GPSI interns receive $650 each fall and spring semester towards mandatory student fees. Textbook purchases are the intern’s responsibility.

You will receive 24 credit hours per academic year, including the summer term.  If you are an out-of-state or international student, you will be responsible for the tuition difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition costs.  GPSI does not cover program tuition differential rates. Please check with your program of study to see if they have a tuition differential.

Due to the internship time component of the GPSI program, interns are required to register for a minimum of eight (8) credit hours for the fall and spring terms to be classified as a full-time degree seeking student. Registration for the summer term is optional. This policy applies to both domestic and international interns.

Yes. To be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, your cumulative undergraduate GPA must be at least 2.50 and if you have a graduate GPA established, it must be at least a 3.0 or higher. You must also be in good academic standing with the university and have no incomplete grades on file. Please note that most applicants actually selected have GPAs between 3.00 and 4.00. If you have already earned an advanced degree, you are still welcome to apply. GPSI interns must maintain a 3.00 GPA for continued participation in the program.

As a GPSI intern, you will have the opportunity for an internship experience that is compatible with your academic background, graduate program, and skills. Historically, GPSI interns have completed challenging work in the areas of economic forecasting, grant writing, research, writing press releases, preparing television public service announcements, marketing, statewide conference management, newsletter production, environmental research on endangered species, website development, computer programming, database development and management, statewide audits, and public health research.

Yes; applications are currently being accepted without proof of F-1 visa status. 

If you currently live abroad, we encourage you to complete your GPSI application file prior to arriving on the UIS campus for your first semester of study. Upon arrival on the UIS campus for the fall or spring semester, as a GPSI applicant you must check in with the GPSI office to verify your F-1 status and provide your local address and telephone number.

GPSI has opportunities for students living in and around the Springfield and Chicago areas. You must live within a commutable distance to your internship for the duration of the placement to participate in the GPSI program. We currently do not have placements for online students located outside of the Springfield or Chicago areas. At this time, students enrolled in any College of Business and Management online programs are not eligible for GPSI placements.

Please be aware that if your graduate program has identified program prerequisite courses that must be completed prior to being fully admitted to the master’s degree program, you may not be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool until you have successfully completed some of the required prerequisite courses.   To be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, you are allowed to have no more than four (4) prerequisite courses that still need to be completed.  If your GPSI applicant file is complete and it is determined that you have more than four (4) prerequisite courses remaining to be completed, your GPSI applicant file will be placed on “hold” in the GPSI office.

Since you must be admitted to graduate studies at UIS in order to be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, it is important that you contact the academic program to determine specific admission requirements and application deadlines for the program. Some academic programs have additional admission requirements that may impact your GPSI file completion timelines. For academic program information, please visit the graduate education website.

Internship supervisors like to know about your background, how a GPSI internship would enhance your graduate education and professional development, and about how you can make a contribution to the agency. The personal goal statement section of the application is your chance to introduce yourself. If any document submitted as part of the application requirements to the GPSI program is determined to have been plagiarized or copied from another, without credit being given to the source, your GPSI file will be immediately removed from the applicant pool.

You may be required to submit a goal statement for your academic program as part of the program’s application process. The academic program goal statement is in addition to the required GPSI goal statement.

Your file is complete once we have received your GPSI application, resume, three professional references (faculty who are familiar with your academic work or a current/former employer),  and notice of graduate admission. The GPSI office will request your notice of graduate admission from the UIS Office of Admissions. Please see Apply to GPSI for complete application instructions.

GPSI holds numerous rounds of hiring throughout the year.  Please check the Interviews > Interview Logistics tab for the latest round of hiring information.

The Graduate Public Service Internship Program is a twenty-one (21) month internship that gives you the opportunity for experiential learning through a public sector internship while earning a master’s degree from the University of Illinois Springfield. The GPSI internship coincides with your full-time study in one of 20 graduate programs offered at the University of Illinois Springfield. Depending on the intern’s academic program requirements for degree completion, some GPSI internships can be less or more than 21 months.

Endorsement cost depends on the endorsement, credit hours, level, residency, delivery format, and fees. View the Tuition and Fees page for more details on cost for upcoming terms and/or contact the School of Education.

UIS licensure cost depends on the program, residency, delivery format, credit hours needed, and fees. For teacher licensure, UIS audits your transcripts after admission to determine remaining requirements. View the Tuition and Fees page for more details on cost for upcoming terms and/or contact the School of Education.

Graduate certificate cost depends on credit hours, program, residency, delivery, and fees. View the Tuition and Fees page for more details on cost for upcoming terms. 

View our IPEDS Peer Comparison page for information on median earnings, median debt, and to compare cost vs. outcomes.

The Center for Academic Success and Advising (CASA) offers academic support services through the Advising Center, The Learning Hub, and Testing Services. 

The Learning Hub provides free academic support services to currently-enrolled UIS students. Through a peer tutoring program, students can make one-on-one appointments—both in-person and online—in writing, math, accounting, economics, science, exercise science, computer science and academic skills. In addition to peer tutoring, The Hub offers supplemental instruction; online, on-ground and in-class workshops; and walk-in assistance.

The Advising center can help you navigate your academic journey at UIS. You can also access AdviseU online or through the UIS Mobile app to schedule an appointment with your advisor. 

The application deadline for the Fall 2026 term is August 10, 2026, and for the Spring 2027 term it is December 28, 2026, for most programs. While we encourage application early so they have the best selection of courses, we allow students to begin classes through the first week. Some programs have different application deadlines, so be sure to check your program's webpage for the most accurate information.

UIS offers rolling admissions, which means applications are reviewed and admission decisions are made throughout the year. Your ability to start in a particular term depends on several factors, including:

• Completion of your application
• Review of transfer credits (if applicable)
• Receipt of all required supporting documents
• Finalizing your funding plan

Most applications take 2–3 weeks to process after all required materials have been received. For important academic dates and deadlines, please view the Academic Calendar.

Find application information and requirements on the Apply page

Find application information and requirements on the Apply page

Find that info on the Cost of Attendance page.

Find that info on the Cost of Attendance page.

Find that info on the Cost of Attendance page.

For an explanation of the tuition and fee charges, please visit the Registrar's Tuition and Fees website.