Your Next Chapter Starts at UIS
You may not have started your college journey at UIS, but you can still earn a University of Illinois degree by transferring. UIS offers countless opportunities for academic growth, campus involvement and career advancement.
It’s easy to make UIS your new home. UIS is home to great programs, welcoming student organizations and volunteer opportunities that are waiting for you to come make your mark. Transfer students will find a supportive community ready to help with academic success and social connections. Becoming a Prairie Star is an investment in your future (and a chance to create lasting memories).
Navigating the Transfer Process
One of the most common concerns for students considering transferring is whether their courses will count toward their degree. Your advisors will reassure you that specific classes will transfer. Be organized and communicate with your advisor about the program you want to transfer. This will help you fulfill specific program requirements. Resources like Transferology are available to prospective UIS students. This will help map out your courses and check how they will transfer to UIS. It is ultimately your responsibility for staying on track with your academic plan.
Transfer Tools
TransferReady
If you are transferring from an Illinois community college, TransferREADY is an excellent starting point. UIS strongly recommends completing your associate degree before you transfer. Even if you transfer to UIS without completing your associate degree, UIS offers the ability to reverse transfer. This means that you can complete your remaining credits using UIS courses and transfer them back to your community college to earn your associate degree.
Transfer Pathways - UIS
UIS has partnered with selected schools to create Transfer Pathways. These partnerships ensure that certain classes at your community college will count toward specific classes at UIS.
Illinois Community College Transfer Pathways
- Black Hawk College
- College of DuPage
- Heartland Community College
- Illinois Central College
- Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
- Illinois Valley Community College
- John A. Logan College
- Kaskaskia College
- Lincoln Land Community College
- Lincoln Land Community College - Medical Laboratory Science 2+2
- Rend Lake Community College
- Richland Community College
- Sauk Valley Community College
- Waubonsee Community College
Transfer Admission Guarantee - UIS
UIS offers Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) if you hold one of the following degrees from an Illinois regionally accredited college or university. UIS would then consider you a junior who has met all the general education requirements.
- Associate in Arts, or
- Associate in Arts and Sciences
- Associate in Sciences (degree awarded before Fall 2016)
*If you received your Associates in Science after Fall 2016, you will still be considered a junior but may not have satisfied the general education requirements for UIS.
Transfer Guarantee - U of I
Transfer students planning to apply to the University of Illinois System benefit from the U of I Transfer Guarantee (effective Fall 2025). At UIS, this program offers guaranteed admission if you are pursuing your first bachelor’s degree and meet the following criteria:
- Graduated from an Illinois high school
- Earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application
- Attained a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all transferable coursework
- Met UIS’ English language requirements
The Transfer Guarantee ensures admission to the university system. It does not guarantee admission to specific colleges or majors. Students must complete the institution’s transfer admission application.
Building Your Community at UIS
The good news is, as a transfer, you’re more confident. That confidence allows you to meet people and get involved more than you might have as a first-year student. You’ll know how to balance UIS clubs, jobs, campus events, volunteer opportunities and school. Read more about finding your community in this blog post.
For more information, visit our Transfer Page.