Undergraduate Admissions FAQs

We do not have specific requirements or cut-offs for admission. We use a holistic approach that considers coursework, rigor, grades, test scores (if provided), essays, involvement, and other factors on the application. University Office of Undergraduate Admissions provides more details on this page.

Elective courses like business classes allow you to explore your interest and provide some variety in your coursework. That being said, taking a business-related course like accounting or business law does not factor into your admission decision. When it comes to an elective course versus an academic core course, we almost always prefer the academic core. For example, if you were deciding between an AP course and a business law course, we would encourage you to choose the course that will be more challenging and could lead to college credit through an AP exam score.

We want to see that you can balance your time and efforts both inside and outside the classroom. Involvement can include extracurricular activities at your school, part-time jobs, family commitments, community organizations, and more. They are not limited to something business-focused. Explore and invest in areas that are important to you.

All first-year students are admitted as Business Undeclared, whether or not they have a specific major already in mind. Therefore, a major-specific interest is not a factor in the admission decision.

We highly recommend applying during the Early Action timeline; it is non-binding, so you are not required to attend if you are admitted. 

To be considered for direct admit to all Gies Business majors, you should apply to Business Undeclared as your first choice. If you are open to pursuing or starting in another academic area here at Illinois if Gies direct admit is not available to you, you should list a second choice major for additional consideration. Your notice of admission will indicate the major to which you were admitted. If you were admitted to a second choice major outside of Gies Business, you could apply to transfer into Gies at the end of your first year at Illinois through our Intercollegiate Transfer process. 

Your application for admission also serves as your application for merit-based scholarships and honors programs. You do not need to submit any additional information for an initial honors review. You will be notified via email if you are eligible after admission decisions are released. Final honors decisions and scholarships will be awarded by April.

During New Student Registration, you will meet with a Gies academic advisor to discuss your initial academic plans. You also will receive ongoing personalized advising from your advisor to ensure you are aware of available opportunities and on track for graduation.

• Attend your first Gies course, Business 101, which introduces you to the world of business. Your first two years will also include accountancy, finance, and other business core courses that will help you determine what you like and where you can excel.
• Join a Registered Student Organization centered around a major or interest area.
• Use our Career and Professional Development office resources to line up job shadows, attend leadership conferences, and research job positions and companies.
• Network with alumni and employers at Gies Business Career Fairs and recruitment events.
• Talk with other Gies students!

Double majors in Gies are very common. You might be able to pursue one major in Gies and one in another college/school on campus, depending on the program. Minors are always a possibility, too. Your academic advisor and your peers will be great resources as you explore all your options.

Your professors and teaching assistants for each class hold office hours and can provide individual help with homework or test preparation. Gies offers free peer tutoring for select core business courses, and tutoring is available across campus for classes such as economics, math, science, and writing. There is a lot of support here, so be sure to seek it out if you need it!

A few considerations:

• The university offers computer labs all over campus, which is really helpful! If possible, we also strongly recommend having a personal computer and the Microsoft Office Suite so you can take notes in class and work on homework or group projects anywhere. Once you are registered with the university, the software can be downloaded for free through webstore.illinois.edu. The College has no preference on which type of computer you have (PC or Mac).
• For business and math courses, you will need a calculator; the specifics will be provided in class.

UIUC goes to great lengths to prioritize campus safety. Learn more on the University Admissions web page. 

McKinley Health Center is a nationally accredited, professional staffed ambulatory care clinic on campus. Physical and mental health services are available by appointment and through a 24-hour nurse consultation line. Gies also has a licensed mental health clinical counselor from the Counseling Center embedded in Gies to work with and support our students through time-limited individual counseling, outreach, and workshops. In the event of an emergency, severe illness, or injury, there are two excellent hospitals nearby: Carle and OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center. Click here for more information.