Western Illinois University

The Western Illinois University ranks among the best higher educational institutions in the region.

A major university ranking platform ranks it #440 as part of its the latest UG Business Rankings 2025, while the same source ranks it #57 as part of its the latest rankings of the “Regional Universities in Midwest” category.

It attains a rank of #16 for the “Top Public Schools” category & #55 for “Best Value Schools”.

The WIU has an acceptance rate of around 57%, suggesting the institute is somewhat selective at granting admissions to students.
Prospective students must maintain a solid academic track record & preferably should be active in other non-academic activities over school/college studies to have a chance of securing a seat the institute.

Illinois is among the most prominent states in the USA for a number of reasons. The state is home to Chicago, which also happens to be the third most populous city in the country.

The state houses some of the best educational institutions in the region including: <a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/usa/universities/northwestern-university">North-Western University</a>, <a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/usa/universities/the-university-of-chicago">The University of Chicago</a>, <a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/usa/universities/university-of-illinois-urbana-campus">University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign</a>, & Western Illinois University among others.

The state is also known for offering an interesting blend of historical architectures & natural beauty with some popular locations including:

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->The Art Museum of Chicago

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->Millennium Park

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->The Magnificent Mile

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->Willis Tower

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->Cloud Gate

<!--- [if !supportLists]--->·      <!--- [endif]--->Lincoln Park Zoo

WIU is known for offering a plethora of undergraduate & postgraduate degree programs across a range of fields.

Another unique aspect of the institute's is it Cost Guarantee programs, where tuition fees freezes over four years of continuous enrolment. 

Students can also choose from over 150 student clubs & organizations to be a part of, learn & have fun over the duration of their studies.

Western Illinois University offers a number of programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The minimum GPA requirement for each programme will vary from programme to program. Therefore, internatioanl students should check the minimum GPA requirement before applying for any course in the Western Illinois University. The minimum GPA requirement for international students is given below:

1. A minimum 2.75 cumulative high school GPA or higher (on a 4.00 scale) 
2. Applicants with a 2.00–2.74 cumulative high school GPA are eligible for a holistic review of credentials to be considered for admission.

Western Illinois University has been ranked #201-250 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and ranked #401-500 globally by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022. It is also affordable as compared to many private universities in USA.

Whereas Portland State University has been ranked #298 in National Universities by U.S. News & World Report. It offers a wide range of MS programs in various fields, including business, engineering, education, and social work and has a diverse student body and a commitment to social justice and sustainability.

The institute has given several notable individuals to a number of industries in the US & abroad, over its near 125-year old history.

From professional athletes to media personalities & healthcare workers, some prominent members of the WIU alumni network include: Paul Vallas, Dot Richardson, John Rosemond, Kosuke Kimura & Tom Soehn, among others.

The Western Illinois University is a popular destination among recruiters for hiring graduates.

The university's graduates are employed across a range of industries & are paid handsomely for respective contributions.

Some prominent organizations, recruiting WIU graduates include: Walmart, John Deere, Illinois Army National Guard, UnityPoint Health & MACOMB Country Club among others.

Yes, the institute prefers its students to maintain a decent level of written & verbal English language proficiency & IELTS score is considered an acceptable proof of the same.

Apart from IELTS score, the institute also accepts other test scores such as: Duolingo, TOEFL & PTE Academic.

Mentioned below are the minimum scores students must achieve:

Test

Minimum Score

<a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/toefl">TOEFL</a>

73

<a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/pte">TOEFL Essentials</a>

8.0

<a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/ielts">IELTS</a>

6.0

ITEP

3.7

<a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/pte">PTE Academic</a>

49

<a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/duolingo">Duolingo</a>

105

Yes, <a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/gre">GRE scores </a>are considered for admissions to some courses at WIU.

The university does not specify a university-wide minimum GRE score, therefore, candidates are advised to perform as well as they can, in these exams.

Priority is given to students with a higher score as well as those who maintain a solid academic record & a professional resume highlighting their non-academic achievements.

The WIU Presidential Scholarship is considered the university's most prestigious financial aid to students.

The scholarship is applicable for tuition fee waivers & is awarded to six undergraduate students.

Prospective candidates must demonstrate academic merit (minimum 3.5 GPA or higher), community engagement & leadership abilities to have the best possible chance of being granted the aid by the WIU selection committee.

The stipend earned by full-time graduate assistants, who work 20 hours a week & receive a stipend & waiver of tuition is USD 1,224 per month (INR 1.05 L) & around USD 9,792 (INR 8.4 L), over the course of an academic year. 

Mentioned below are some other prominent scholarships offered to students at WIU:

Scholarship

Financial Reward

International Undergraduate Scholarship

INR 1.72 L-INR 5.16 L

International Graduate Scholarship

INR 3.4 L

International Presidential Scholarship

Tuition & Fee waiver

Undergraduate Regional Diversity Scholarship

INR 2.58 L

Rodney & Bertha Fink International Women's Scholarship

INR 1 L

The WIU charges a standard application fee of around USD 50 (INR 4,300) to its international students.

The fee can be paid online as part of the admission application. The fee is non-refundable & must be submitted for the application to be considered.

The university does not offer any application fee waivers.

WIU can be considered a good institution for studying abroad.

The institute offers an inclusive campus environment with a major emphasis on experiential learning. Eligible students can also apply for merit & need-based financial aids, with cash prizes going north of INR 5 L.

There's also a greater emphasis on student engagement with weekly academic events such as workshops, conferences & meet-ups with industry professional providing a great opportunity for students to grow their network.

As per Global UG Business Course rankings given by a prominent ranking platform, the institute attains a rank of #440, highlighting the standard of education being offered to students.  

Further, the institute ranks #57 for Regional Universities Midwest category, #16 for Top Public Schools & #55 for Best Value Schools in the region.

The process for applying for an USA visa may start after you get a Form I-20 from your college.
Once the SEVIS cost has been paid and a receipt has been obtained, you can complete a DS-160 visa application. It uses an online application form. Visa applications cost USD 185, which is equivalent to INR 15,343.9. After submitting the visa application cost, you must schedule an interview with the American Embassy or Consulate in your nation. Because the wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa type, you should apply for your visa as soon as possible.

WIU students are required to live as part of on-campus accommodation facilities for a duration of four semesters or at-least until they attain 60 credit hours.

Those who do not satisfy these conditions would then need to file a petition for living off-campus.

For more information regarding relocation to off-campus facilities, students are advised to refer the university's Housing office.

Mentioned below are the costs of living as part of University maintained residence halls along with the costs of meals at Western Illinois University for students who enrolled in Spring 2025 or Summer 2025:

Fall/Spring
(per semester)

Summer (8 Week Session)

Summer (4 Week Session)

Double Occupancy and Meal Plan

INR 4.86 L

INR 74.5 K

INR 37.3 K

Single Occupancy and Meal Plan

INR 6.20 L

INR 1.11 L

INR 55.7 K

Super Single and Meal Plan

INR 6.38 L

N/A

N/A

Super Double and Meal Plan

INR 5.12 L

N/A

N/A

Corbin Suite-Single and Meal Plan

INR 7.37 L

N/A

N/A

Corbin Suite-Double and Meal Plan

INR 5.12 L

N/A

N/A

Grote-Double and Meal Plan

INR 5.27 L

N/A

Grote-Single and Meal Plan

INR 6.12 L

N/A

N/A

ResNet (High Speed Internet)

INR 10.75 K

N/A

N/A