Governors State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Governors State University is a public university in Illinois that admits roughly 48% of applicants, which puts it in the selective range. A rate like this means it admits a minority of applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Governors State University weighs, where it ranks among Illinois schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Governors State University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Governors State University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Governors State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Governors State University?
At Governors State University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 48% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Governors State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Governors State University hard to get into?
Governors State University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 48% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into Governors State University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Governors State University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Governors State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
What SAT score do you need for Governors State University?
Governors State University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Governors State University.
Your chances at Governors State University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Governors State University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Governors State University with a 3.5 GPA and a 1040 SAT?
About 71% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1040 SAT, the middle of Governors State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1100 SAT comes out near 86%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/governors-state-university.
How to get into Governors State University
Built from Governors State University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Governors State University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Governors State University carries about a 3.47 core GPA and a 1050 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
Governors State University rates rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Governors State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.govst.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Governors State University?
Governors State University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Governors State University looks for
What Governors State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Governors State University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Governors State University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Governors State University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Governors State University cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at Governors State University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $24,227 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $12,004. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,329 a year, and it ranges from $9,563 for families earning under $30,000 to $22,076 for families earning over $110,000. 54% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Governors State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for Governors State University students ten years after entry are $58,169 ($45,435 at the six-year mark). 22% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 56% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $18,618; 38% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Governors State University compares in Illinois
Governors State University ranks #7 most selective of 37 schools in Illinois in our database.
Among the 37 Illinois schools we track, Governors State University ranks #7 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Chicago (4%) and Northwestern University (8%) sit nearby, which makes Illinois a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Governors State University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Governors State University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Baruch College, Delaware State University, and Stony Brook University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Governors State University test-optional?
Yes. Governors State University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Governors State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Governors State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $12,329 a year against a sticker price of about $24,227. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $9,563 on average.
What do Governors State University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Governors State University are $58,169 a year among students who received federal aid, and 22% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Governors State University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Governors State University weighs rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Governors State University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Governors State University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Governors State University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Governors State University specifically.
How does residency affect admission to Governors State University?
As a public university, Governors State University typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.