Apply to NIU As a Transfer Student

Application Requirements

Transfer admission requirements depend on:

• The number of credit hours you've earned.
• If you have an associate degree.

At NIU, we won't consider your ACT or SAT score for general admissions.

Learn how to submit supporting documents.

Please see the Undergraduate Catalog for complete information about admission criteria and application procedures.

Please note additional requirements for the following programs:

• School of Music
• School of Nursing
• School of Theatre and Dance
• Computer Science

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

The completed application and all supporting documents must be on file in the Office of Admissions by the dates listed below. However, early application is strongly recommended. See deadline considerations.

You'll need to apply earlier if:

• You want to be considered for a transfer merit scholarship.
• You're petitioning for a review of an admission decision.

How Will My Credits Transfer?

See how your courses will transfer to NIU and what courses you should be taking for your intended major using our Transfer Course Equivalencies and Major Guides website. 

Guaranteed Admission Program

If you currently attend a participating community college, you could be eligible for the Guaranteed Admission Program. Be sure to complete the participation form at least one year before your first semester at NIU.

After submitting your admission application and required documents to NIU, you will receive an email from admissions@niu.edu with your NIU AccountID and the steps to take to activate it. Learn more about New NIU AccountID Activation and MyNIU Access for Applicants.

It usually takes us about two weeks to make an admission decision once a file is complete with supporting documents. Be sure to check the status of your application in MyNIU to see if anything is missing. Submit any missing items as soon as possible.