earned or will earn a degree through the online Application Portal.

If you have received a three-year degree, or are part of a sandwich program, you must upload any and all mark sheets from your pre-diploma courses or masters; three-year degrees, starting in fall 2015, are now accepted for master’s programs in certain schools within Illinois Tech. Please review our policy on acceptable three-year degrees to see if your institution and/or degree qualify you to apply. Postgraduate diplomas or professional programs completed after a three-year bachelor's degree are also considered insufficient for admission purposes. A master’s degree, or AIU-deemed master’s equivalent diploma, in addition to the three-year bachelor’s programs, are the minimum requirement for access to Illinois Tech graduate programs.

All mark sheets must contain all marks for all attempts at each examination. Any failures MUST be shown; consolidated transcripts cannot be accepted. If the statements of marks include abbreviated paper titles, or numbered papers without titles, please provide complete course titles. Please note that we require a minimum of the first six semesters for admission consideration.

The exception for consolidated transcripts are for any Indian Institute of Technology institution. You must upload your original consolidated transcripts through the online Application Portal.

Transcripts from Institutions in Iran
Original, official transcripts and degree certificates in Farsi, stamped and signed by the issuing institution and accompanied by word-for-word English translations, must be uploaded. If your original transcripts are issued by the institution in English, a corresponding Farsi version is not required.

If the degree is completed, you MUST upload your original degree certificate or provisional certificate along with your academic transcripts.

Iranian applicants must apply through the university's portal site. 

Transcripts from Institutions in Pakistan
You must upload your original individual mark sheets or transcripts from all institutions attended, and they must contain all marks for each attempt at each examination. Any failures MUST be shown; consolidated transcripts cannot be accepted. If the statements of marks include abbreviated paper titles, or numbered papers without titles, please provide complete course titles.

If the degree is completed, you MUST upload your original degree certificate or provisional certificate through the online Application Portal.

Transcripts from Institutions in Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone
Official, original transcripts issued by your institution must be uploaded. If you have completed your degree and have graduated, all graduation certificates or diplomas issued by the institutions attended MUST also be uploaded along with your transcripts through the online Application Portal. If your transcripts (and/or certificates) are issued in the original language (non-English), please include a professional English translation of all documents and upload it in one file.

Transcripts from Institutions in All Other Countries
Official, original transcripts issued by your institution must be uploaded. If you have completed your degree and have graduated, all graduation certificates or diplomas issued by the institutions attended MUST also be uploaded along with your transcripts through the online Application Portal. If your transcripts (and/or certificates) are issued in the original language (non-English), please include a professional English translation of all documents and upload it in one file.

NOTE: Please note that professional evaluations are required for credentials from the following countries (students from Illinois Tech partner schools are exempt from this requirement): Afghanistan, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, French West Africa, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, South America, Spain, Switzerland, and Yemen.

Other Important Information
If your prior institution does not issue transcripts in English, both the original and a professional English translation are required. We recommend an ATA translator (http://www.atanet.org/). If your prior institution does not use the 4.0 scale grading system, your admission specialist in the Office of Graduate Admission will evaluate your grades with respect to that system upon review of your transcripts. In the case we are unable to evaluate and interpret credentials, applicants will be required to have their documents professionally evaluated. Applicants must use Educational Credential Evaluators or Educational Perspectives. Professional evaluations, along with official, original documents, should be uploaded with the application. If you are admitted, you will be required to have the official evaluation submitted to Illinois Tech by the issuing service. If you encounter issues with uploading your transcripts in your online application, please contact your specialist.

NOTE: Illinois Institute of Technology reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission if any discrepancies are found between your uploaded and official transcript(s).

The application will prompt you to answer questions that will help guide Department and Program Chairs in their decision to admit or deny your application into the program you are applying to. 

Possible questions that you may be asked include:

• Why are you interested in this program?
• How will this program will help your future goals?

Record your response to each question regarding your academic and career goals. Responses to questions should be approximately 150 - 200 words in length. 

All applicants are required to submit a resume.

Letter of recommendation requirements vary by department, but in most cases one letter of recommendation is required for master's degree programs and two are required for Ph.D. programs. Additional letters of recommendation may also be submitted. Contact the Office of Graduate Admission for individual department requirements.

Letters of recommendation should be submitted from individuals who are able to assess your academic and/or career achievements and potential. These individuals may include professors or employers, but may not include family members or personal friends. Please ask them ahead of time if they are willing to write you a letter of recommendation.

Letters of recommendation must be submitted through the online Application Portal; you will input the individual's name and email address, and they will receive an electronic invitation to their email. They will then type in their recommendation, not upload a document. You will not see this document as they will upload it themselves and it will go immediately into your application.

Test Score Accommodations During the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

GRE and GMAT Waiver: We understand that many GRE and GMAT testing facilities are closed due to the coronavirus. As a result, Illinois Tech has changed our test requirements for the spring and fall 2023 semesters. We are no longer requiring students to submit GRE or GMAT scores for all master’s programs. Please contact us if you were planning to take or retake the GRE or GMAT test so that we may waive this requirement for you.

GRE/GMAT Scores

We require official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores to be sent directly to Illinois Tech by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) or Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Please ask ETS to send your scores to institution code 1318; no department code is required. For GMAT scores, please select Illinois Institute of Technology and the correct college/program. Read more about the university's GRE/GMAT score requirements.

NOTE: Any difference between an applicant's name in the score report and in the application to Illinois Tech will delay or prevent Illinois Tech from properly obtaining scores. Be sure that the name you give the testing service matches exactly to the name you provided on your application to Illinois Tech.

Please complete the Office of Graduate Admission's Financial Affidavit of Support Form. Please read the instructions carefully to ensure that each required section of the form is complete.

You must upload the form along with the rest of your supporting documentation in your App Tracker. Your unique App Tracker is provided in all application emails. Please note that the submission of this form is not required for the review of your application.

You may submit your financial support documents after being notified of admission if you wish; however, an I-20 cannot be issued to any admitted student until valid documents have been received and approved by the Office of Graduate Admission. For this reason, we encourage you to submit them as early as possible.

A copy of your passport identity page must be submitted through your App Tracker.

The copy of your passport identity page is not required for the purposes of application review and your admission decision, although applicants are strongly encouraged to submit it prior to admission if possible. This documentation aids in efficient processing of your I-20 if you are admitted.

The School Transfer for F-1 Students must be submitted by any international student currently studying on an F-1 visa who intends to transfer to Illinois Tech from another institution in the United States. It indicates the release of your I-20 by your current institution, and permits Illinois Tech to create a new I-20 for you. This form should be submitted only after you officially have been admitted to Illinois Tech.

Any applicant whose undergraduate degree was earned at an institution where the primary language of instruction is not English must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Pearson Test of English (PTE), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test scores.

TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test scores are considered valid for two years from the testing date. If your scores are more than two years old at the time your application is reviewed, new scores will be required.

We require that official TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores be sent directly to Illinois Tech by the testing service. Please request that your scores be sent to institution code 1318; no department code is required.

TOEFL HOME AND IELTS HOME EDITION ARE NOT ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME

Minimum Score Requirements and English Courses

In the chart below, Column A contains the minimum scores by test type required for admission consideration. The most current scores at the time of the admission review process are used for an admission decision. Illinois Tech does NOT consider new English language test scores after an admission decision has been made.

By accepting admission to the university, a ;student is agreeing to take any additional English courses that Illinois Institute of Technology deems necessary. Academic departments always reserve the right to require an English language assessment for any applicant.

English Language Proficiency Test Requirements

*Students who are submitting the Duolingo English Test will be required to take an English Language Assessment on campus. If supplemental English is recommended, students would be encouraged to complete courses with English Language Services.

As an example, a student who submits an Internet-based TOEFL:

• (Column A): With a minimum total score of 70 is required to be considered for admission to Illinois Tech that, if admitted, will require a student to take an English language assessment exam upon arrival to Illinois Tech.
• (Column B): And the student has a total score of 90 or above, they will NOT be required to take an English assessment exam in any section even if they receive less than 20 subscore (Column D) in any section.
• (Column C): And the total score is 70 to 89, but all subscores (Column D) are 20 or greater, students will NOT be required to take an assessment exam or courses.
• (Column D): And any subsection score is less than 20, students will be required to take an assessment exam in that individual section (unless their total score is Column B); the four subsections include: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

English assessment exams are all free of charge. Please note that PESL courses do not count toward your grade-point average or your degree at Illinois Tech; however, each course is three credits and counts toward your full-time status—the minimum of which is nine credits for graduate students. If your test results show that you must register for PESL courses, each course is an additional cost.

Read and learn more about the English Language Assessments (PESL).

Score Report Submission

Please allow two to four weeks from the date of your test ;for delivery and processing of your scores. Your application status will be updated when we receive them. Your scores will automatically match to your applicant file only if your name is spelled the same way on your TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test registration as on your Illinois Tech application (which should also match your passport). If your name is written differently on your TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test registration, or if you believe we should have received your test score, please notify us at grad.admission@iit.edu. Your email should include your Illinois Tech applicant ID number, TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test registration number, testing date, and your first and last name as they appear on your TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test registration.

Waiver

During the admission process, Illinois Tech waives TOEFL or IELTS requirements if:

• Your first or native language is English
• You have received a degree from an English-speaking institution OR have attended that school for at least two years
• Your school’s official medium of instruction is in English, per your transcripts

Waiving the TOEFL, PTE, ELTS, or Duolingo English Test requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis for applicants who do not hold undergraduate degrees from English-speaking institutions but who have lived, worked, or studied in the United States for a substantial period of time. Your admission specialist in the Office of Graduate Admission will coordinate this determination with English Language Services.

If you believe you qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver but it has not been waived, please request a waiver after you have uploaded all application documents. If you see “waived” in the Applicant Portal but have not personally requested a waiver, it is because you qualify for an automatic waiver; this includes but is not limited to all Indian applicants.