High school and community college students in Illinois will soon be able to earn automatic admission to most state public universities based on their GPA—without even having to apply.
The Direct Admission Program will require public universities to offer admission to any student who meets their established GPA standard, according to the bill synopsis. Additionally, qualifying community college students who have completed 30 credit hours and are eligible to transfer to a public university will be able to do so. The program begins with the 2027-28 academic year.
One of the lead sponsors of the bill, state Rep. Katie Stuart, said direct admission was not a new topic for Illinois universities. Gov. JB Pritzker endorsed the idea during his budget address this year. It’s seen as a way to encourage Illinois students to stay in Illinois for college, and to eliminate what can be a complicated application process, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Read more at WGLT.
