About

About Eastern Illinois University

public masters universityeducation and business focussmall town illinoisaccessible admissionspersonalized class sizes

Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, IL, known for its public masters university, education and business focus, and small town illinois. With an acceptance rate of 68%, EIU is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 876 students each year. EIU is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1320–1600, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. EIU offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $12,946 per year; the sticker price of $27,791 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Eastern Illinois University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

68%
Overall Accept Rate
3.25
Typical Admitted GPA
1460
Median Admitted SAT
SATSubmitted score range: 1320 – 1600 (test optional)

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Eastern Illinois University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Application Strategy
EIU admits about 68% of applicants, so your GPA and class rank carry the most weight in their review. Make sure your transcript shows an upward trend or consistent strong performance, because that is what their admissions team looks at first.
Test Score Strategy
Since EIU is test optional and your score falls below their 75th percentile, leave it off your application and let your GPA and activities speak for you instead.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Eastern Illinois University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$28k/yr$9.8k
30k-48k~$28k/yr$8.6k
48k-75k~$28k/yr$11.4k
75k-110k~$28k/yr$15.7k
110k+~$28k/yr$21.0k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

45%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$43k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
14:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
4,792
Undergrad Enrollment
Eastern Illinois University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch