Inter-College Transfers

Application Periods

Applications for Inter-College Transfers (ICT) will be conducted at the beginning of the fall semester for spring admission for students who completed the necessary course prerequisites. 

A second, shorter application cycle is available during the winter for spring admission for students who had prerequisite courses in progress in the fall and have received grades in those required courses.  

A third application cycle is available each spring in April for admission to the following fall semester.  All applicants will be notified of admission after grades have been submitted for the spring semester.  

There is no summer application period.

Please check application dates below. 

Fall 2023 ICT Application Information for Spring 2024 Admission
This application period is for students who have completed the prerequisite coursework for their desired major. If prerequisite coursework is still in progress this fall, you are not eligible to apply during this application period. Please consider applying during our winter or spring ICT application periods.   

  • Applications will be available beginning 8:30 a.m. on Monday, September 11, 2023, through Friday, September 29, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Please apply here.
  • Students will be notified of an admission decision by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 16,  2023.
  • Majors will be changed in Banner by Friday, October 20, 2023. (Priority registration for Spring 2024 begins on October 30, 2023.)
  • Students who are chosen for admission to the College of Media will automatically be admitted and their student record will be updated to reflect the new major. If a student decides to decline the offer of admission, they should contact the Media Student Services Center at (217) 244-4329 or email media-ssc@illinois.edu.

Winter 2023 Application Information for Spring 2024 Admission
This application period is for students who have completed the prerequisite coursework for their desired major or had the prerequisite coursework in progress during the fall but have since completed the coursework and will have grades to report before the December 29, 2023, application deadline. Students with prerequisite coursework in progress during the spring semester are not eligible to apply in this application period.

  • Applications will be available beginning 8:30 a.m. on Monday, December 11, 2023, and must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 29, 2023.
  • Students will be notified of an admission decision by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2024.
  • Majors will be changed in Banner by Friday, January 12, 2024.
  • Students who are chosen for admission to the College of Media will automatically be admitted and their student record will be updated to reflect the new major. If a student decides to decline the offer of admission, they should contact the Media Student Services Center at (217) 244-4329 or email media-ssc@illinois.edu.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

  • Applications for Inter-College Transfers (ICT) will be conducted at the beginning of the fall semester for spring admission for students who completed the necessary course prerequisites.  
  • A second, shorter application cycle is available during the winter for spring admission for students who had prerequisite courses in progress in the fall and have received grades in those required courses.  
  • A third application cycle is available each spring in April for admission to the following fall semester. All applicants will be notified of admission after grades have been submitted for the spring semester.  
  • No summer application period is available.
  • Students can only apply to one Media major during an ICT period.
  • All applications are reviewed at one time after the application deadline closes.
  • All applicants are notified of an admission decision at the same time. 
  • If students are denied admission they are welcome to apply again during another ICT application period.
  • No late applications or appeals to admissions will be accepted.

ICT Application Workshops in Fall 2023

Registration for the following workshops opens on August 1, 2023. The same information will be presented at each workshop. Attending an ICT workshop will give students the opportunity to have their questions answered.

Wednesday 8/30/2023       10-11 a.m.   

Zoom (register here)

Thursday

9/7/2023

3:30-4:30 p.m.

Zoom (register here) 
Monday   9/18/2023 1-2 p.m.

Zoom (register here)
Wednesday 9/27/2023 4-5 p.m.  Zoom (register here)
Friday 11/10/2023 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Zoom (register here)
Wednesday 12/6/2023 3-4 p.m. Zoom (register here)
Thursday 12/21/2023 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Zoom (register here)

    ​​​​​

ICT Application Details

Interested students must complete an online application that includes a personal essay of up to 500 words. The essay should include details of relevant and recent media-related experiences, demonstrate the applicant’s communication abilities, and detail their interest in and commitment to the pursued Media major.  

Students will be asked to list up to five media-related activities and their role/contribution in the club or organization. For example: Daily Illini, Sports Editor; American Advertising Federation, General Member; etc.

CS + ADV applicants must list their cumulative GPA along with the grades they received in the prerequisite coursework or, in some cases, proficiency credit or AP credit. This information will be verified during the review process.    

No additional materials (including letters of recommendation, portfolios, resumes, etc.) will be reviewed during the application review process.  

Please note that we no longer require your Academic History or printed cover page. Meeting the minimum GPA and completion of coursework does not guarantee admission.

The application must be submitted online by the posted deadline. No late applications or appeals to admissions will be accepted.

ICT Admission Requirements

Admission into all College of Media majors is competitive. Students should apply into the major they wish to complete their studies in. Applying to change one’s major within the college upon initial acceptance is not guaranteed.

For admission into all College of Media majors, applicants must be in good academic standing and be making progress toward completing any university, college, and departmental requirements for courses outside the College of Media. 

A minimum of three semesters of residency within the college is required for students admitted as juniors. A minimum of five semesters of residency within the college is required for students admitted as sophomores.

For some of our majors there is no specific requirement regarding grades but a competitive cumulative GPA is always advantageous. CS + Advertising, however, requires a 3.5 minimum GPA. Students with the best essays and the best academic and professional qualifications, including any pertinent extracurricular activities or internships, will receive highest priority. One way to demonstrate interest is to have earned a grade of “B” or better in introductory courses such as ADV 150, JOUR 200, MACS 100, MACS 101, MACS 261, or MACS 262.  

Meeting the minimum GPA and the completion of prerequisite coursework does not guarantee admission into any major.

To be consistent with campus policy, prerequisite courses taken during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semester as credit/no credit will not impact our evaluation of your application.

Please see information below regarding specific transfer requirements or suggestions for each of our majors.

Advertising Requirements

Required prerequisites for transfer:

  • Attendance at an ICT workshop preferred
  • Student must be in good academic standing (non-probationary status)
  • Completion of at least one Advertising course (ADV 150 or ADV 175 is recommended)
  • Completion of STAT 100 or ADV 200 is recommend prior to application 
  • Demonstrated passion, knowledge, and experience in the area of advertising
Computer Science + Advertising Requirements

Required prerequisites for transfer:

  • Attendance at an ICT workshop preferred
  • Student must be in good academic standing (non-probationary status)
  • A 3.5 minimum GPA is required 
  • Completion of ADV 150 is recommended
  • Completion of Math 220/221 or equivalent course with a grade of a “B” or better (unless a student has proficiency credit)
  • Completion of CS 124, CS 128, CS 173, and CS 225 with a grade of a “B+” or better (unless a student has proficiency credit). CS 125 will be accepted in place of CS 124 and CS 128.  
  • Experience in the area of computer science and advertising
  • Due to the sequential nature of this major, students should be applying no later than the second semester of sophomore year, otherwise additional semesters to complete this degree might be needed
Journalism Requirements

Required prerequisites for transfer:

  • Attendance at an ICT workshop preferred
  • Student must be in good academic standing (non-probationary status)
  • Completion of Composition I 
  • Completion of JOUR 200 
  • Demonstrated passion, knowledge, and experience in the area of journalism
  • It is also recommended that students have completed or be enrolled in STAT 107 (or approved equivalent such as STAT 100) when applying for the Journalism major
Media & Cinema Studies Requirements

Required prerequisites for transfer:

  • Attendance at an ICT workshop preferred
  • Student must be in good academic standing (non-probationary status)
  • Completion of Composition I
  • Completion of at least one MACS course (MACS 100, 101, 140, or 150 is recommended)
  • Demonstrated passion, knowledge, and experience in the area of media and cinema studies  

For students who have left Illinois and wish to return into a College of Media program, please review our re-entry policies and procedures.