Northeastern Illinois University to offer direct admission through One Click College Admit

Northeastern Illinois University is part of the Illinois One Click College Admit program.

The One Click College Admit program offers eligible Illinois high school and community college students an opportunity to opt in to receive direct admission to the University through the Common App. The program was announced by Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. It is launching with students enrolling for Fall 2026.

“Enhancing access to Illinois’ public universities and community colleges with One Click College Admit will empower even more talented students across the state to realize their full academic potential through higher education,” said Gov. Pritzker in a press release. “This program marks another step in my administration’s steadfast effort to make Illinois the best state in the nation to receive an accessible, high-quality education — one that sets students of all backgrounds up for lifelong success.”

To participate in the program, a prospective Northeastern student would:

• Create a free Common App account
• Answer the eligibility questions 
• Accept direct admissions offers within the Common App settings

Additionally, whether undergraduate students apply to Northeastern through the Common App or directly through the University, there is no application fee. So long as students meet the One Click College Admit eligibility criteria, they will be admitted into Northeastern.

Northeastern’s Director of Undergraduate Admissions Ryan Trout said that the University is already seeing a spike in applications and admissions, in large part due to the One Click College Admit program.

"The One Click College Admit program is connecting Northeastern Illinois University to more high school seniors from all around Illinois," said Trout. "Students who may not have been familiar with Northeastern are now finding out about the University through the program and the Common App. We've already seen a 32% increase in completed applications and a 38% increase in admitted students compared to last year.”

Once students apply and get admitted, the Admissions Office encourages them to visit the University (if they haven’t already), schedule placement testing and enroll in courses to ensure they are prepared for the next steps in their academic journey.
“Undergraduate Admissions is excited to communicate with potential new students and their families about what makes Northeastern Illinois University a great place to earn a degree,” Trout said. “Whether you’re a high school student or transferring from a community college, we’d love the opportunity to share why students love Northeastern and hope you will too!”

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