Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois · Public · 4,188 undergraduates · eiu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
71%
of 12,479 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
890 to 1130
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$30,760Est.Estimate
$30,870 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Eastern Illinois University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
71% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$30,870
a year in 2027-28, from a $30,870 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1030
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1030).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
Source: First Year & Transfer Admission Requirements | Eastern Illinois University · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
71%
of applicants were admitted: 8,826 of 12,479 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 50% of them sent SAT scores and 53% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 890 to 1130
Reading and Writing 460 to 590
Math 420 to 560
ACT composite 16 to 23
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16001.5%
- 1200 to 139915%
- 1000 to 119940%
- 800 to 99934%
- 600 to 7998.8%
- 400 to 5990.5%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.35
- 4.020%
- 3.75 to 3.9913%
- 3.50 to 3.7413%
- 3.25 to 3.4910%
- 3.00 to 3.2414%
- 2.50 to 2.9924%
- Below 2.506%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$30,760
a year, in state
$30,870
a year, out of state (tuition $11,150)
- Tuition (in state)$11,040
- Fees$4,470
- Food and housing$12,890
- Books and supplies$160
- Transportation and other$2,200
Eastern Illinois University published $29,062 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$9,813
- $30,001 to $48,000$9,968
- $48,001 to $75,000$9,713
- $75,001 to $110,000$14,840
- Over $110,000$20,729
Financial aid
79%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$13,589
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
11%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $4,534 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 12/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
38 of 38
Earn credit with a score of 3
38 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,100Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 1110 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 1111 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ART 2601G |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIO 1500 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 5 | MAT 1441G |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 5 | MAT 1441G |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 10 | MAT 1441G & 2442 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHM 1310G & 1315G |
| Chemistry | 4 | 7 | CHM 1310G, 1315G & 1410 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FLX Elective-Humanities General Education |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FLX Elective-Humanities General Education |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | FLX elective-8 hours Humanities General Education & 3 hours Upper Division |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PLS 1003 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CSM 2170 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CSM Elective-Math General Education |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 1000 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 1001G |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 1009G |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | BIO 2002G |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIS Elective |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIS Elective |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | WLF 2201G |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | WLF 2201G & 2202G |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | WLF 2201G, 2202G & Upper Division WLF Elective |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | WLG 2201G |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | WLG 2201G & 2202G |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | WLG 2201G, 2202G & Upper Division WLG Elective |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEO 1100G |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | Foreign Language elective Humanities - General Education |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | Foreign Language elective Humanities - General Education |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | Foreign Language elective (8 hours Humanities - General Education) Foreign Language elective (3 hours upper division) |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FLX Elective-Humanities General Education |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FLX Elective-Humanities General Education |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | FLX Elective-8 hours Humanities General Education & 3 hours Upper Division |
| Latin | 3 | 4 | Foreign Language elective Humanities - General Education |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | Foreign Language elective Humanities - General Education |
| Latin | 5 | 11 | Foreign Language elective (8 hours Humanities - General Education) Foreign Language elective (3 hours upper division) |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECN 2801G |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECN 2802G |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUS Elective |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHY 1151G & 1152G |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHY 1161 & 1162 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHY 1161 & 1162 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHY 1151G & 1152G |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHY 1351G & 1352G |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 1879G |
| Research | 3 | 3 | General Elective |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | General Elective |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | WLS 2201G |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | WLS 2201G & 2202G |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | WLS 2201G, 2202G & Upper Division WLS Elective |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | WLS 3250 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | MAT 2250G |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PLS 1153G |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIS 2010G or 2020G |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIS 2010G & 2020G |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIS Elective |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HIS Elective |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
50%
Come back for a second year
72%
Typical earnings
$55,885
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Eastern Illinois University$58,901
- All colleges$55,386
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 28 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Eastern Illinois University.