Application & Admission

Applications can be completed online through the Apply Yourself program.

Click here to begin your application.

The Fall admissions cycle will begin on April 1, 2012 and ends June 1, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Weiner (health-comm@illinois.edu) for more information.

To apply for the Spring 2013 semester, the application cycle will run from September 1, 2012 through November 1, 2012.

For more information about applying to online programs at the University of Illinois, please visit the office of Online & Continuing Education.

Admission Requirements

An application must include:

  • Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution you have attended
  • At least three letters of recommendation, preferably from recommenders in academic or professional positions
  • A statement of purpose containing the following components:
    • An explanation of your professional background in health care and the qualifications your bring to the HCOM program (if your experience with health care is not professional in nature, please explain why you are pursuing a degree in health communication).
    • A description of your goals for your degree (why are you applying to HCOM? what will you do with an MS in health communication?)
    • A brief summary of any relevent personal information or experiences that contribute to your desire to pursue an advanced degree in health communication (e.g., why are you passionate about studying health communication?)
    • An identification (if applicable) of faculty members in the program whose research aligns with your professional interests.
  • A current resume
  • Students whose native language is not English must present their official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination as part of their applications with the following required minimum scores:
    • 611 on the paper-based test,
    • 254 on the computer-based test,
    • 103 on the Internet-based test (iBT)

Other Requirements

    • Applicants must have been awarded a comparable bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States or from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad.
      A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of the undergraduate program is the minimum requirement for admission.
      Strong recommendations and a clear and compelling personal statement also will be required for admission.