Freshman Undergraduates

Starting with the Fall 2013 semester, incoming non-resident new first-time freshman undergraduate students who demonstrate high academic achievement on the ACT (or SAT) college entrance exam – or who have been offered the academic scholarship for freshmen – will pay an Alternate Tuition Rate of 1.0 times the current in-state undergraduate tuition rate.

The definition of "high academic achievement on the ACT (or SAT) college entrance exam" is an ACT test's Composite score of 26 or higher.  For those who have instead taken the "old" SAT test (prior to March 2016), a total of the Critical Reading and the Mathematics scores on one administration of that test which equals 1,170 or higher is acceptable.²  For those who have instead taken the "new" SAT test (March 2016 or later), a total of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and the Mathematics scores on one administration of that test which equals 1,240 or higher is acceptable.

Official ACT and SAT test scores must be sent directly from the testing organization to SIU.  When making such requests to the testing organization, our school codes are 1144 for ACT and 1726 for SAT.  Failure to properly complete this step in a timely fashion may result in the incoming student not qualifying for this Alternate Tuition Rate.³

This Alternate Tuition Rate will not apply to students pursuing graduate or professional degrees, or to students who started at SIUC prior to the semester noted above.

Effective Fall 2017, this Alternate Tuition Rate will no longer be offered to domestic undergraduate students due to a change in domestic undergraduate tuition, since out-of-state domestic undergraduate students will automatically be charged the applicable in-state undergraduate tuition rate without the need for this Alternate Tuition Rate program.  However, this Alternate Tuition Rate will continue to be offered to qualifying international undergraduate students.

Effective for the Spring, Summer, and Fall 2021 terms, incoming international new first-time freshman undergraduates who demonstrate high academic achievement in their high school record – as measured by an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) – were also offered this Alternate Tuition Rate.  Starting with the Summer 2022 term, this provision will be a permanent part of this ATR.

Transfer Undergraduates

Also starting with the Fall 2013 semester, incoming non-resident new transfer undergraduate students who demonstrate high academic achievement in their previous college work – as measured by an overall transfer grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for at least 26 transfer semester hours (or 39 transfer quarter hours) of eligible work – will pay an Alternate Tuition Rate of 1.0 times the current in-state undergraduate tuition rate.

The evaluation of the overall transfer GPA and the transfer hours requires the incoming transfer student to submit to SIU current official transcripts of all work taken from all previously-attended colleges, universities, and postsecondary institutions.⁴  Such transcripts must have been issued by the previously-attended institution within the last thirty days, must be in official sealed envelopes, and must be delivered to our office of Articulation and Evaluation (formerly known as Transfer Student Services).  Failure to properly complete these steps in a timely fashion may result in the incoming transfer student not qualifying for this Alternate Tuition Rate.

This Alternate Tuition Rate will not apply to students pursuing graduate or professional degrees, or to students who started at SIUC prior to the semester noted above.

Effective Fall 2017, this Alternate Tuition Rate will no longer be offered to domestic undergraduate students due to a change in domestic undergraduate tuition, since out-of-state domestic undergraduate students will automatically be charged the applicable in-state undergraduate tuition rate without the need for this Alternate Tuition Rate program.  However, this Alternate Tuition Rate will continue to be offered to qualifying international undergraduate students.

¹ The High Achievers Alternate Tuition Rate (ATR) noted here may also be referred to as the Out-of-State Scholars program.  This rate applies only to incoming undergraduates – not to graduate or professional students – and is available for both domestic and international undergraduates who qualify.  If the qualifying undergraduate should later go on to seek graduate or professional degrees at SIU, this particular ATR will not continue to be in effect at that later time.

² The Critical Reading score of the "old" SAT may also be referred to as the Reading score (or even the Verbal score).  Please note that the Writing score of the "old" SAT is not used in this calculation.

³ Because the ACT and SAT tests' scoring systems are occasionally re-centered, scores from tests taken a significant number of years ago may not exactly correspond to what is noted above.  If you fall into that situation, please check with the appropriate Admissions office to verify your eligibility.

⁴ The submission of partial transcripts that exclude the latest in-progress coursework at another institution must be followed up with submission of complete transcripts that include all coursework.  A full and accurate evaluation of the transfer student's qualifications for this ATR can not be done until complete transcripts are received.  Yet, if there is prior work at multiple institutions, it is preferable for the student to submit a complete transcript from a particular institution as soon as it is available, rather than waiting until all of them are available before submitting any of them.  (In other words, please do not wait until the last minute to try to submit every transcript together and risk missing the deadline.)