Starting with the Fall 2009 semester, resident new first-time freshman undergraduate students who meet the following qualifications will pay an Alternate Tuition Rate of 0.80 times the applicable in-state undergraduate tuition rate:

• are a U.S. citizen or other eligible non-citizen;
• live in the southern 34 counties of Illinois;
• complete a rigorous course of study in their secondary school program;
• apply for financial aid and are determined to be eligible for a Pell Grant;
• enroll themselves at least half-time in a two- or four-year degree program at SIUC.

This Alternate Tuition Rate program targets students coming from the southern Illinois counties of Alexander, Bond, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson.

The definition of "rigorous course of study in their secondary school program" is that the student's successfully completed coursework at their high school will include at least:

• 4 years of English;
• 3 years of Math, including Algebra I and a higher level course such as Algebra II or Geometry, among others;
• 3 years of Science, including at least two courses from among Biology, Chemistry, or Physics;
• 3 years of Social Studies;
• 1 year of Foreign Language.

This Alternate Tuition Rate will not apply to students who enter the University as undergraduate transfer students.  It also will not apply to students pursuing graduate or professional degrees.  It also will not apply 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 new undergraduate students.  However, students already utilizing this Alternate Tuition Rate prior to Fall 2017 should be able to continue to do so.