


Governors State University holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation or approval of a particular degree program.
This status matters for access to federal student aid and for how other institutions may assess credits, although neither aid eligibility nor transfer-credit acceptance is automatic for every student. Students considering a licensed profession should also check their specific program's current accreditation and their intended state's licensing rules. Program-level standards are particularly important in fields such as nursing, social work, teacher education, and communication disorders.
First-year applicants to Governors State generally apply with evidence of high school completion or an accepted equivalent and information about their secondary-school academic work. The university is not an open-admission institution: an application must be reviewed before an offer of admission is made.
In reported admissions information, high school GPA and completion of a college-preparatory curriculum are required considerations. SAT and ACT scores are considered but are not required; class rank and recommendations are not generally required. International applicants or applicants educated in another language may face separate English-proficiency and transcript-documentation rules.
In one reported first-year admissions cycle, about 48% of applicants were admitted. That figure describes a past applicant group, not an individual applicant's chances. Requirements and deadlines may also differ for graduate applicants and for programs with clinical, licensure, portfolio, or other selective requirements.
The reported undergraduate application fee for Governors State University is $25. An application fee is separate from tuition, housing charges, and any later enrollment expenses.
Applicants who need a fee waiver should check the current application instructions before submitting payment; waiver eligibility and the method for requesting one can depend on the applicant category or application route. Graduate and program-specific applications may use different procedures or charges, so a prospective student should confirm the amount shown for the application they will actually submit.
Air Force ROTC is reported as available to Governors State students through a cooperating host institution, rather than a unit operated directly on the Governors State campus. Participation through another college can require travel and coordination between two institutions' schedules.
Students interested in ROTC should confirm that the host detachment currently accepts Governors State cross-enrollment, which courses count toward their degree, and where training takes place. ROTC scholarships have separate eligibility and application rules; participation and commissioning can also carry military service obligations. Applicants interested in Army or Navy ROTC should not assume that an equivalent cross-enrollment arrangement exists without confirmation from the relevant unit.
Governors State accepts transfer applications and generally considers credit from other accredited institutions. Its history as an upper-division university and its community-college partnerships make transfer planning especially relevant here.
Transfer applicants should be prepared to submit official transcripts from every college attended and to meet the admission standards for their intended program. A general offer of admission does not establish that every previous course will satisfy a major requirement. The university's transfer-credit evaluation determines how accepted courses apply to the degree, and programs with licensure or clinical components may have additional restrictions.
Reported transfer entry options include fall, spring, and summer. Governors State also reports accepting some credit-by-examination and evaluated prior-learning credit, including CLEP and DSST, subject to its policies. Students transferring from an Illinois community college can ask about the university's Dual Degree Program and obtain a written degree audit before deciding which remaining courses to take.
Students interested in studying abroad should determine which international opportunities Governors State currently approves for their degree program. The available destination, length of study, and academic arrangement can change, and a program run by a third-party provider is not necessarily operated by the university.
Before paying a deposit, a student should obtain approval for how proposed courses will count toward general education, major, or elective requirements. They should also ask the study-abroad or international education adviser how financial aid, scholarships, passport and visa requirements, insurance, and any required clinical or licensure coursework would be handled. That advance review is particularly important for students with a tightly sequenced degree plan.
17% of admitted students enrolled (239 of 1,421)
Regular application deadline
April 1Application fee
$25Early Decision
Yes, deadline November 15Early Action
NoMedian composite SAT score
945Median composite ACT score
19High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Neither required nor recommendedSecondary school record
Neither required nor recommendedCompletion of college-preparatory program
RequiredRecommendations
Neither required nor recommendedFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
Considered but not requiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
YesAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesOff-campus study
YesROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesWeekend/evening college
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.