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The Illinois Seal of Biliteracy is a state award for high school graduates who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English and in at least one other language. Illinois was an early adopter, becoming the third state to establish the award in 2013, and it carries a strong benefit: college course credit on request. This guide covers the requirements, the exact proficiency level, the accepted assessments, the benefits, and how students earn it.
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What the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy Is
Quick answer: the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded by a school district or nonpublic school to graduating students who show a high level of proficiency in English and in at least one language other than English (a LOTE), demonstrated during grades 9 to 12. It appears on the student’s diploma and transcript, and it signals college- and career-ready bilingualism.
Illinois Seal of Biliteracy by the Numbers
Illinois first awarded its seal in 2015, and the 2024-25 school year marked the program’s tenth year.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Participating districts | 139 in 2024-25 |
| Participating high schools | 288 in 2024-25 |
| Languages awarded | 62 in 2024-25, led by Spanish and Polish |
| Seals awarded in 2024-25 | 11,131, earned by 10,799 students (7.9% of 2025 graduates) |
| College credit | Public colleges and universities must award course credit for the seal on request |
Two things stand out in the Illinois data. The linguistic diversity: 62 languages were awarded in 2024-25, reflecting communities from across the state, not just the largest language groups. And the credit guarantee: Illinois law requires public colleges and universities to award course credit for the seal on request, which turns the award into measurable tuition savings.
Illinois Seal of Biliteracy Requirements
Illinois sets two requirements: proficiency in English and proficiency in the other language.
| Requirement | How it is met |
|---|---|
| English proficiency | Meet one of the state’s approved English measures, for example an ACT English Language Arts score of 18 or higher (since October 1, 2025, the ACT composite no longer qualifies), a 4 on the AP English Language and Composition exam, a 3.0 GPA in an ELA dual-credit course, or, for English Learners only, a WIDA ACCESS composite of 4.8. |
| Other-language proficiency | Intermediate High (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012) or its equivalent in each assessed domain: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Since July 1, 2025, composite scores do not qualify. |
Intermediate High is a meaningful bar: the student can handle most everyday and many academic tasks in the language, not just memorized phrases.
Accepted Assessments
Students prove the second language with an approved assessment. The State Superintendent posts an updated list each year by July 1. Commonly accepted options include:
- AAPPL (ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages): form B requires a score of I-5 (Intermediate High) in each of the four skills.
- AP world language and culture exams at a qualifying score.
- IB language exams at a qualifying score.
- DELE (Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera) and other approved standardized language assessments.
Because the accepted list and cut scores can change annually, confirm the current year’s list with your district or the Illinois State Board of Education before testing.
How to Earn It in Illinois
- During grades 9 to 12, take an approved assessment in the target language and reach Intermediate High in each assessed domain.
- Meet the English proficiency requirement through the state’s measures.
- Your district applies the seal to your diploma and transcript at graduation.
Heritage and bilingual students often already speak the language at home; the seal simply verifies and credentials it. Students still developing the language should build listening, reading, and especially speaking across the high school years.
The Commendation Toward Biliteracy
Illinois also offers a Commendation Toward Biliteracy, a graduation award for students who reach at least Intermediate Low, on the same assessments with lower cut scores, but not the Intermediate High the full seal requires. It recognizes progress and encourages continued study.
Benefits in Illinois
Illinois offers one of the strongest benefits in the country: Illinois public universities must accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent to two years of high school foreign language coursework, and public colleges and universities must award course credit on request. Beyond credit, the seal strengthens college applications, signals bilingual skills to employers, and formally recognizes the languages of Illinois’s multilingual families.
Why the Every-Domain Rule Matters in Illinois
Illinois sets its world-language bar at Intermediate High in each of the four domains: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. This is a stricter structure than a single overall score, because a student cannot lean on a strong reading result to offset weaker speaking. On the AAPPL, for example, the standard route requires an I-5 (Intermediate High) result in each of the four skills. The practical implication is that planning should identify the student’s weakest domain early, since that domain, not the average, determines whether the student clears the bar.
In a classroom, speaking is the domain each student gets the least individual time to practice. Heritage speakers often show a different pattern, with strong speaking and listening but developing academic reading and writing. Either way, the every-domain rule rewards balanced proficiency, so students benefit from targeting the specific domain that falls short rather than practicing broadly.
The College-Credit Value in Concrete Terms
Illinois offers one of the strongest seal benefits in the country, and it is worth quantifying. State law requires Illinois public universities to accept the seal as equivalent to two years of high school foreign-language coursework, and public colleges and universities to award course credit on request within three academic years of graduation. For a student, that can mean skipping introductory college language courses entirely, which saves both tuition and time toward a degree. Because the accepted assessment list and cut scores are updated annually, with the State Superintendent posting the list by July 1 each year, students should confirm the current year’s approved assessments with their district or the Illinois State Board of Education before testing. The Commendation Toward Biliteracy, awarded to students rated at the Intermediate Low or Intermediate Mid range who have not reached Intermediate High, recognizes graduates who fall short of the full seal, and some universities also grant credit for it.
A Practical Calendar for Illinois Students
Illinois requires Intermediate High across domains, so the assessment window deserves planning rather than a senior-year scramble.
- Grades 9-10: confirm the district participates. Heritage speakers should identify which of ISBE’s approved assessments covers their language.
- Grade 11: take a practice or first attempt at the chosen assessment (AAPPL, STAMP, AP, or another from ISBE’s approved list, which the state updates regularly). Aim to know your domain profile before senior year.
- Grade 12: final attempt scheduled early enough for a retake if one domain falls short. Districts report earners to ISBE and note the seal on the transcript, which lets students request course credit at public colleges and universities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy requirements?
English proficiency plus Intermediate High (ACTFL) or equivalent in another language in each of speaking, writing, listening, and reading, demonstrated during grades 9 to 12 through an approved assessment.
What proficiency level is needed?
Intermediate High on the ACTFL scale in each assessed domain of the language other than English. This is higher than the Intermediate Mid level some states require.
Does the Illinois seal give college credit?
Yes. Public universities must accept it as equivalent to two years of high school foreign language coursework, and public colleges and universities must award course credit on request.
Which assessments does Illinois accept?
Approved options include the AAPPL (form B, I-5), AP and IB world language exams, DELE, and other assessments on the state’s annual list. Confirm the current year’s list with your district or ISBE.
Who awards it?
Illinois school districts and nonpublic schools award the seal to qualifying graduates; it appears on the diploma and transcript.
Do I need Intermediate High in every domain?
Yes. Since July 1, 2025, Illinois requires Intermediate High in each assessed domain, and composite scores do not qualify. A strong score in one domain does not offset a weaker one, so the weakest domain effectively determines eligibility.
What is the Commendation Toward Biliteracy?
It is a graduation award for students who reach at least Intermediate Low but not the Intermediate High the seal requires, on the same assessments with lower cut scores.
How much college credit does the Illinois seal grant?
Each institution sets the amount. State law requires public colleges and universities to award foreign-language course credit on request within three academic years of graduation, which can let students place out of introductory college language courses. For example, Chicago State awards 6 credits and Eastern Illinois 12.
How many districts participate in the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy?
139 districts and 288 high schools in 2024-25, ISBE’s most recent report, with seals awarded in 62 languages. The 2024-25 school year marked the program’s tenth year, and awards have trended upward despite a dip during the pandemic.
Which languages have been awarded in Illinois?
Sixty-two languages in 2024-25 alone, led by Spanish, Polish, French, and Mandarin. Any language with an ISBE-approved assessment can qualify, and the approved list is updated regularly.
Related Resources
- What Is the Seal of Biliteracy?
- Seal of Biliteracy Requirements
- Seal of Biliteracy by State
- How to Get the Seal of Biliteracy
Conclusion
The Illinois Seal of Biliteracy sets a clear, ambitious bar, Intermediate High in a second language, and backs it with real value: college course credit, on request, at every public college and university in the state. For heritage speakers it credentials a language they already have, and for language learners it rewards years of practice. Reaching it reliably comes down to consistent speaking and listening through high school.
Sources: Illinois State Board of Education, State Seal of Biliteracy; Global Seal of Biliteracy, Illinois; SealofBiliteracy.org.
A Higher Bar With Real College Credit on the Line
Illinois sets one of the steeper bars in the country: Intermediate High in each of the four domains, not an average that a strong reading score can prop up. And because every public college and university in the state must award course credit for the seal on request, a student who falls a level short in speaking is not just missing a diploma sticker, they are leaving tuition credit on the table.
That makes the weakest domain decisive, and speaking is the domain a classroom gives each student the least time to practice. Lifting it to Intermediate High takes sustained oral practice with feedback, and a single world-language teacher cannot deliver that individually to every student aiming for the seal in a given year.
Schools can add practice that targets the productive skills the seal depends on. Telo AI is one example, providing adaptive conversation and feedback through separate English, Spanish, and French apps.
See how students lift their weakest domain to the level the seal demands: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/
When speaking rises to meet reading and listening, the student clears the bar and the college credit follows. A seal that converts into real tuition credit is worth reaching for, and reaching it comes down to practicing the domain that a classroom can least often provide.
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