Eligibility

All high school graduates or the equivalent (students who have successfully completed a state-level high school enrollment certificate) are eligible for admission to the College. A non-graduate 16 or 17 years of age who has severed his or her connection with the high school system, as certified in writing by the chief executive officer (or designee) of the high school district in which the student has legal residence, or a non-graduate 18 years of age or older, may be admitted if he or she demonstrates the capacity to benefit from programs and courses offered by the College. High school students may be admitted through early college programs to selected courses upon the written approval of their high school principal (or designee) and the designated College admissions official, and with written parental acknowledgment.

Applicants will be required to:

1. Complete a Harper College application.
2. Pay a $25 nonrefundable application fee.
3. Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended, if applicable. To request an official Joint Services Military transcript, contact jst@doded.mil.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to: 

1. Submit an official copy of their final high school transcript or the equivalent. Non-high school graduates should contact the Center for New Students at 847.925.6208 after they apply.
2. Provide SAT and/or ACT scores, if they are a recent high school graduate. Either a test score report or a high school transcript that includes the test scores can be submitted to fulfill this requirement.

To be eligible for some college programs, the applicant may have to meet additional requirements as specified by that program.

All new credential-seeking students, including students who are returning after not attending for four or more consecutive semesters, will be assigned an advisor. If a returning student’s stated reason for not attending was non-academic, their advisor may also recommend a counselor for additional support.

Dual Admission Programs

These agreements with selected universities allow students to apply for admission to Harper College and the four-year college to which they plan to transfer simultaneously. Dual admission provides a seamless transition between Harper and participating schools by providing optimum continuity of courses, faculty and resources during all four years of study. Dual Admissions Programs currently are offered through Harper College and the following four-year institutions: DePaul University, Governors State University and Roosevelt University.

Readmission

A student who has previously attended Harper College, and who is returning after an absence of four semesters including summer, will need to  reapply as a "Returning Student" to ensure that Harper College has the correct address, phone, program, etc. on record, and they are subject to the degree requirements stated in the Harper College catalog at the time of reenrollment. An application fee is not charged for reapplying as a returning student. If a student has attended any other educational institution since attending Harper College, official transcripts from each college attended should be submitted to Admissions Processing. Students dismissed from Harper for disciplinary reasons must be reviewed by Harper's Dean of Students.

Limited Enrollment Program Admission

Students applying for admission to a limited enrollment program should attend a Health Careers Information Session to learn more about the application process and program requirements. All limited enrollment programs require admission to Harper College prior to applying to the program. 

Harper College does not engage in high-pressure recruitment tactics. Students are able to opt out of any method of communication during the recruitment process, such as phone communication, text messages, and emails.

Harper College reserves the right to verify the identity, academic records, and eligibility of all applicants for admission. To learn more about our fraud prevention processes visit our Fraud Prevention webpage.