Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Statistics

Scholarships & Financial Aid

School Says - General Information
Founded in 1869 with a class of 143 students, Southern Illinois University Carbondale has evolved into a Doctoral/Research-Extensive University according to the Carnegie Foundation. Students at SIUC engage in active learning through research in our state-of-the-art laboratories and training facilities. The faculty members at SIUC strive to create an educational environment filled with hands-on experience based on real-world problem solving.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has more than 200 degree options for you. We offer 101 bachelor's degrees, 80 master's degrees, 34 doctoral degrees and professional degrees in both law and medicine. Fields of study include Liberal Arts, Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, Business, Mass Communication and Media Arts, Science, and Applied Sciences and Arts.

Nestled in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest, the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus provides an experience that is unique. Students at SIUC can enjoy the great outdoors at a number of area lakes, parks and forests. The city of Carbondale provides the best of big-city life mixed with the atmosphere of a small town. In Carbondale there are many outlets for entertainment, spiritual development, shopping and dining. The SIUC campus is located just a short drive from several large cities including, Saint Louis, Memphis and Nashville.

Southern Illinois University students can get involved on campus by joining more than 400 registered student organizations. The campus hosts many guest speakers and multicultural events throughout the year. Students also enjoy hanging out in the Student Center which houses many study lounges, several restaurants, a bookstore and Bowling & Billiards.

School Says - Student Body
Southern Illinois University Carbondale has more than 400 Registered Student Organizations. To find out more, visit: http://siuc.orgsync.com/ .

School Says - Academics
Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers 101 different bachelor's degrees with more than 200 degree options. Freshmen and sophomores who have decided to explore their academic and career options before committing to a specific major can enter SIUC under the Pre-Major program.

School Says - Admissions
Admission is based primarily on high school rank, ACT composite score and course subject pattern. In addition to these criteria, students' files are reviewed for ACT subscores, high school grade point average, improvements in high school GPA from year to year, letters of recommendation, participation in service or extracurricular activities and extenuating circumstances.

School Says - Campus Life
SIUC is located in Carbondale, IL, approximately 60 miles north of Paducah, Ky. Carbondale is easily accessible to students from northern Illinois. Students find Amtrak and Interstate 57 the fastest and most direct routes. You have access to two airports in the area: Southern Illinois Airport and Williamson County Airport. Carbondale is about 110 miles (a two-hour drive) southeast of Lambert St. Louis International Airport, St. Louis, Mo., and 330 miles (a five-and-one-half hour drive) south of Chicago, Ill.

School Says - Cost Aid
2009-2010 Annual Expenses for Illinois residents, living on-campus Tuition and Fees* $10,411
Room and Board $ 8,082
Books and Supplies $ 900
Living Expenses (transportation, clothing, recreation, etc.) $ 2,520
Annual Total $ 21,913

Out-of-state residents should add $10,935/yr for additional out-of-state tuition. *Tuition and Fee charges are based on 15 credit hours per semester. Provided are the actual 2009-2010 annual expenses. New students from Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee pay tuition equal the in-state rate.The Financial Aid Office assists in providing students with a high-value education. SIUC is affordable and has historically been a national leader in containing the costs of higher education, even out-of-state students find that SIUC's costs compare favorably.

Applying for Financial Aid
SIUC continues to be a national leader in financial aid processing. Admitted students should receive a response from the Financial Aid Office within one week of SIUC receiving their FAFSA information. Financial aid is packaged as a combination of grants, scholarships, loans and student employment. SIUC will strive to provide a financial aid package that best meets the needs of you and your family. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You are encouraged to file on-line at www.fafsa.edu.gov. You may also obtain the form from a high school guidance office, community college or the SIUC Financial Aid Office. SIUC's federal school code is 001758. To receive full consideration for all forms of financial aid, complete and send the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1, but before April 1.

Grants
Grants are based on demonstrated financial need. No repayment is required. Last year, 79% of SIUC students received some form of grant assistance.

Loans
Loans are borrowed money that must be repaid with interest. Eligibility requirements, interest rates and repayment period vary for these loans.

Student Employment
Earn money to help pay for day-to-day expenses. Working on campus means an easy "commute" to work and expanding your network of supporters. Work in a variety of jobs, including clerical and customer service. Departments accommodate students' class times when creating work schedules. For more information about jobs on the SIUC campus visit: www.siu.edu/~fao/jobs.

Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, special talent or athletic ability and do not have to be paid back. For more information about scholarship opportunities visit: www.siu.edu/~fao/scholarships.Visit Financial Aid on the web at: www.siu.edu/~fao

Students Say - Academics
Education, business, agriculture, and aviation are among the many "strong" programs at "affordable" and "diverse" Southern Illinois Universityâ€"Carbondale. "There is a great variety of classes, both in size and subject," explains a history major. "I have had class with 15 people and I have had class with 300 people." "Some professors rock while others suck," says a speech communication major. "Many are researchers who aren't great teachers." Teaching assistants are also pervasive and "there are a lot of instructors whose primary language isn't English." The language barriers in class are an unending source of frustration for students. On the other hand, many faculty members are "insightful and entertaining." They are "approachable" "and seem to have a genuine interest in their students." "My academic experience has been great, especially in my upper-level courses," beams a biology major. A recurrent complaint here concerns the campus infrastructure. "Roofs leak when it rains" and "many of the buildings need fixing up."

Students Say - Campus Life
Though parking can be "impossible," SIUC's wooded campus comes complete with its own little lake and this place is "really pretty," especially in the fall. "Some amazing forest preserves and national parks" are also very close. "The outdoor life here in Southern Illinois is second to none." In addition to all the natural beauty, students can partake in a profound range of extracurricular activities. Everything from amateur radio to skydiving is available. The award-winning school newspaper is a popular rag. "Interesting" big-name speakers frequently drop in and give lectures. Frats exist but "you don't have to go Greek to find a niche." Saluki athletics are all the rage and students are "really into school spirit." The recreational facilities are "excellent." Off-campus, Carbondale, while "smallish," is "a cool town" and "a fun place to be." "The local music scene is incredible" and you can get into bars once your I.D. says you are 19. Some students insist that the "party scene has calmed down" in recent years. "Southern isn't as diehard as people would like to believe," they say. Others tell us that "bar crawls and wake-and-bakes" are commonplace. Whatever the case, "you can't talk about SIUC without talking about the parties." "There are usually a few fun keggers a weekend."

Students Say - Student Body
This "very friendly" campus is "very much self-segregated" ethnically but "the student population is very diverse." "You can find a little bit of everything here," says one student. "SIUC is not an elite school," explains a sophomore. "There are students of all ranges of the economic spectrum coming together and coexisting." There are "rich suburb people" from Chicago and St. Louis. There's a strong contingent of urban kids, too. Many other students are nontraditional students, community college transfers, or "country folks" from "one-stoplight" Illinois towns. "There are students who excelled in high school and students who struggled." "There are many different stylesâ€"all the way from preppy to punk to gothic to hip-hop to pajama pants." There are "a few hippies." There are "also the super nerds." "Every group is basically covered." Politically, "SIU is pretty split between conservatives and liberals" but "nobody really rallies for any causes or anything."

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