The University Center is a nonprofit organization created by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to supplement the higher education programs available through CLC. So, in the simplest of terms, we are like an extension campus for these universities. University Center will not appear on your transcripts or academic records; you get the same degree as if you were attending the main campus. There is no difference in your curriculum or your degree; it’s just a different campus.

You complete the online admissions application to your university and program/major of choice on the university’s own website, send official copies of your transcripts, and get your admissions status within 2-4 weeks. UCLC staff are available to assist.

When you complete the admissions application, there will be some indication of what campus you plan to attend classes, you would select University Center here. If you miss this part, don’t fret, your advisor will speak with you and help you register for classes at the UCLC campus if this is what you are looking for.

Yes! The same Financial Aid you would be eligible for on campus, you are eligible for off-campus at the University Center as well. When you complete the FAFSA application, make sure you put your university school code. Remember, University Center does not exist for Financial Aid purposes, so, you would only put your particular university as the school code.

Yes! You have full access to each university’s scholarship page.

No. Nothing on your transcripts or diploma will say University Center. Your degree will be from the specific university that you attend.

Your classes are taught by a mix of tenured faculty and adjunct faculty. The same faculty who teach the on-campus programs teach the off-campus programs at the University Center.

Yes, you get full access to the University student services including library services, academic advising, the career center, tutoring center etc. Depending on the university, some of the services are provided virtually (online/video chat/zoom) or face-to-face at the University Center, or face-to-face at the University Main Campus or other extension campus. Either way, you have a team of people interested in supporting you on your academic journey.

You pay the tuition rate of the particular university. But since you are not commuting to a campus farther away, living in dorm, or paying extra fees, you save money.

Yes! Many of the programs have internships embedded within their curriculum. So, this means that you get solid work experience in your field and can build connections with local organizations in Lake County while you complete your bachelor’s degree. If your program doesn’t have an internship embedded, no worries, you can still do an internship and often times it can count for credit or it can be a paid internship and a side job for you.

Reach out to our advising team at transfer@ucenter.org or schedule a free advising appointment on our talk to an advisor page here. We offer convenient appointments both online and via the phone. We are here to support you along your educational journey.

The University Center is a nonprofit organization created by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to supplement the higher education programs available through CLC. So, in the simplest of terms, we are like an extension campus for these four universities. University Center will not appear on your transcripts or academic records; you get the same degree as if you were attending the main campus. There is no difference in your curriculum or your degree; it’s just a different campus.

You complete the online admissions application to your university and program/major of choice on the university’s own website, send official copies of your transcripts, and get your admissions status within 2-4 weeks. UCLC staff are available to assist.

When you complete the admissions application, there will be some indication of what campus you plan to attend classes, you would select University Center here. If you miss this part, don’t fret, your advisor will speak with you and help you register for classes at the UCLC campus if this is what you are looking for.

Yes! The same Financial Aid you would be eligible for on campus, you are eligible for off-campus at the University Center as well. When you complete the FAFSA application, make sure you put your university school code. Remember, University Center does not exist for Financial Aid purposes, so, you would only put your particular university as the school code.

Yes! You have full access to each university’s scholarship page.

No. Nothing on your transcripts or diploma will say University Center. Your degree will be from the specific university that you attend.

Your classes are taught by a mix of tenured faculty and adjunct faculty. The same faculty who teach the on-campus programs teach the off-campus programs at the University Center.

Yes, you get full access to the University student services including library services, academic advising, the career center, tutoring center etc. Depending on the university, some of the services are provided virtually (online/video chat/zoom) or face-to-face at the University Center, or face-to-face at the University Main Campus or other extension campus. Either way, you have a team of people interested in supporting you on your academic journey.

You pay the tuition rate of the particular university. But since you are not commuting to a campus farther away, living in dorm, or paying extra fees, you save money.

Yes! Many of the programs have internships embedded within their curriculum. So, this means that you get solid work experience in your field and can build connections with local organizations in Lake County while you complete your bachelor’s degree. If your program doesn’t have an internship embedded, no worries, you can still do an internship and often times it can count for credit or it can be a paid internship and a side job for you.

Reach out to our advising team at transfer@ucenter.org or schedule a free advising appointment on our talk to an advisor page here. We offer convenient appointments both online and via the phone. We are here to support you along your educational journey.

The University Center of Lake County is a partnership of public and private colleges and universities offering coursework and degrees within Lake County. It is a non-profit organization whose budget comes mainly from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

The main University Center of Lake County building is located at 1200 University Center Drive on the Grayslake campus of the College of Lake County. To arrange for a tour, please call 847.665.4000.

Bachelor’s degree completion (Jr./Sr. level courses), master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and professional certificates are currently offered. See the Degrees & Programs for more specifics.

Yes, several run on intensive five-week, seven-week, or eight-week terms or on weekends. Some cohort programs are not tied to the academic calendar. As soon as enough students are admitted to populate the “cohort,” the program starts and continues for a designated number of weeks or months.

Your degree will be issued from the individual college or university who offers your degree program, and will be identical to that same degree offered on the institution’s main campus. The University Center is simply where you are taking the courses.

No, the University Center would be a second stop on your educational journey. The University Center of Lake County offers bachelor’s completion programs and, in most cases, only upper division (junior and senior) level undergraduate courses. Admission requirements vary from institution to institution, but generally include approximately 60 hours of undergraduate coursework and/or the equivalent of an associate degree. You can begin your bachelor’s degree elsewhere in Lake County, though. The College of Lake County can provide that lower division coursework through their associate’s degree programs.

Yes, pre-admissions advising is available from UC staff, and from the member schools. Call (847) 665-4000 for pre-admissions advising information or visit our Talk to an Advisor page. Each program also provides advising for students enrolled in that program. Sometimes that is done in person. Sometimes it is by phone or via an internet connection.

Yes. Some of the institutions allow credit for life experience that can be demonstrated to be college equivalent through a portfolio process. It is usually referred to as Prior Learning Assessment (or PLA).

Students register through the specific college or university offering their degrees, usually via the institution’s website. A. University Center classes are taught by faculty who are on staff at the member schools’ main and satellite campuses.

University Center classes are taught by faculty who are on staff at the member schools’ main and satellite campuses.

Financial aid is available through each institution. Some even offer special scholarships for UC students. Each program profile lists a financial aid contact–usually a website or a phone number. Contact each institution for specific information such as university scholarships or scholarship research databases.

Textbooks can be purchased through the member schools, and in most cases can be ordered online or by phone using a credit card and shipped directly to the student’s home or office. Some schools enable students to purchase textbooks through any online vendor. Some schools rent textbooks to their students.

Most of the University Center’s funding comes through the Illinois Board of Higher Education. However, each member institution pays an annual membership fee; those who run courses in University Center facilities also pay facility usage fee. No tuition dollars or student fees come to the University Center.

Yes. In many cases you can take courses as a “student at large” without being admitted to a degree program. It’s important to check with the individual school to find out how many hours taken in a non-degree status will transfer toward a degree should you choose to pursue a degree at a later date.

A cohort program is a format in which a group of students are admitted and then move together through each required course in sequence. It creates a built-in support group for students.

The University Center is a nonprofit organization created by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to provide opportunities for students to further their education locally in Lake County. Community colleges can only offer up to an associate’s degree where University Center offers the next level of degrees such as bachelor completion, graduate and doctoral programs. We are a completely separate entity from the College of Lake County.

You complete the online admissions application to your university and program/major of choice on the university’s own website, send official copies of your transcripts, and get your admissions status within 2-4 weeks. UCLC staff are available to assist.

When you complete the admissions application, there will be some indication of what campus you plan to attend classes, you would select University Center here. If you miss this part, don’t fret, your advisor will speak with you and help you register for classes at the UCLC campus if this is what you are looking for.

Yes! The same Financial Aid you would be eligible for on campus, you are eligible for off-campus at the University Center as well. When you complete the FAFSA application, make sure you put your university school code. Remember, University Center does not exist for Financial Aid purposes, so, you would only put your particular university as the school code.

Yes! You have full access to each university’s scholarship page.

No. Nothing on your transcripts or diploma will say University Center. Your degree will be from the specific university that you attend.

Your classes are taught by a mix of tenured faculty and adjunct faculty. The same faculty who teach the on-campus programs teach the off-campus programs at the University Center.

Yes, you get full access to the University student services including library services, academic advising, the career center, tutoring center etc. Depending on the university, some of the services are provided virtually (online/video chat/zoom) or face-to-face at the University Center, or face-to-face at the University Main Campus or other extension campus. Either way, you have a team of people interested in supporting you on your academic journey.

You pay the tuition rate of the particular university. But since you are not commuting to a campus farther away, living in dorm, or paying extra fees, you save money.

Yes! Many of the programs have internships embedded within their curriculum. So, this means that you get solid work experience in your field and can build connections with local organizations in Lake County while you complete your bachelor’s degree. If your program doesn’t have an internship embedded, no worries, you can still do an internship and often times it can count for credit or it can be a paid internship and a side job for you.

Reach out to our advising team at transfer@ucenter.org or schedule a free advising appointment on our talk to an advisor page here. We offer convenient appointments both online and via the phone. We are here to support you along your educational journey.