Applying to the Graduate Program

How to Apply

Prospective animal sciences graduate students must apply to the university's Graduate College.

Requirements

• GPA: Undergraduate degree in animal sciences or a related biological or social science, with a grade-point average of 3.00 (A=4.00) on the last four semesters of class work (both graduate and undergraduate);
• Three supporting recommendations;
• Graduate Record Examination: Required for enrollment to full standing
  • Candidates who have been accepted into the Graduate Program in Animal Sciences, but have not taken the GRE, will be enrolled with limited standing in the Graduate College until the GRE is taken and the scores are received by the department.

Students with a GPA less than 3.00 (A=4.00) from the last four semesters of class work, but with superior records or special backgrounds, abilities, and interests may be admitted as limited status students until they qualify for consideration for full status in the Graduate College. All deficiencies must be made up with a GPA of 3.00 or better within the first two semesters.

All students whose native language is not English

• A minimum score of 590 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will be required. Note that the departmental TOEFL requirement is higher than that for the Graduate College in general.
• Test of Spoken English (TSE) and Test of Written English (TWE) prior to enrollment to full standing in the Graduate College. Candidates who have been accepted into the Graduate Program in Animal Sciences, but have not taken the TSE and TWE, will be enrolled with limited standing in the Graduate College (see A Handbook for Graduate Students and Advisers) until such time that the TSE and TWE are taken. No minimum TSE or TWE score is required for admission. Arrangements to take the TOEFL, TSE, and TWE examinations should be made directly with the Educational Testing Service, Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08540. Information on the TOEFL test is available at http://web1.toefl.org .

All applicants applying for teaching assistantships must be able to meet the university's oral English proficiency requirements by taking the SPEAK test. International applicants also must submit evidence that they have sufficient financial support for the length of their graduate study program. Applications for admission to the graduate program in the Department of Animal Sciences are accepted at any time.

Note: For candidates who wish to be considered for fellowships, completed application materials must be received by February 15 in order to be fully considered for fellowships for the following fall semester.

Affiliated Programs and Specializations

Faculty in animal sciences may be members of the campus-wide Nutritional Sciences Division (https://nutrsci.illinois.edu/), Neuroscience (neuroscience.illinois.edu/), and Informatics (https://www.informatics.illinois.edu/) graduate programs and supervise graduate students in these programs. Admission to these programs is coordinated by the corresponding graduate office.

Professional Masters Programs

The College of ACES also offers one Professional Masters program in Agricultural Production.