Graduate Admissions

All supporting materials (transcripts, letters of reference, personal statement, etc.) should be uploaded directly to the online application .

COVID-19 Information
Due to the COVID-19 impact on testing centers, FSHN will temporarily waive the department GRE requirement for all Spring/Fall 2022 applicants. For additional COVID-19 related impacts on applications from the Graduate College.

Food Science and Human Nutrition Graduate Applicant Requirements

• Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (A=4.0)
• GRE examination (additional resources about the GRE interpretation and requirements(pdf ). View COVID-19 admissions impacts.
• Three letters of reference
• Statement of professional interest
• Non-English speaking applicants should submit TOEFL/IELTS scores with their application materials. View COVID-19 admissions impacts.
  • Minimum acceptable score requirements are available on the Graduate College website . *If your internet-based test TOEFL score is between 79-102, you can still be admitted, but on limited status, as per the rules of the University of Illinois Graduate College. Students who remain on limited status are not eligible for financial support from this institution.
  • Although applications will be posted for faculty to review, we suggest that applicants take a proactive role by directly contacting faculty members with whom they would be interested in working. A full list of graduate faculty advisors and their research areas is available on the graduate advising faculty page .

  Food Science and Human Nutrition does not require additional information beyond what is required through the online application, but applicants should include a brief phrase that describes their research focus in the ‘other specialization’ section of the application.

  Application Deadlines

  Although most of our graduate students enter into the program in the fall, students may begin their graduate programs during the fall (August), spring (January).

  • Fall Admission
    • for full consideration of a Fellowship, all application materials must be received by - December 15
    • Application deadline without consideration for a Fellowship - May 15

    Pre-requisite Suggestions

    Students with undergraduate degrees in the sciences (chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical engineering, nutrition, food science, etc.) have generally already taken the prerequisite courses for our first year graduate-level classes. If you have a non-science background and are interested in food science, before applying you should take courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, physics, statistics, and calculus. Students interested in nutrition should take courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, physiology, and statistics before applying.

    International Applicants

    Since we have a large number of international applicants each year, admission is very competitive. We only admit a few international students each year. International students who have attended an English-speaking university and/or who come to visit our campus generally have a better chance for admission.

    Please request that Educational Testing Service (ETS) send the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) your TOEFL (international students) and GRE scores (ETS codes: UIUC-1836, Department-00).

    Program Codes

    • 10KS0037MS Food Science and Human Nutrition MS
    • 10KS0037PHD Food Science and Human Nutrition PHD