College Student Personnel

Join Our Program!

Candidates are evaluated based on their academic abilities and achievements, knowledge and experience in student affairs, and the personal qualities essential for successfully completing the program and excelling in the field. The admission decision considers several factors, including a professional resume, personal goals statement, academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, the Graduate Studies application, and a personal interview(s).

Questions regarding the application process or the receipt of application materials should be directed to csp@wiu.edu or (309) 298-2848.

Please review the following for specific application instructions. You must submit ALL of the following materials unless otherwise noted:

  • An application for admission with the School of Graduate Studies. (There is a $30 application fee for new domestic graduate students and a $50 application fee for new international graduate students.)
  • A graduate assistantship application form (for full-time track only).
  • Personal Goals Statement: In 500-700 words, please address the following prompt - Describe your motivation for pursuing a master's degree in College Student Personnel at Western Illinois University. How do your experiences align with supporting college students and contributing to the broader educational community?
  • Three Letters of Recommendation: Your recommendations should come from individuals who can speak to your skills, potential for success in student affairs, maturity, and sense of responsibility. At least one reference should be from a faculty member who knows your academic abilities well. (If you are completing the form through Graduate Studies, your recommenders will receive an email with detailed instructions.)
  • Resume: Your resume should highlight transferable skills from your experiences and demonstrate how they align with the field of student affairs. It will be reviewed by faculty, graduate assistants in the CSP Office, and respresentatives from assistantship sites.
  • Official transcript(s): You must request an official transcript(s) of all previous undergraduate or graduate coursework completed at any college or university. Send them to School of Graduate Studies, Sherman Hall 116, Macomb, IL 61455. Email Grad-Office@wiu.edu for details. Please note that if you are an international student, an evaluation of your transcript is required before your application will be considered for admission.

If you cannot submit your personal goals statement, resume, and letters of recommendation at the time of your application submission to Graduate Studies (the preferred method), you may send these documents directly to the CSP program at csp@wiu.edu. Please note that your application packet will not be reviewed until all required materials have been received.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not a requirement for admission to this program.

As a candidate, it is your responsibility to check on the status of your application to be sure all materials arrive prior to the application deadlines.

Full-Time Track Application Process Timeline

Please note that this timeline only applies to the full-time student affairs track.

Dec. 1 - Recommended deadline for international candidates to submit application materials to International Admissions (allowing for processing time to meet the Jan. 5 deadline)

Dec. 15 - Recommended deadline for domestic candidates to submit application materials to Graduate Studies (allowing for processing time to meet the Jan. 15 deadline)

Jan. 15 - Priority deadline for receiving application materials. Applications will still be accepted on a space-available basis after that date. 

Once your application is received:

  1.  Invitations to participate in the interview process will be extended to select candidates
  2. Academic and assistantship interviews and peer meetings will take place

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, especially if you are seeking the  to be able to interview with your preferred assistantship site. Interviews for the upcoming fall may begin as early as the previous November or December. For more details about our admissions and enrollment process as well as how it applies to international students, please review our student affairs track FAQ page.

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Resume Tips

Tailoring your resume to highlight relevant experiences, skills, and knowledge specific to student affairs is crucial for standing out, especially if you hope to secure a graduate assistantship as the options are limited and the process can be very competitive.

We've created a sample resume template and  handout to help you.