The primary entry point for University of Illinois Laboratory High School is 8th grade. Applicants for grades 9-11 are accepted on a space-available basis. We do not accept new students for 12th grade.
Application: Transfer students should complete the full application except for the math recommendation form. The application will be available on the website in mid-January.
Testing: There are no standardized tests required.
Process: The admissions committee looks at the entire application, and will consider if the student has completed enough coursework to be on track for graduation from Uni. Transfer students should be aware that there may be some “make-up” requirements from lower grades that must be completed to graduate. We are looking for students who have pursued a well-rounded curriculum including a world language, have actively engaged in their current educational setting, and would be likely to benefit from what Uni High offers.
Admissions: There are no spaces reserved for transfers; admissions offers for transfer students depend entirely on spots left open when a current student leaves Uni.
While we may know for certain that there are open spots during the admissions process, it is more common that we put applicants we would like to accept on a waitlist and offer them spots as we find out over the summer that students are leaving.
We cannot predict in any given year how many transfer spots will be available, but as they open up, we contact someone off the waitlist immediately. We offer spots to new students up to the day before school begins for the fall semester. We do not accept new students once the school year has started. We strongly recommend that students who are placed on the waitlist continue to explore other options for the fall.
Transcript review: Once a transfer applicant has been offered and has accepted a spot at Uni, our curriculum committee and counselors will review the student's transcripts and recommend a course of study designed to ensure that the student will meet all of Uni’s graduation requirements. Applicants should understand that in some cases this will require them to complete coursework from previous grade levels in order to meet graduation requirements, and in some cases it may mean the student will have a full course schedule each semester with no free periods.
In some cases, due to scheduling constraints, an incoming transfer student may have to start a new world language and complete two years of it, or may be required to take additional electives.
Decision notifications: After the admissions process is complete, applicants will be notified via the application portal of the decision.
- If a transfer applicant is accepted, we will provide further information on how to proceed.
- If the applicant is not accepted, that is a final decision. There is no appeal process and the applicant will not be considered for any openings.
- If a transfer applicant is placed on the waitlist, no further action is necessary at that time. The waitlist is not ranked, and we cannot provide details about people on the waitlist. If a spot becomes available, we will offer it to a student on the waitlist. Repeatedly calling or emailing will not make it any more likely that a student will be offered the opportunity to enroll.
Because we understand that not knowing their plans for the fall can be stressful, we recommend that students on the waitlist make plans to attend another school. Exploring the academic, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities available at all of our excellent local high schools can offer a student perspective and ensure families that there are many ways to get a quality high school education and experience in our area.
Note on IHSA athletic and activity eligibility: The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has strict regulations about athletic and activity eligibility related to student transfers from one school to another. Transfer students hoping to participate in IHSA athletics or activities must contact the Athletic Director, Kyle Hummell, for additional information and guidance.