New Student Information

Set up your IDs and Passwords
As a graduate student at the University of Illinois, you will have several IDs and passwords, each of which provides access to particular services.

Net ID - Your Network ID (Net ID) is a name assigned to you that is unique across all University of Illinois campuses. It serves as your login to many University sites and services and also determines your University email address, which is your_NetID@illinois.edu. To set up your Net ID, visit https://netidclaim.uiuc.edu/. You will need to enter in your University ID Number (UIN), Admit ID, date of birth, and last name. Your UIN and Admit ID were provided to you in your Official Notice of Admission letter. After you set up your Net ID and password, you will be able to link to the Enterprise ID page.
Enterprise ID - Your Enterprise ID allows access to the statewide University of Illinois administrative system for official records in Student Services, Financial Aid, and Billing. You will need an Enterprise ID and password to register for classes. In many cases, your Enterprise ID will look the same as your Net ID; however, the passwords for each of these are set separately. You will need your Net ID and Net ID password to set up your Enterprise ID password. To set up your Enterprise ID, go to apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice and follow the steps for first-time users.
UI-Integrate Self-Service - After you have established your Enterprise ID, use it to log into an online system called UI-Integrate Self-Service at apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice and verify your personal information, such as your contact information. Keeping this information up-to-date is extremely important and ensures proper delivery of important documents. Students should also make changes throughout the term if any address changes occur. For international students, proper documentation of a local residential address is required to maintain student visa status.
Exchange Email Account - Exchange is a service used for email, calendaring, and contact and task management at the University of Illinois and is vital for receiving emails and information from the University. As a new Graduate Student to the University, you must set up your Exchange account.

Complete Medical History and Immunization Forms
The University of Illinois student health insurance plan is mandatory for all students, unless you have proof of health care coverage. To learn about benefits, how to opt out if you have comparable coverage elsewhere, or how to add dependents, check out the Student Insurance Office website.

The McKinley Health Center is conveniently located on campus and provides routine and preventative care, health counseling, immunization, and more. Students may use McKinley Health Center even if they have opted out of the University Health Insurance plan.

All students are required to complete and submit the McKinley Health Center Immunization Information Form and the Medical History Form in order to enroll at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Both forms are available for download at: http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Forms/forms.htm.

Please have both forms filled out and signed prior to your arrival on campus.

Ask your physician or nurse to complete and sign the Immunization History form (physician’s office address and phone number must be included on the form). In lieu of completing the form, you may bring with you a copy of school immunization records, physician records, military records or your immunization book. Provide a certified English translation if immunization records are not in English.

In addition, all new international students are screened for tuberculosis at McKinley Health Center. Screening consists of completion of a paper questionnaire and a Quantiferon TB Gold blood test for students who have lived in countries outside of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Western Europe. There is a $30 charge for the blood test. Students who have a prior history of tuberculosis or who are receiving treatment for tuberculosis should bring copies of all treatment records, including medical notes and laboratory reports. Remember you will need to return to McKinley a second time to have your TB test site checked.

Secure Your Housing
You are expected to handle all of your housing arrangements. If you prefer the ease and convenience of living close to or on campus in University Housing, the U of I has a number of options for you, including residence halls and apartments. If you wish to live in a residential neighborhood such as in a house, apartment, or loft, privately owned housing is available year round.

To find housing, you can check the newspaper, like the Daily Illini (the University student newspaper) or the News Gazette (the local paper), or websites like Craigslist or ApartmentList.com. Another good resource is the Tenant Union. It provides rental assistance and helpful tips, including typical cost of housing and utilities for the area.

Deciding Where to Live (International Student and Scholar Services)

Bring Final Transcripts and/or Degree Certificates (if required)
Remember to bring an official copy of your transcripts when you check in with the MSFE office in August. If you are required to bring these documents, it was detailed in your letter of admission from the Graduate College and is mandatory to enroll in classes. You can check your official admission letter by logging into Apply Yourself.

Review for English Placement Test (International Students Only)
Many International students are required to take the English Placement Test (EPT) to determine their English capabilities. It is required for those who scored less than a 103 on the iBT TOEFL, and for international students who have not completed a degree in the United States. The test consists of two parts: a written test and an oral interview. The writing test lasts about a half-day and requires students to produce an academic essay based on the information obtained from a reading passage and a short lecture. During the half-day test, an oral screening measure is administered. At the oral screening, students are given a topic on which to speak for three minutes. If students speak intelligibly, they will be exempted from further oral testing. Otherwise, students will be required to take another oral exam scheduled at a later time (typically, the same afternoon as the written test). Students will be placed into or exempted from the general oral or written ESL service courses based on the results of the test. Registration for the test begins in June and can be accessed at http://www.linguistics.illinois.edu/students/placement/.

For further information, please read the EPT bulletin, which describes the test in more detail and gives advice on study and preparation.

ISSS Pre-Check-In Online (International Students Only)
If you are an international student, you should visit the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website. There you will find information about visas, check-in, and orientation information specifically for international students. By completing this procedure prior to check-in, you will expedite your time at ISSS. Please note that pre-check-in will not be available until June. It can be accessed at https://www-s.dmi.illinois.edu/checkin/.

Questions? Email msfe@illinois.edu

Primary links

New Student Information

Important Dates:

New Student Checklist