If you are interested in the online M.S. in Food Science degree, you must apply for admission. Simply enrolling in an online course does not indicate progress towards an M.S. degree.

COVID-19 Information
Due to the COVID-19 impact on testing centers, FSHN will temporarily waive the department GRE requirement for all Spring/Fall 2022 applicants. Read more additional COVID-19 related impacts on applications from the Graduate College.

For Admission to the Graduate College

  • A baccalaureate degree is required. It is desirable, but not required, that this degree be related to physical, biological, agricultural, or engineering sciences.
  • Required background courses include general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, physics, and calculus. If you are deficient in these areas of study then you may take correspondence courses, other distance education courses, or traditional classroom courses (at a community college or four-year institution) to satisfy the necessary prerequisite requirements.
  • The TOEFL is required of all students who have studied in a non-English speaking institution prior to attending the University of Illinois AND have not had 2 of the last 5 years of full time study at an English speaking institution, or are receiving an advanced degree (MS equivalent or better) from an English speaking institution.

Application Information

  • When applying online, please select 10KS0037MSU [Food Science and Human Nutrition (Online)-MS].
  • All supporting materials (transcripts from all universities attended, three letters of reference, and personal statement) must be received by the posted application deadline to be fully considered for acceptance in that term. Supporting materials submitted after the deadline may result in the application delayed to a future semester.
  • If you are planning on applying for the Spring 2017 application cycle or later, the GRE may be required as a part of your application. Applicants that have held a full-time professional position (in the food industry or other fields) for less than 3 years are required to complete the GRE. Or, regardless of years of professional experience, if your cumulative undergraduate GPA is less than the university graduate requirement of 3.0, you are required to complete the GRE. Students must score in the 50th percentile in all sections. View COVID-19 admissions impacts.

Application deadlines

  • Spring - Nov. 1
  • Fall - April 1