Bachelor Programme
Political Science
Illinois's BALAS in Political Science, in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, asks every student to complete one concentration with an adviser: Citizen Politics, Civic Leadership, General Political Science, International Relations, Law & Power, Public Policy & Democratic Institutions, or World Politics. Students can earn distinction through a coursework track or a research honours track with a senior thesis. A five-year BALAS/MA in Political Science and European Union Studies is also offered. Students apply through the Common App to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, choosing this major in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
University
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Country
United States
Level
Bachelor
Field
Arts & Humanities
Duration
4 years full-time (120 credit hours)
Language
English
Campus
Urbana-Champaign campus
Degree
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences (BALAS) in Political Science
Intake
Fall (August). Illinois publishes first-year application dates for fall entry only; spring entry is for transfer applicants
Application Deadline
Fall 2027 entry (first-year applicants, Common App, US$75 application fee or waiver): Early Action closes 1 November 2026, with all required materials due by 7 November (non-binding; decisions 29 January 2027). Regular deadline is 5 January 2027, with materials due by 11 January (decisions 26 February 2027). Honors and scholarship decisions arrive by 1 April, and the commitment deadline is 1 May 2027
Tuition Information
2026-27 tuition for a full-time undergraduate (two semesters, 12+ hours; base (LAS) rate): US$13,252 for Illinois residents, US$35,928 for out-of-state (nonresident) US students and US$38,576 for international students (the LAS international rate; other base-rate majors charge international students US$36,970). Campus fees add US$5,182 a year for everyone, including the US$876-a-semester student health insurance fee. With the university's estimated on-campus food and housing (US$15,858), books and supplies (US$1,200) and other expenses (US$2,500 resident, US$2,840 nonresident and international), the 2026-27 cost of attendance is about US$37,992 (resident), US$61,008 (nonresident) and US$63,656 (international). Under Illinois's Undergraduate Guaranteed Tuition Program, a student's entry-year tuition schedule is fixed for four years of continuous enrolment in the same major; rates for students entering in fall 2027 are not yet published and will probably be higher. The Illinois Commitment covers tuition and campus fees for Illinois residents with a family income of US$75,000 or less. Applicants are considered automatically for merit scholarships, and federal need-based aid (FAFSA) is only for US citizens and eligible non-citizens
Admission Requirements
- College: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Application: Common App with first-choice and optional second-choice majors, Illinois essay prompts, activities and a self-reported academic record (official transcripts only on enrolment). Admission is to the major, so the choice of major affects the review. International applicants self-report their coursework and exam results
- High school courses: 4 years of English, 3 years of math (4 recommended), 2 years each of social science, lab science and one language other than English, and 2 flexible academic units (4 years of each recommended)
- Testing: test-optional for all first-year applicants, including international students. Applicants who report scores give their highest ACT composite or SAT total (no superscoring); official scores are only needed on enrolment
- English proficiency: applicants who have not completed the last three full years of secondary school in an approved English-speaking country must submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic (or IELTS Indicator) or Duolingo English Test scores if they apply without SAT/ACT, and are strongly encouraged to submit them even with SAT/ACT. Scores must be from within two years of enrolment, and subscores are considered. Illinois does not publish a minimum first-year score. The TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted for fall 2027; TOEFL MyBest, IELTS General and IELTS One Skill Retake are not
- No portfolio or audition is required for this major