Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, Illinois will offer direct admission to its public universities and colleges to in-state students, thanks to new legislation signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker. This law seeks to eliminate barriers in the process of accessing higher education and ease the transition of high school students to college. Last Monday, July 7, Pritzker signed House Bill 3522, which drafted the Public University Direct Admission Program Act. The bill was sponsored by Representative Katie Stuart and Senator Christopher Belt and passed with broad support in the local legislature.
No More Need to Apply for Public School Admission
Illinois students will no longer have to apply for admission to public schools in the state since, thanks to House Bill 3522, they will have direct admission to higher education through the Public University Direct Admission Program Act.
This legislation was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker and will take effect as of the 2027- 2028 school year, where public school students will have direct admission to the state’s universities.
The initiative was promoted by Representative Katie Stuart and Senator Christopher Belt and passed by a wide margin in the local legislature.
Illinois students will have direct admission to the state’s public universities
Students will begin receiving automatic college admission letters starting in fall 2026 and communication will be free for selected students, according to Jose Garcia, spokesman for the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Under the new model, high schools and community colleges will send students’ contact information and academic history, including GPAs, to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
The commission will be charged with defining which public universities and community colleges students qualify for based on institution-specific criteria.
Nine of Illinois’ eleven public universities will participate in the program, exempting the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and Chicago because their admissions processes depend on academic programs.
Track record in other states and positive results
The direct admission system already has precedent in other states such as Idaho, which in 2015 was a pioneer with positive results, including increases in enrollment of first-time freshmen and in-state residents.
In Minnesota, recent evaluations revealed that direct admission program participants have higher college enrollment and FAFSA filing rates, a key benchmark for starting higher education.
Representative Stuart summed up the spirit of the reform this way:
“The new program will provide new opportunities for students who may not have known that higher education was available to them and is available to them in their own state. We are easing the stressful college application process and encouraging students to continue their education at one of Illinois’ many great public colleges and universities.
Illinois universities that will accept students with a direct pass
The following is a list of Illinois universities that will accept students with a direct pass:
- University of Illinois Springfield
- Southern Illinois University
- Chicago State University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Governors State University
- Illinois State University
- Northeastern Illinois University
- Northern Illinois University
- Western Illinois University
High school students and community college students hoping to transfer to a state school must opt-in to the program to receive offers. Community colleges already admit all students interested in attending but will still participate in the direct admissions program.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago will not participate in the direct admission program. The state will, however, provide information about traditional applications to qualifying students through an “access and outreach campaign.”
How students will be informed
Students will be informed about colleges that have accepted them through admissions letters and will be sent instructions on how to proceed with enrollment.
“These laws simplify the application process for Illinois’ future college students, improve support for applicants and open new horizons for students,” Governor Pritzker said.
Eastern Illinois University in Charleston had previously implemented this strategy for 3 years by sending offer letters to juniors from nearby counties.