PAT New Student Checklist

Applicants who have been offered admission to Gies College of Business online programs should have received the following:

• A Program Offer Letter: This indicates that we have referred you to the Graduate College for admission as a degree-seeking student from Gies Online Programs.
• An Official Notice of Admission from Illinois Graduate Admissions: This will be delivered as an email with the subject line “Illinois Admission Decision."

Once you have received these items, it is time to decide if you’ll join us as a degree-seeking student through the Graduate College Application Portal. You will make one of three choices:

• Accept Your Offer: This will secure your spot in your program. No enrollment deposit is required!
• Defer Your Acceptance: You have the option to defer your admission for up to 1 calendar year.
• Decline Your Offer: If you no longer want to join our program, please let us know by declining your offer.

The PAT Agreement form is required for admitted PAT students. This agreement form must be completed prior to completion of your first term. Please log in with your application credentials to complete the form. 

• iMSA PAT Agreement Form
• iMBA PAT Agreement Form
• iMSM PAT Agreement Form

Throughout your program, you will use a variety of platforms to complete your courses and connect with your peers. The steps below are essential to utilizing these platforms and should only take 5-10 minutes each to set up. You should complete Steps 2-5 of your checklist within 1-2 weeks of accepting your offer. 

Claim Your NetID and Password 
Your NetID will give you access to campus services, including e-mail and file storage. New students should visit Illinois NetID Claim to claim their NetID. First, you will need to enter your University ID Number (UIN) and Activation Code which can be found in your Notice of Admission from the Illinois Graduate College. Next, you will select and provide answers to two security questions to protect your NetID account. Finally, you will need to choose a password for your NetID account and setup Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). 
 
If you have previously enrolled at the University of Illinois, there is no need to claim your NetID again. You will need to reset your password. You can find more information on the Technology Services Website. 

If you have previously completed high engagement, for-credit coursework through Gies Online Programs, your accounts should already be set up. Skip this step and head straight to Step 6.

Set Up Your University Email Account
Most correspondence is sent to your Illinois email address, so it is imperative you set up your email and check it regularly. Microsoft Office 365 is a service used for email, calendaring, and contact and task management at the University of Illinois and is vital for receiving emails and information from the University. Approximately four hours after claiming your Net ID and setting your password, you will be able to login to and start using your Office 365 Email Account. If you have questions about your email or your Exchange account, please visit the Technology Services Website, or email consult@illinois.edu.

Please note, the University does not recommend forwarding your @illinois.edu email account to a personal account.  Forwarded email may be marked as spam or not delivered at all.

Verify Your Personal Information in Student Self-Service
Once you have established your NetID, use it to log into the online Student Self-Service and verify your personal information, such as your contact information. Keeping this information up to date is extremely important and ensures proper delivery of important documents.

Set Up Your Illinois Zoom Account
Illinois Zoom is the way you will participate in your live sessions (lectures) for each course, office hours and more. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get setup with Illinois Zoom.

Configure Your Coursera Account
The University of Illinois partners with Coursera to offer our Gies online programs’ massive open online courses (MOOCs) that accompany the Canvas component of your online course. Setting up your Coursera account is a two-step process that is outlined below.

1. Link your Coursera account: Within a few days of setting up your Illinois email address, you will receive an email from Coursera regarding information on how to set-up and link your Coursera account with the University of Illinois. Linking your account ensures that the work you do in the Coursera MOOCs is transferred to your online course to be counted towards your grade. Once you have linked your Coursera account, you will see your program name displayed at the top of your dashboard.

The linking email will be sent to your Illinois email account. If you do not see your linking email within one week of setting up your Illinois email address, send an email to i-support@illinois.edu requesting to have your Coursera linking email re-sent.

2. Join Illinois on Coursera: Illinois on Coursera is a perk of being a student at the University of Illinois. Carefully follow these step-by-step instructions to successfully add your Illinois on Coursera dashboard. Illinois on Coursera ensures that you can access the University of Illinois Coursera MOOCs for free.

Our online courses are delivered on two platforms: Coursera & Canvas.  Each course has two structural components:

• A Foundational Component on Coursera (MOOCs)
• Weekly Live Class Sessions, Graded Assignments and Exams on Canvas (High Engagement/HE)

To help students become familiar with both platforms and other important aspects of the program, we have created an Onboarding Course.

• Access Your Onboarding Course

This onboarding course takes approximately 3-4 hours to complete but is essential in your success as a Gies online student. Please be sure to complete the onboarding course before courses begin. 

You will also see optional prep courses on your Coursera account. These are optional but encouraged for students who want more information. 

• Optional Prep Courses

• PAT requirements 
• Recommended course sequences 
• Course registration
• Tuition and fees 

iMBA Students

• iMBA PAT Registration Guide
• iMBA PAT Sample Schedule

iMSA Students

• iMSA PAT Registration Guide 
• iMSA PAT Sample Schedule

iMSM Students 

• iMSM PAT Registration Guide
  
• iMSM PAT Sample Schedule

Original credentials (transcripts, mark sheets, academic records, certificates of degree, etc.) need to be sent from your previous institution(s) to complete your admission. Please note that the credentials you provided as scans in your application are considered unofficial. Please review the Graduate College’s admitted student final credential requirements for specifics on the documents needed to satisfy the conditions of your admission, as well as methods of submitting these credentials to the Graduate College. We’ve also made this helpful video for those who prefer them. This is an optional step but strongly recommended while in the PAT program, so that you avoid delays when admitted to the degree program. 

Upcoming New Student Events

January Admits:

Wednesday Office Hours

Wednesday, November 20 | 6 pm CT | Register Here
Wednesday, December 4 | 6 pm CT | Register Here

New Student Webinar: How to Succeed in Your First Term and Beyond

Wednesday, December 11 | 12 pm CT | Register Here
Wednesday, December 11 | 6 pm CT | Register Here

New Student Welcome Sessions

Wednesday, January 8 | 12 pm CT | Register Here
Wednesday, January 8 | 6 pm CT | Register Here