​International students can obtain a degree at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). 

  • If you are applying from outside the U.S., after you are admitted to NEIU you will need to apply to a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain an F-1 student visa.

  • If you are already in the U.S. on an F-1 visa and have an active I-20, please apply as a transfer student.

  • If you are already in the U.S. on another type of visa, please read Change of Status.  

For more information on F-1 visa regulations you can visit the U.S. Department of State. 

Here is an International Student Life Cycle infographic created by Study in the States, which may help you understand the step by step process in obtaining an F-1 visa.  

​If you want to improve your English you can apply for the Intensive English Program through the School for the Advancement of English Language and Learning (SAELL). For this program you must demonstrate sufficient self-support funding during the first year of the program.​

Check out all the academic programs that NEIU offers! 

Find out more on obtaining an I-20 and visa procedures.

Three Ways to Begin Your Education at Northeastern 

1. Undergraduate Study/Bachelor's Degree 

​Are you coming to start -- or finish -- your bachelor's degree? The Office of Admissions accepts and reviews all applications and supporting documents that you submit. The Office of Admissions will notify you of the admission decision. Once admitted, you will be required to submit financials to the Office of International Programs to process your I-20 Form, which you need in order to apply for the F-1 visa. 

Academic Application Process 

  • To apply for admission, start your application online. 

  • Pay the $30 application fee. 

  • Submit the following required documents: 

    • Transcripts: Do not submit transcripts directly to NEIU. Instead, you must obtain a course-by-course evaluation of your official secondary (high school) or college transcripts:

      • You must send an official copy of transcripts from all secondary institutions you attended to an external transcript evaluation company. You may use any company that is a member of NACES. The company will then send NEIU its report. Note - this process can take several weeks, or you can pay extra to have an expedited process.

    • ​ACT/SAT Exam: All students who have completed only secondary education, or who have taken fewer than 24 semester hours/credit hours, must take the ACT or SAT exam.

      • Admission decisions are based on a combination of your ACT/SAT score and your grade point average (GPA).   

    • English proficiency: You must provide a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score. Have the testing company send your scores directly to NEIU. However students who have completed their previous degree all in English are eligible for an English proficiency waiver, and students who have studied more than 24 credits in a U.S. academic institution do not need to submit either test scores or a waiver. 

      • TOEFL score (PBT 500, CBT 173, or iBT 61) or IELTS (composite 6.0). 

      • Email us at international-programs@neiu.edu​ to check if you are eligible for an English proficiency waiver. 

**Please make sure you are uploading all required documents you submit as PDF documents.**

*NEIU does not require financial documentation for admission. Financial documentation will be required for the I-20 Form processing. We encourage students to submit their financial documents for I-20 processing to the Office of International Programs (OIP) as early as possible. This will not impact your admission review but early submission of financial documents will help expedite the I-20 application process. 

​2. Graduate Study/ Master's Degree 

Are you advancing your education with a master's degree?

The Office of Admissions accepts and reviews all applications and supporting documents that you submit. Admissions will notify you of the admission decision. Once admitted, you will be required to submit financials to the Office of International Programs to process your I-20 in order for you to apply for the F-1 visa. 

​Academic Application Process 

  • Apply for admission: Start your application online. 

  • Pay the $30 application fee. 

  • Submit the following required documents: 

    • Transcripts: Do not submit transcripts directly to NEIU. Instead, you must obtain a course-by-course evaluation of your undergraduate or post graduate college transcripts:

      • You must send an official copy of transcripts from your undergraduate/post graduate institution you attended to an external transcript evaluation company. You may use any organization that is a member of NACES. The organization will then send NEIU its report. Note - this process can take several weeks, or you can pay extra to have an expedited process. 

    • English proficiency: You must provide a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score. Have the testing company send your scores directly to NEIU. However students who have completed their previous degree all in English are eligible for an English proficiency waiver, and students who have studied more than 24 credits in a U.S. academic institution do not need to submit either test scores or a waiver.

      • TOEFL score (PBT 550, CBT 213, or iBT 79) or IELTS (composite 6.5).

      •  Email us at international-programs@neiu.edu​ to check if you are eligible for an English proficiency waiver. 

  • CONDITIONAL ADMISSION 

    • If you have submitted a low score on your English Proficiency Exam, you may still be able to be admitted under the Conditional Admission process. This requires you to be admitted through the SAELL program and achieve the English score requirement to begin your master's program.  

      • You must submit you TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score to the director of SAELL to be considered. 

      • You will be given a Language Training I-20, and will have one year to achieve the score required to enter the master's program. You will not be able to begin your master's program until you reach the required level of English. Tests are given at no costs periodically during the SAELL program.

**Please make sure you are uploading your files as PDF.** 

*NEIU does not require financial documentation for admission. Financial documentation will be required for the I-20 processing. We encourage students to submit their financial documents for I-20 processing to the Office of International Programs (OIP) as early as possible. This will not impact your admission review but will help with the I-20 application process. 

3. English as a Second Language/Conditional Admission 

Do you need to improve your English? Then apply to SAELL, Northeastern's intensive English program. Some students enroll only in SAELL. However, while in SAELL you have an option to apply for undergraduate or graduate programs. In fact, one of SAELL's purposes is to prepare you for further studies.

Some graduate students whose English language abilities are below what is needed to successfully complete graduate work, will be given conditional admission to a graduate program, with the condition being that they enroll in SAELL first. 

To find out more about the program and how to apply, check out the Intensive English Program (SAELL) page. 

Read the admission requirements needed to apply as an international student.​ 

Application Deadlines for International Students 

Northeastern Illinois goes by semester sessions during fall, spring and summer. 

You must submit all documents by these dates below to be considered for the appropriate semester.

  • Fall – June 15  (Classes start begin in August and end in December.) 

  • Spring – October 1  (Classes start begin in January and end in May.) 

  • Summer – March 1  (Classes start begin in May and end in August.) 

     ​ 

 

​Transfer Students 

Students who are currently in the U.S. with an active I-20 can apply as an international student and transfer their I-20 to NEIU. You can apply for a bachelor's or master's degree, or the SAELL Program. You will need to apply and be admitted to the program and Northeastern Illinois University. We require that you and your Designated School Official (DSO) at your current institution fill out the I-20 Transfer Verification Form. This will allow us to identify your current status and when they will release the I-20 to Northeastern Illinois University. The I-20 must be transferred before you enroll. 

Find out more about how to transfer your I-20 from another U.S. institution. 

Application Deadline for Transfer Students

Northeastern Illinois goes by semester sessions during fall, spring and summer. 

 You must submit all documents by these dates below to be considered for the appropriate semester.

  • Fall – July 1. (Classes start begin on August and end in December) 

  • Spring – October 15 (Classes start begin on January and end in May.) 

  • Summer – March 15  (Classes start begin on May and end in August.) 

Funding Your Education

There are many ways to help you fund your education. Some of our current students have funded their education using the following methods.  

NEIU Scholarship and Graduate Assistantships

  • NEIU offers different scholarships, please refer to our Scholarships web page to see if you meet the eligibility requirements and how to apply.  

  • NEIU offers Graduate Assistantships which include tuition waiver and stipend.

External Scholarships

  • Scholarships within the U.S. 

    • EducationUSA offers many resources; as international students you can find useful information on financing your studies.

    • Fulbright offers scholarships/grants depending on your country’s region. You can get partial or full scholarships.  

    • Organization of American States (OAS) offers scholarships every year for the pursuit of master's degree and graduate research leading to a university degree.

If you obtain a scholarship through Fulbright they will provide you with the J-1 visa procedures. You will apply as a regular international student, but choose J-1 as your student status.

Other Methods of Funding

  1. Family/Friend Sponsorship

    • Many of our international students are financed through their family, friends or relatives that live in the U.S. Living with family can lower the amount of cash funds you must show to the U.S. government when applying for an F-1 visa. See NEIU's Financial Form or contact the Office of International Programs.

  2. Bank Loans 

    • U.S. students and many international students now use student loans to finance their education. Check with banks in your country to see if these are available to you. 

  3. Scholarships from your home country 

    • Your government may have some scholarship opportunities.  

    • Corporations, local business and faith-based organizations in your country may also provide scholarships. 

Contact Us 

Undergraduate:

If you have questions about your application or uploading your documents online, send an email to admrec@neiu.edu

Graduate:

If you have questions about your application or uploading your documents online, send an email to graduateadmissions@neiu.edu 

International Programs:

If you have questions about submitting your English proficiency test and/or about your I-20 processing, send an email to international-programs@neiu.edu.