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🏫 Dual Enrollment & College for Illinois Homeschoolers

College classes in high school, admission for homeschool graduates, and the state college aid Illinois homeschoolers can earn — from our Illinois guide and articles.

Diplomas, transcripts, the GED and HiSET, and college

Graduation: ISBE says you are the administrator of your homeschool, so you decide when your student is ready to move up a grade or graduate; ISBE does not provide guidance on instructing and evaluating homeschool students. Employers, the military, trade schools and colleges may have course requirements, so ISBE encourages planning the high school years around them — and, if your child may apply to college, using the same graduation requirements used in public schools.

Public school diplomas: a home-schooled student has no legal right to take part in a public school graduation ceremony or receive a public school diploma. ISBE says a student must be enrolled full time and meet all graduation requirements, and a student who enrolls in 12th grade must meet all state graduation requirements.

College admission: ISBE says every college is different and to check each college's page for homeschool students. For example, the University of Illinois Springfield requires an application, a fee or waiver, and an official transcript — a transcript prepared by a parent or teacher counts, beginning with 9th grade and signed by hand by the person who prepared it — and does not require the GED when official transcripts are submitted. UIS considers home school graduates for merit scholarships automatically.

Dual credit: the Dual Credit Quality Act (110 ILCS 27) governs partnership agreements between community college districts and school districts, and it says nothing specific about home-schooled students. Each college sets its own rules. Lincoln Land Community College, for example, says homeschooled students can take its College Now courses if their parent or instructor can give them high school credit, and otherwise take LLCC classes as "courses only." Ask your local community college.

MAP grant: the Monetary Award Program (110 ILCS 947/35) is Illinois's need-based college grant for state residents enrolled at a qualified institution; it pays only tuition and necessary fees, capped in the statute at