Tuition

Tuition per semester for full-time, on-campus GSLIS students for 2012-13 is $6,508 for Illinois residents and $11,858 for nonresidents. Additional fees (covering university and general services, health insurance, health service, transportation, etc.) may apply. Complete information about these tuition and fee assessments, exemptions, and refunds is available from the Office of the Registrar, 901 W. Illinois St., Urbana, IL 61801; (217) 333-0210.

Tuition for students in our LEEP online learning program follows a different schedule and is charged per hour. For academic year 2012-13, it is $2,472 for 4 graduate hours (in-state) / $4,156 for 4 graduate hours (out-of-state) including an Academic Outreach administrative fee of $50 per credit hour. LEEP students are not charged on-campus service fees (covering university and general services, health insurance, health service, transportation, etc.) and therefore they are not eligible to receive these services. Complete information about these tuition and fee assessments is available from the Division of Academic Outreach, (217) 333-3061, or (800) 252-1360.

On-campus housing for graduate students is available through the university; costs begin at $4,838 for single occupancy rooms for the academic year; double occupancy rooms and meal contracts also are available. Students also live in a variety of off-campus locations, including private apartments and university-operated family housing. Additional information is available from University Housing.

Financial Aid

GSLIS students are eligible for student loans based on guidelines administered by the UI Office of Student Financial Aid. Many jobs in LIS also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

After admission to GSLIS applicants may be considered for financial support.

Financial support includes graduate assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. Awards offered by the School are based on several factors including academic area, merit, and financial need. Prospective students should review the special funding opportunities currently available as well as the general types of financial aid described here:

• Graduate assistantships are the primary source of financial aid and are awarded by the School, the University Library, and a variety of other campus units. Students in these positions receive both financial support and enhanced professional experience. Assistantships range from 25-percent-time nine-month appointments to 50-percent-time 12-month appointments. All assistantships awarded to M.S. degree students provide a waiver of the graduate base in-state tuition and service fee as well as a stipend. Non-Illinois residents must pay the difference between in- and out-of-state tuition. After admission, applicants are responsible for pursuing graduate assistantship opportunities; information about assistantships and application procedures is provided upon admission. A number of assistantships are awarded by the University Library. The process for applying for these assistantships is similar to applying for a job. It requires submission of cover letters and resumes. Candidates are required to interview on campus for positions, and library unit heads select the most appropriate applicants from those who interview. Full instructions on applying for library and other assistantships are included in the letter of admission.  Some positions are posted on the GSLIS Jobs page. Once admitted, students may access more information on the Opportunities Forum.
• Fellowships for academic excellence are offered by the School in limited numbers. These awards of at least $5,000/semester include full tuition and service fee waivers. All applicants are considered for fellowships upon admission; awards are made in conjunction with admissions and throughout the year based on various criteria. GSLIS students are also eligible for other campus and external fellowships. Visit the Graduate College Fellowship Opportunities for additional information.
  • The Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program: Building Change seeks to reinforce and expand efforts to recruit racially and ethnically diverse individuals to the LIS professorate . . . With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the ALA continues its efforts to recruit doctoral candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds and work with participating academic programs to support their education and attainment of their degrees. Spectrum Doctoral Fellows receive full tuition support and stipends for two years; support for participation in professional conferences where they can share their research; and participation in two Spectrum Doctoral Fellows Institutes to prepare for their doctoral studies and dissertation work. Participating academic programs provide full tuition and stipends for the required remaining years of study following the first two years.
• Scholarships are offered by the School in limited numbers. Information about external scholarships available to LIS students is maintained by the American Library Association and can be found on their scholarships page. Once admitted, students may access more information on the Opportunities Forum.
• Other sources of financial aid include employment as preprofessionals in the public libraries serving Champaign and Urbana. Contact Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign, IL 61820 and Urbana Free Library, 201 S. Race St., Urbana, IL 61801. Some state libraries (including the Illinois State Library), a number of large city public libraries, and many regional or state library associations offer scholarships or loan funds to students who will return to work at the library, state, or region after graduation. Address inquiries to the appropriate agency or organization. Each year, the American Library Association publishes Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies; write to the American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. The LIS Access Midwest Program (LAMP) specifically seeks to encourage the participation of students from statistically and historically underrepresented populations in LIS.