Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a flagship public research university established in 1869. It is one of the top 300 universities in USA according to the U.S. News and World Report. The university offers more than 200 undergraduate courses, 70 master’s and 30 PhD degrees through 9 colleges and a graduate school. Zoology, computer science, architecture and public administration are some of the popular courses at SIU among international students. Currently, there are 11,790 students at Southern Illinois University, including 874 international students
Southern Illinois University has an acceptance rate of 87% for undergraduate programs and 59% for graduate programs, according to previous year’s admissions. Indian students seeking admissions at Southern Illinois University must follow the below requirements before applying:
The annual tuition fee at Southern Illinois University is $24,439 – $25,597 (₹21.35 lakhs – ₹22.36 lakhs) for undergraduate programs and $25,566 – $26,835 (₹22.38 lakhs – 23.48 lakhs) for graduate programs. Indian students need to budget $40,000 to meet educational and living expenses in USA while studying at Southern Illinois University.
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Southern Illinois University ranks #288 among the Best National Colleges by U.S. News and World Report Rankings 2024-25. Some other notable rankings of Southern Illinois University by U.S. News are as follows:
Miscellaneous Rankings by U.S. News:
Tabulated below are the top programs of Southern Illinois University with details of admission requirements, deadlines, and annual tuition fee::
| Program | Admission Requirements | Application Deadlines | Annual Tuition Fee (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S Civil Engineering | Bachelor’s Degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) | GRE Required | None | $25,566 (22.2 Lakhs) |
| M.S Civil and Environmental | Bachelor’s Degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) | GRE Required | Fall/Summer [Mar 1, 2025] | Spring [Sept 1, 2025] | $25,566 (22.2 Lakhs) |
| M.S Computer Science | Bachelor’s Degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) | GRE Scores (Optional) | UG coursework in calculus, programming, computer science, Unix/Linux programming | Fall [Feb 15, 2025] | Spring [Sept 15, 2025] | $25,566 (22.2 Lakhs) |
| M.S Electrical and Computer Engineering | Bachelor’s Degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) | GRE Required | None | $25,566 (22.2 Lakhs) |
| M.S Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes | Bachelor’s Degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) | GRE Required | Fall/Summer [Mar 1, 2025] | Spring [Sept 1, 2025] | $25,566 (22.2 Lakhs) |
Southern Illinois University admissions are conducted in the fall, spring, and summer semesters every year. There are no deadlines to apply for UG courses, along with the majority of graduate courses. However, Indian students are suggested to apply as soon as possible to get enough time for visa processing.
How to Apply?
Graduate Admission Requirements:
Undergraduate Admission Requirements:
Documents Required for International Students:
Also Check: Southern Illinois University Admissions 2025
Southern Illinois University demonstrates slightly selective admissions for UG and moderately selective for PG with acceptance rate of 87% and 59% respectively. Given below is 5 year trend for Southern Illinois University acceptance rate from 2020 to 2024:
International students studying at Southern Illinois University are required to spend annual living expenses around $16,165 (₹14.12 lakhs) for undergraduate programs and $12,174 (₹10.63 lakhs) for graduate programs. This will include the cost of books, housing, transportation and miscellaneous expenses.
Southern Illinois University awards more than $20 million in the form of merit scholarships to UG students annually. Every year, over $6 million are awarded to incoming undergraduate students. A range of graduate scholarships are available for international students, including Indians through university funding and some external scholarships. The most popular scholarships for Indian students include:
Also Check: Popular Scholarships to Study in USA
Given below is the comparison of Southern Illinois University with similar colleges based on national ranking, fees, acceptance rate, and annual graduate salary:
| Category | Southern Illinois University | Northern Illinois University | University of St. Francis | Aurora University | Illinois State University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. News National Rankings | #288 | #273 | #296 | #273 | #220 |
| Acceptance Rate | 87% | 70% | 97% | 82% | 89% |
| Placement Rate | 84.7% | 88% | 98% | 50% | 95-100% |
| Annual Graduate Salaries (USD) | $78,000 | $92,248 | – | $68,000 | $51,000 |
Southern Illinois University is the oldest among the SIU system. The university is quite popular for its diverse range of courses, flexible mode of delivery, and small class size. The courses are available in both online and on campus mode. MBA and MS Business Analytics are some of the popular online degrees offered by SIU.
