Carbondale is closer to Memphis than to Chicago, and Southern Illinois University's main campus has been there since 1869. It is a public university with a large aviation programme that flies from its own centre at Southern Illinois Airport, plus engineering, computer science, business and automotive technology. Campus Lake, Thompson Woods and the Shawnee National Forest are part of ordinary student life.
Carbondale, Illinois, United States
Official website: siu.edu
1869
Public research university
Flight training at Southern Illinois Airport
Salukis
$16,000 – $26,000
International students, undergraduate and graduate
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on siu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical and Computer Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Aviation Flight
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 68
BS Automotive Technology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 68
Aviation flight and maintenance programmes with their own airport facilities.
Automotive technology taught in a dedicated transportation centre.
A wooded campus with a lake and walking trails.
Aviation graduates move on to flight instruction, regional airlines and maintenance careers.
Engineering and computer science graduates find jobs in St. Louis, Chicago and further afield.
STEM graduates can extend OPT for up to three years.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Campus Lake has a path around it, and Thompson Woods runs through the middle of campus. Most first-year students live in university housing.
Carbondale is small and inexpensive. Amtrak trains run north to Chicago, and Giant City State Park, fifteen minutes south, has sandstone bluffs and hiking trails.
Form I-20 issued by Southern Illinois University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
SIU Carbondale accepts applications on a rolling basis. International students should apply by about May for fall and October for spring. Some graduate programmes and assistantships have earlier dates.
The main intakes are fall (August) and spring (January). Aviation flight students usually start in fall.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Southern Illinois University after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Computer science, engineering, the MBA, aviation and automotive technology are popular with international students. Graduate programmes generally need a bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 80. Undergraduates need secondary school results and an English test score.
SIU offers merit scholarships to international undergraduates at admission, and graduate assistantships that can include a tuition waiver. Check the international admissions pages for the current awards.
