We are looking for diverse, curious, intelligent, and highly motivated students with strong academic records. Students with degrees in behavioral or social sciences, family and consumer sciences, or education are especially encouraged to apply, as are students with involvement in the Ronald E. McNair or SROP undergraduate research opportunities.
Please note that we have a "full time student" department culture and thus do not enroll part-time students or encourage outside employment during the program. As you will see below, we provide excellent financial support to our full-time students.
Applicants are required to submit a writing sample that reflects their ability to think critically and systematically about a social, behavioral, interpersonal, or policy-related issue. The writing sample should be a document you wrote alone or took the lead in writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, an honor’s thesis; a critical review of literature in a topical area; or a manuscript published, accepted for publication, or submitted for publication.
Admissions FAQs
The minimum grade-point average for admission is 3.0 (A = 4.0). HDFS uses a holistic application process that considers both quantitative data and qualitative indicators to obtain a full picture of each applicant’s attributes and potential to thrive as graduate students. In addition to academic potential, we carefully assess the match between applicant interests and career goals and the focus of our program and its faculty.
We encourage applications from potential M.D./Ph.D. students (Medical Scholars) and, in these cases, will accept MCAT scores in lieu of the GRE.
Admission Requirements
Letters of Reference
All letters are managed through the online application process. The easiest way to do this is to have an email address for the people writing letters and enter this information as a part of your application process.
Transcripts
You must list on your online application each institution of post-secondary education from which you have earned credit. You must also submit your transcript / academic record (and diplomas or certificates of degrees if your degree is awarded and not listed on your transcript) for each of these institutions.
Transcripts / academic records (and diplomas or certificates of degrees if your degree is awarded and not listed on your transcript) must be uploaded directly to the online application. English translations should also be uploaded if the credentials are not in English.
Official Academic Credentials
All credentials uploaded to the online application are considered unofficial. You will only be asked to submit official or attested credentials (transcripts, academic records, diplomas, certificates of degrees, etc.) in a sealed envelope, with a certification stamp across the seal if you are admitted. These must be submitted during your first term of enrollment at the University of Illinois.
GRE Scores (optional)
GRE scores are completely optional. If you choose to send scores, contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send official test scores to the University of Illinois. Our institution code is 1836 and the program code is 4602.
Academic and Personal Statement
Please write a statement that answers the following questions (1,000 words max):
- "How has your academic background, including any training, research, or other academic experiences, prepared you for graduate study?
- What are your intellectual interests and what scholarly questions are you interested in exploring in graduate study?
- Are there any specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own that you would like to work with?
- How will our program help you achieve your intellectual and professional goals?
- (Optional) Are there any personal experiences, achievements, strengths, or circumstances you would like to include or that you believe will help you succeed in our program?
Here is a list of faculty interests and sample publications.
Non-Degree Admission
Students seeking non-degree admissions into HDFS must fulfill the same requirements and meet the same admissions criteria as students applying for on-campus graduate study. Acceptance as a non-degree student does not guarantee acceptance into the degree program nor does it entitle a student to financial assistance through the department. Please see the Graduate College Handbook for further information.
Application Process
How do I apply?
The graduate application process begins with the completion of an online application form. Instructions and further information on applying are available at the Graduate College.
If you are ready to apply, go to the application form
What is the deadline?
All applications for fall enrollment are due by December 15.
Late applications are not accepted, and we do not allow mid-year enrollment.
Where do I send my application?
What happens if my application is incomplete?
Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.
Where do I find a complete list of instructions for applying?
Here are a complete list of instructions
Is there an application fee?
Yes, there is a non-refundable application fee. The amount of the fee is determined by your citizenship and/or visa. Generally, the fee is $70.00 for domestic students and $90.00 for international students, but here are more precise instructions about qualifications for these rates and fee waiver instructions.
Who can I contact about this program?
You can contact the Graduate Program Director, Brian Ogolsky at 217-244-1199 or by email at bogolsky@illinois.edu.
How are applications evaluated?
The Director of Graduate Programs chairs the Admissions Committee. She or he is responsible for overseeing and coordinating general inquiries from applicants, making certain that applications are available for review by faculty, and for communicating with applicants whom the committee decides to admit.
The Director of Graduate Programs assigns at least 3 faculty reviewers to each application. All faculty members are allowed to review all admission files at their discretion. However, assigned reviewers are responsible for assessing academic quality and the applicant’s fit with the program. They then communicate their assessment of each applicant to the Director of Graduate Programs
An offer of admission will only be made if:
- The applicant meets our stated academic potential standards
- At least one faculty member wants to advise the student
- The applicant’s research interests and career goals are a good fit for their chosen program
- Faculty and/or HDFS have the money to provide funding at our standard level
How do I apply for financial aid?
All applicants are considered for fellowship and assistantship support (both teaching assistants and research assistants). There is no separate application process for these awards.
The fellowship and assistantship support that we provide is completely separate from state and federal financial aid. If you are interested in grant or loan opportunities, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.
International Applicants
Are international students required to provide visa and financial information?
Yes, all international applicants are required to demonstrate that they have adequate financial resources to cover the cost of their education while in the United States. Official financial documentation is required as part of the application process in order for visa eligibility documents (I-20 or DS-2019) to the U.S. to be issued.
Are international students required to demonstrate English Language proficiency?
Yes, international applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate English language proficiency.
See Graduate School information on English Language Proficiency for further information