International Students

In additional to the courses and training you’ll receive in educational technology through the CTER program, as an online program, CTER also has many advantages for international students.

First, you’ll receive exactly the same Ed.M. (Master of Education) degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign as an on-campus student. You are not required to write a thesis to graduate, and there is no graduation exam. You only need to complete the courses successfully. Certainly, a degree obtained from an accredited US institution such as the University of Illinois is likely to be of great help to you in your career.    

Second, since you will be studying in your home country, you DO NOT need to apply for student visa (F1). Accordingly, you are not required to submit a Declaration and Certification of Finances form and a bank statement with your application. Thus, many hours of stressful paperwork and expenses for applying for a visa are reduced.

Third, you can save money on living expenses.  On-campus international students normally have to guarantee about $42,000 a year to support their tuition and living expenses. As an online student taking courses in the comfort of your networked home or workplace, you can save significantly on living expenses.  

Fourth, you’ll be paying the same in-state tuition rate as any other CTER student. For the CTER program, the tuition rate is the same regardless of your status as an in-state, out-of-state, or international student. For the 2008-2009 academic year, the tuition rate is $1,928 for a typical 4-hour course. Also, as an online student, you are not required to take 12 hours of courses each semester, which is a requirement for on-campus international students. CTER students typically take only one course per term (2 in the summer, 1 in the fall, and 1 in the spring) to complete the program in 2 years.

Advanced English writing skills and oral communication skills are a must in this program. Most of the interaction takes place in forums, blogs, and wikis via writing, and real-time audio chat sessions & final presentations are expected in most classes. You will be required to participate in discussions with instructors and students, and also provide peer feedback. To be admitted full status to the university, you will need an overall score of 102 or above for the TOEFL iBT (internet based) exam, 610 or above for the TOEFL PBT (paper-based exam), and 6.5 or above for the IELTS. We may also ask you to participate in a brief interview over a video conferencing system during the admission review process.